Set up by the Royal British Legion, the new website ‘Every Man Remembered‘ has been set up to honour and commemorate every single man and woman who died in the Great War fighting for Britain and the Empire. It is a really fantastic idea, and as a One Name Family History Society, I feel it is essential we should commemorate everyone from the Lin(d)field families who lost their lives. Donations can also be made to the Legion in memory of an individual. Continue reading
With all the First World War centenary commemorations well under way, I wanted to tell everyone about a new website: ‘The Great War – West Sussex‘.
Financed with a lottery grant, this has been a joint project between the West Sussex Library Service and the West Sussex Record Office, who appealed for volunteers to research case studies on various topics of the war or on a particular serviceman or woman. Far more people came forward than expected – 150 rather than the estimated 80 or so – but the end result is a fantastic learning resource that I can thoroughly recommend. Continue reading
I have recently embarked on a major research project into the history of the Worthing Glasshouse Industry. Started by the pioneer growers such as George Beer in the 1870s, who built the first large commercial glasshouses, the industry flourished in the town and became the main glasshouse growing centre in the country. The industry was important to the local economy for over 70 years, until it gradually declined as the expanding town absorbed all the old nurseries in its relentless growth. By the 1960s, the vast majority had closed. I am very lucky that David Abbott, official historian of the West Sussex Growers Association, has joined me in the project and we recently held an exhibition of some of our ‘discoveries’ at Worthing Library (5- 19 March 2011). Continue reading
Sometime during the mid-1850s, Mark Linfield (1825-1909) moved with his young family to the town of Ventnor, on the Isle of Wight. Mark was a linen draper1 by trade, and in the 1851 census he is recorded as such at 1, Albert Terrace in Camberwell, with his sister Jane and younger brother Stanford Frederick (1829-89), also a linen draper. Mark and his siblings were all born in Storrington, West Sussex and were the youngest three children of William and Harriet Linfield (née Stanford) who were married in 1803. Both Mark’s father, and grandfather Peter Linfield (1734-91), were farmers and butchers in Storrington, a trade followed by his older brother, Thomas (1812-84). Sadly for Mark, Jane and Stanford, they were orphaned when both their parents died in 1835. They were all still very young – Mark was ten, Jane 12 and Stanford only 6 – so they began life with a distinct disadvantage. They were brought up by older siblings, who no doubt wanted to relieve themselves of the financial commitment as early as possible. And so, by 1841, at the age of 15, it is hardly surprising that Mark is working as an apprentice to Henry Marshall, draper of High Street, Steyning. Continue reading
Jomo Kenyatta and his Connections with West Sussex, by Malcolm Linfield [Revised Oct 2015]
Peeps into the Past
Worthing Burials: Part 1, by Alan Lindfield
Portrait Gallery
The Isle of Wight Linfields, by Malcolm Linfield
The Misadventures (and Descendants) of Elizabeth Linfield and John Whittaker (Part 4), by Dolores Christophel D’Errico
Front cover: Linfield’s Store, Medicine Hat c. 1914, soon after the arrival of Charles Ashover Linfield and his family to Canada in 1913. See article ‘The Isle of Wight Linfields’, by Malcolm Linfield on page 63.
Portrait Gallery
Peeps into the Past
Family Legends – Fact or Fiction? by Malcolm Linfield
Lin(d)field Miscellanies (5), by Malcolm Linfield
Book Review: The Diaries of Sarah Hurst 1759-1762; Life and Love in 18th century Horsham, by Susan C. Djabri.
The Misadventures (and Descendants) of Elizabeth Linfield and John Whittaker (Part 3), by Dolores Christophel D’Errico
Front cover: Arthur and Edith Linfield celebrate their Golden Wedding anniversary, January 1 1933. Arthur George Linfield (1859-1938) and Edith Mary Young (1862-1953) were married at the Methodist Chapel in Bedford Row, Worthing on January 1 1883.
Peeps into the Past …
Portrait Gallery
A History of the firm of AG Linfield of West Sussex, Fruit Growers, Market Gardeners and Mushroom Producers. Part 1: The Early Years, by Malcolm Linfield
A Comparison, of sorts . . . by Malcolm Linfield
Lin(d)field Miscellanies (4), by Malcolm Linfield
The Misadventures (and Descendants) of Elizabeth Linfield and John Whittaker (Part 2), by Dolores Christophel D’Errico 70
Front cover: the opening ceremony of the new Wesleyan Church at Steyne Gardens, Worthing on June 20th 1900. The site in Brighton Road was purchased in August 1897 and was intended as a replacement for the old Wesleyan Chapel in Bedford Row. The photograph depicts the “Presentation of Keys” ceremony, which took place in front of the Church doors at 3pm. The keys were presented to Mrs AG Linfield and Mrs J Frampton who proceeded to unlock the doors. The future of this delightful church is currently under threat and it may eventually close and be demolished.
Ipswich Borough Record Extracts relating to Lindfields or connected families including other snippets of interest. Part VI: The records, 1669-1684, by Ian Anderson
Peeps into the Past …
Latest News …
John Linfield (1655-1729) Quaker Blacksmith of Ifield, by Malcolm Linfield
Portrait Gallery
Some Reflections from 70 Years Ago, by Malcolm Linfield
The Misadventures (and Descendants) of Elizabeth Linfield and John Whittaker (Part 1), by Dolores Christophel D’Errico
Front cover: the Quaker Meeting House at Ifield, West Sussex. Built in 1676 from stone reputedly brought from Slaugham Place, it was attached to an old dwelling house of 1475. John Linfield, tenant of the Meeting, lived in the old cottage where he also ran his business as a blacksmith. See article ‘John Linfield (1655-1729) Quaker Blacksmith of Ifield’ pp. 11.