AAH (All About Horsham) November 2015

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AAH ALL ABOUT HORSHAM MAGAZINE

NOVEMBER 2015

INTRODUCTION

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Words/Layout: Ben Morris Photography: Toby Phillips

COVER STORY

Woodland Wanderer

As usual, we forgot all about our ‘silly shot’ until deadline day, and the easiest thing to do quickly was to pretend to read poetry (although it’s actually Huckleberry Finn) in tribute to our article on poet Philippa Crundwell.

This was one of two recent instances in which I unexpectedly found myself in woodland. The other occasion can be blamed on my car, which is not only old, but regrettably French.

The tracking regularly needs adjusting, and more often than not my hands are at a ‘ten to three’ position whilst driving on a straight road!

I usually take the car to the Bluebird garage in Ashington, where I live, but I was too embarrassed to do so this time. It’s not been long since they last fixed the tracking, and I don’t want them to think I just drive around smashing into kerbs.

So I went to Wigg’s in Storrington.

I do tend to do things without a plan. So having dropped off the car without booking a specified time, I was left wondering how to get home. To add to my woes, only days earlier I had injured the medial ligament of my right knee whilst playing football with ten-year-olds!

The Doctor told me to rest it well...

I limped off, in the rain. Should have worn a jacket.

Thankfully, my dad works somewhere on Water Lane Industrial Estate, so I called him to ask for a lift. But there was no answer.

I walked around the site seeking out his business, but after touring the extensive Tesla site, I gave up.

Why spend 15 more minutes looking when I could walk to the bus stop?

I didn’t used to care for buses at all. I vaguely recall that, whilst working for a local newspaper, I reported on a major reduction of rural services. But at the time, I hadn’t really cared. Honestly, who uses a bus?

Old people and teenage runaways.

I reached the first bus stop, saw that there were no routes to Ashington, so logically assumed that the bus I required would have to pass through

Thakeham. I moved on to another shelterless request stop near Rydon School and waited for 20 minutes, during which time I tried and failed to view bus timetables on my mobile phone.

With no buses on the horizon, I decided to walk into the heart of Thakeham, which I’d wrongly considered to be half a mile away, tops. I knew there was a proper bus shelter there, as I had worked at the mushroom farm as a teenager.

I hate mushrooms.

I limped along the road, constantly expecting to be passed by my elusive bus, just occasionally walking past ‘request stops’ that surely have never, ever, been used. Then finally, I made it to the shelter and read the timetable.

“Honestly, the cuts to our rural bus services is a bloody disgrace!”I shouted. The bus comes three times a day, and my timing was off...

I’m not very bright, as evidenced here, but I know that I would rather walk for two hours than spend one in a bus shelter. So I continued on, using my good sense of direction (we all have a talent!) and one good leg, across fields of startled sheep and along a woodland path where I stumbled across not one, but two limited edition Peugeot 205 Mardi Gras cars gradually being engulfed by nature.

I’d love to say that I came across a fox and we shared a brief moment of understanding, or that I’d seen a pair of Peregrine attacking a buzzard. But I didn’t. It was just a long, entirely avoidable walk in the rain.

Yet, gradually, it became a walk that I really enjoyed.

I was happy and I felt a sense of achievement when, after limping for over two hours, I made it home via Warminghurst Church.

I felt daft, but I was pleased how the morning had turned out. So pleased, in fact, that when I collected my car, I did the entire walk back in reverse.

Actually, that’s not true, I didn’t. I got a lift. Because we don’t really know what’s good for us, do we?

BEN MORRIS

AAH ALL ABOUT HORSHAM MAGAZINE

NOVEMBER 2015

Our cover girl this month is Philippa Crundwell, a 17-year-old poet from Horsham featured in the ‘One to Watch’ section.

The picture was taken on a corner of Smithbarn in Horsham. We wanted a rural image as Philippa is inspired to write poetry on woodland walks near to her home.

This spot worked well, as Toby was able to gather up crisp fallen leaves at the side of the road and pile them up around Phillipa, who was sat on a plastic bag obscured by the leaves.

Toby wanted to create a strong autumnal theme and asked Philippa to find a hat, scarf, brown boots and a jacket to wear. After ten minutes in wardrobe, the scarf was tossed aside!

Ben was briefly assisting by holding up a reflector so that Toby could ‘bounce’ additional light on to Philippa’s face during the shoot. But he was distracted by an albino squirrel scurrying along the opposite side of the road.

We also took pictures of Philippa with her book, Seventy Beats, but the idea of her writing rather than promoting worked better for the cover.

We seriously contemplated using Mark Peckham aboard his 1982 Shovelhead for the cover. However, we have already featured a Harley on a previous cover, and two might be leaning towards Back Street Heroes territory.

The image of Omar at Roots to Growth would also have made a striking cover.

ALTERNATIVES AAH ALL ABOUT HORSHAM MAGAZINE

AAH

NOVEMBER 2015

NOVEMBER 2015

ALL ABOUT HORSHAM MAGAZINE

6 One to Watch Horsham student Philippa Crundwell has published her first book of poetry

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Music Mark Ben Wilson hopes that his style of percussive guitar playing will bring success

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Group Discussion We meet the ladies of Calico & Cake, a free machine sewing group which meets in Shipley

News Round Up Royal opening of LARC at Christ’s Hospital and festive production from HAODS

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Meal Review After five rocky years, has Wabi turned a corner with its contemporary Japanese food?

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Food and Drink The 13th annual Horsham Beer Festival brings yet more success for Dark Star brewery

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CONTENTS NOVEMBER 2015

My Life So Far Alma Cook talks about her days as ‘housewife songwriter’ for the great Shirley Bassey

Community Roots to Growth in Washington offers an outdoor experience for homeless people

Television Matt Gillan, head chef at The Pass at South Lodge, wins TV show The Great British Menu

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Business Mark Peckham talks about his intricate leather tooling and striking Harley Davidson

History We take it for granted now, but Horsham’s water supply has not always run smooth...

ALL ABOUT ALL ABOUT HORSHAM EDITOR: BEN MORRIS editor@aahorsham.co.uk 01403 878026 / 01903 892899

LETTERS: The Editor, AAH Magazine, 2 Viney Close, Ashington, RH20 3PT ADVERTISING: KELLY MORRIS advertising@aahorsham.co.uk 01403 878026 / 01903 892899

PHOTOGRAPHY: TOBY PHILLIPS tobyphillipsphotography.co.uk info@tobyphillipsphotography.co.uk 07968 795625

WEBSITE: wwwaahorsham.co.uk We publish AAH in full on our website every month, several days before the magazine is distributed. You can read archive editions too.

ADVERTISING Advertisers report a great response from AAH due to our great editorial features and wide door-to-door distribution.

Eighth Page Advert: £55 + VAT Quarter Page Advert: £110 + VAT Half Page Advert: £185 + VAT Full Page Advert: £300 + VAT WE OFFER A BUY FIVE, GET SIXTH ADVERT FREE PROMOTION If you’d like to discuss advertising email us on:

advertising@aahorsham.co.uk or call 01403 878026

ARCHIVE EDITIONS/PHOTO SALES Past editions of AAH can be purchased for a cost of £3. This includes the cost of postage.

Contact the Editor for details.

Images can be purchased, either as digital downloads or prints. Contact Toby for details.

THANKS: NOVEMBER 2015 EDITION Jeremy Knight at Horsham Museum/HDC for providing text and images for the historic article on Horsham Water (P63) Robertob Piper for putting us in touch with Alma Cook (P17) Ben’s Mum for proof reading (and spotting a rogue Latin language error!)

Pefro Martins for providing us with all we needed for our Wabi review (P28)

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NOTES: We now had to remove the stand from Lottie’s Fayre in Horsham, as it has been damaged. Sorry folks! We have two more stands coming next month - watch this space...

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5 GINGERBREAD: Sales of Horsham’s gingerbread have risen thanks to the popular afternoon BBC show Escape to the Country. The programmed on 6 October showed scenes of Horsham, with the story of the Horsham delicacy told by Horsham District Council’s Heritage Manager Jeremy Knight. Lesley Ward, who adapted the recipe for the modern taste in her kitchen, also featured.

Lesley has since made gingerbread and a range of other local Sussex biscuits, available at local produce outlets and the Museum.

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FAIRTRADE MARKET: A FairTrade Christmas Market will be held at St John’s RC Church Hall, Horsham on Saturday 28 November from 10am – 4pm. It is a great opportunity to buy ethical presents, choosing from a variety of different fairly traded crafts from across the world.

FairTrade coffee, tea, cakes will be served in aid of Medicins Sans Frontieres. Horsham has been a FairTrade town since 2005 and the Christmas Market has been the group’s most popular event. FairTrade stallholders can contact Felicity on fb.harrington@btinternet.com www.fairtradehorsham.org.uk/

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MOTOR SPORT: Jolyon Palmer, who lives in Southwater, has been named as a race driver for the 2016 season by Lotus F1 Team. Jolyon, 24, has driven for the team in Free Practice 1 sessions this season, following a fine GP2 campaign in 2014 where he won the championship in dominant fashion. He will partner Pastor Maldonado in the Lotus. Jolyon said: “I'm obviously delighted that I'll be racing in Formula 1 next year. Lotus F1

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6 Team gave me a tremendous opportunity this season and I thank them for assisting my development to a level where they have put their trust in me for a crucial season in their evolution. Gerard Lopez, Chairman and Team Principal, said: “As well as having a great future ahead of him behind the wheel, Jolyon is an intelligent and highly marketable asset to the team. He deserves this opportunity." www.jolyonpalmer.com LANDLORDS: An exhibition dedicated to landlords will be held at the Drill Hall, Denne Road, Horsham, RH12 1JF on Saturday 28 November. The exhibition, called A Place for Landlords, has been organised by leading Horsham businesses including AToM, Spofforths, Guy Leonard, Leaders and Courtney Green. The purpose is to offer local landlords the chance to meet all of the professionals they will ever need, under one roof. They include accountants, mortgage specialists, letting agents and solicitors with specialist presentations from industry experts.

For details or to register your interest please email landlordshow@atomltd.co.uk

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FUNDRAISER: Amanda Redman will be supporting the ABC Animal Sanctuary in West Chiltington on Sunday 15 November. The BAFTA nominated actress, best known for her role in BBC One series New Tricks, will be at the sanctuary for an interview and afternoon tea at Random Hall Hotel in Slinfold from 3pm. Tickets cost £35 in advance from Gillian@abcanimalsanctuary.co.uk Proceeds go to looking after animals at the sanctuary, founded by the late Alexandra Bastedo.

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CHRISTMAS BOOK: Children’s entertainer Tomfoolery has raised almost £5,500 for Chestnut Tree House children’s hospice. Tom Hunter, aka Tomfoolery, has hosted Charity Tuesday parties and donated some of his booking fee to the hospice The entertainer has also written a Christmas book, Tomfoolery Saves Christmas, co-authored by Lisa Brace and illustrated by Chichester-based artist Alexandra Knight. A show of the same name takes place at The Capitol Studio from Thursday 10 – Thursday 24 December. Tickets are available from the Box Office on 01403 750220. www.partytom.com

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ROYAL VISIT: HRH The Duke of Gloucester and the Lord Lieutenant of West Sussex, Mrs Susan Pyper official opened Christ’s Hospital’s new Language and Resource Centre (LARC) on 14 October. The new £9 million facility, which will house the School’s ancient and modern language departments, as well as IT suites and the School’s library, was completed for the start of term in September 2015. The project was supported by a young Old Blue Jamie Arnell, whose major gift was a key factor in moving the LARC forward. The facility provides the pupils with state of the art facilities, including a digital laboratory, modern languages classrooms fitted with interactive whiteboards, dedicated computer suites for the teaching of ICT and a fully-equipped library. The Duke of Gloucester unveiled an inscribed Foundation Stone outside the LARC building which was followed by a march past and salute to the Royal party by the Christ’s Hospital Band. www.christs-hospital.org.uk/

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NEWS ROUND-UP

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9 CHRISTMAS CONCERT: Slinfold Concert Band returns to Billingshurst Centre for this year’s concert, A Seasonal Selection, on Sunday 6 December at 3pm. The Band will perform a selection of Christmas favourites, as well as other pieces from the Band’s extensive library. The Band is supporting the Billingshurst Emergency Action Team, who will be running a fund raising raffle at the concert. Tickets £8 for adults, (Under 18s £1) from Jengers Craft Bakery in Billingshurst, Barns Green Village Stores, Slinfold Village Stores, or from the Band on 01403 710015. New brass, wind or percussion players are always welcome. www.slinfoldconcertband.org

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STORRINGTON LIGHTS: Storrington Christmas Night will be held on Thursday 3 December from 6pm – 9pm. The new festive streetlight decorations will be switched on and there will be numerous attractions to suit all ages, with local groups and organisations joining in the festivities and shops opening late. Highlights include a fun fair, Morris dancers, Father Christmas, festive food and drink, and free chips for the children.

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GUN CLUB: The Countryman Gun Club faces an uncertain future, as members struggle to find a new venue. The 100 member strong group, which has been clay pigeon shooting for 46 years, currently meets in the grounds of the Knepp estate in Shipley. However, a decision has been taken that leaves the club, which hosts two open shoots each year, six skeet, 12 sporting mornings

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12 and one have-a-go shoot, looking for a new venue in or around Shipley. Countryman Gun Club Chairman David Meadows thanked Sir Charles Burrell for his support. With scoring records dating back to 1971, the Countryman Gun Club has raised thousands of pounds over the years for local organisations and charities. If you can help contact David Meadows on 01403 741379 or d.meadows377@btinternet.com STEYNING ARTS: The Steyning Arts at Christmas Artist and Makers Fair will be held at the Steyning Centre on Saturday 28 November from 10.30 4.30pm. Artists will be offering photography, jewellery, painting, stained glass, wood craft, textiles and ceramics. www.steyningarts.co.uk

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WARTIME BOOK: Storrington author Ruth Stender has taken her father’s wartime adventures and created an insightful and thought-provoking first novel. Spanning 25 years from 1914 to 1939, Gertigstrasse 56 relates the true story of her father and his two brothers. Ruth said: “Gertigstrasse 56 came into fruition after my father retired and opened a very large suitcase crammed full of fascinating documents and letters. I had no idea how deeply he’d been involved in the anti-fascist resistance movement or the full extent of his two brothers’ commitment to fight for democracy.” At a time when the Nazi Party were becoming more powerful in Germany, brothers Rudolf, Ernst and Werner Stender joined an anti-fascist resistance movement in Hamburg. The siblings are catapulted into different experiences, including being arrested by the Gestapo, tortured, imprisoned in

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concentration Camp and sent for trial for High Treason against the German Reich. Ruth’s father, Werner, passed away shortly before AAH went to press, aged 99. The book is published through Troubador. www.troubador.co.uk HAODS: There is a 100% chance of snow at The Capitol this year, thanks to a production of White Christmas by HAODS (Horsham Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society). Based on the 1954 movie of the same name, White Christmas is packed with mischief and Christmas romance, set to a backdrop of energetic dance routines and classic musical numbers including ‘Sisters’, ‘The Best Things Happen While You’re Dancing, and the legendary ‘White Christmas.’ The cast preview the show on the Carfax bandstand on Saturday 14 & 21 November from 12pm- 2pm.

The production is one at The Capitol from 24 – 28 November, at 7:30pm with a Saturday matinee at 2:30pm. For tickets call 01403 750220 or www.thecapitolhorsham.com

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YOUTH SERVICES: Horsham FindItOut Centre has moved to the Youth Hub@Horsham on Hurst Road. The centre provides information, advice and guidance to young people aged 13-25 in an empowering and non-judgemental way. Young people can drop in or make an appointment to talk in confidence about issues including employment and training, careers, education, housing, homelessness, money, family and relationships. The FindItOut centre also has specialist services including a weekly visit from a sexual health nurse, counselling and Youth Emotional Support (Y.E.S). For opening times

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Submit your News and Events to Ben at editor@aahorsham.co.uk We also add listings to the Events guide at www.aahorsham.co.uk

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Photo by Chris Jennings

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please visit www.yourspacewestsussex.co.uk GIG GUIDE: www.horsham-rocks.co.uk, a popular website that lists gigs across the district, has been given a new look.

Venues and bands are invited to utilise the gig guide. November’s listings include Mainly Madness at The Holbrook Club on Saturday 21 November, and Stan’s Showcase at The Anchor Hotel in Horsham on Sunday 29 November. The Queens Head in Barns Green hosts an acoustic showcase on Wednesday 2 December.

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ITALIAN MARKET: Italia in Piazza Italian Market will be in Storrington on Saturday 21 November from 9am to 4pm. The market is run by Italians who source you the best fresh produce from the roots of Calabria, famous for its chilies, to the port city of Genova, famous for its pesto. www.italiainpiazza.com

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FESTIVE FAIR: A Christmas Craft and Activity Fair will be held in the Women’s Hall, Billingshurst on Sunday 15 November from 11am - 4pm. Entry is

free. There will be a variety of Christmas activities and crafts including locally made cards, wreath making, gingerbread decorating and tea and cake. You can enjoy supper to the sounds of the Riverboat Shuffle Jazz Band at the Women’s Hall on Friday 13 November from 8pm – 11pm.

Tickets £10 from nicky.tozer@gmail.com or 01403 783212. Proceeds from both nights go to Billingshurst Emergency Action Team.

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WHEELCHAIR SWING: Disabled children who are unable to get out of their wheelchairs now have the opportunity

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NEWS ROUND-UP to enjoy playing on a new, specially designed swing in Horsham Park, thanks to investment by Horsham District Council. The introduction of a swing was achieved through consultation with a group of local mums with young wheelchair users. In order to meet safety standards, the new swing is located in an entirely fenced area, with a gate only accessible by a RADAR key.

BENN SNAPS: Horsham District Council’s Horsham Museum and Art Gallery will be featuring 16 of Benn McIntyre’s images in their photography gallery in an exhibition opening on 2 November. The exhibition, called British Wildlife, features images taken by the Southwater photographer in the Horsham area, revealing just how rich the wildlife is in the district. Inspired by watching Steve Irwin and crocodiles as a child, Benn learned various techniques on photography forums, before posting his nature images on Facebook. See further images on www.facebook.com/BennSnapps

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WAR HONOUR: Bob Piper has received France’s highest honour for his role in liberating the country in the Second World War. The Southwater veteran received the Légion d’honneur as he was amongst the British troops involved in the D-Day landings. His

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medal was sent in the post, after President François Hollande pledged to honour all those British veterans who helped liberate France. Bob, who was featured in an AAH My Story So Far feature in 2012, said: “I have mixed feelings. It's an honour to have it but they need not have given it to us; it feels like a spare of the moment decision. So few of us are still alive, but we are not heroes; the heroes have been buried for 70 years. But I suppose it helps us ensure we don't forget for the sake of those who never returned.”

FESTIVE FESTIVAL: Warminghurst Church will be filled with trees decorated creatively by schools and businesses during a Christmas Tree Festival from Friday 11 to Sunday 13 December. The Friends of Warminghurst Church have a stall of Christmas goods and will provide refreshments at the free event.

All proceeds and donations go to the Friends of Warminghurst Church roof repair fund. For Information call 01903 891312 or email contact.fowc@gmail.com St Marks Church on North Heath Lane, Horsham, hosts a Christmas celebration of Music and Readings on Saturday 12 December at 7.30pm.

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STEYNING FAIR: The 25th Steyning Grammar School Winter Fair will be held on Saturday 21 November

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from 10am. More than 1,000 people attended last year’s fair, raising £7,800 for the school. As well as the commercial stalls, school stalls, auction, raffle, food, drink and fun, this year’s event includes a special programme of entertainment in the Drama Hall to mark the 25th Anniversary. For more go to the Community tab at www.sgs.uk.net HSO CONCERT: Horsham Symphony Orchestra opens its 2015-2016 concert season with a performance of Brahms’s Double Concerto at The Capitol on Saturday 21 November at 7.30pm. Co-leader Rachel Ellis and Sussex-based cellist Pavlos Carvalho are the soloists and after the interval the orchestra performs Tchaikovsky’s epic Sixth Symphony. Tickets cost £14, Concessions £12, Under 18’s £5. For tickets call 01403 750220 or visit www.thecapitolhorsham.com

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SANTA RUN: Crowds of Santa lookalikes descend on Horsham Park on Sunday 15 November at 10am to take part in a festive fun run for St Catherine’s Hospice. All participants in the 4km receive a free Santa suit and children under six will be given a free Santa hat.

Christmas themed stalls include St Catherine's Christmas cards, designed by patients and families, face painting and roasted chestnuts.

From Saturday 31 October onwards, pre-event registration is £13 for adults, £8 for children (under 16) and £30 for a family of four; on the day entrants are welcome too. To

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register call 01293 583063 or visit www.stch.org/santarunNEW VERDI: Chanctonbury Chorus and Orchestra join forces with Hurstpierpoint College to perform Verdi’s Requiem at Hurstpierpoint College Chapel on Sunday 6 December 6th at 7.30pm. Tickets are available from Steyning Bookshop at £10. www.chanctonburychorus.org

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POP-UP FOOD: Chefs Steven Edwards and Josh Stanzl will be taking their pop-up restaurant, etch, to M Café, Cranleigh, on Saturday 5 December. They will be serving a six course tasting menu that shows off fantastic Sussex produce. For details visit www.etchfood.co.uk

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DISPATCH RIDER: George Brown, of Partridge Green was featured on The One Show on 22 October. The show, commemorating the blitz, was broadcast live from Aldwych Underground station. George, who at 94-years-old is perhaps the last surviving wartime despatch driver, was interviewed by roving reporter Joe Crowley about his experiences.

George said: “The BBC told me that AAH Magazine was kind enough to pass on my details so that I could appear on the show. It was an amazing experience and Thelma and I were lucky enough to meet Guy Martin, who is my motorcycling hero! He gave Thelma a cuddle so she's thrilled to bits!” You can read George’s story at http://www.aahorsham.co.uk/ content/georgebrown

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NEWS ROUND-UP

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Photo by Andrea Sarlo

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SPORTS AWARDS: The achievements of 25 local young sports people were recognised at the annual Set4Success awards at South Lodge Hotel on 23 October. The ceremony was compered

by TV’s Dave Benson Phillips and awards were presented by Jade Lally, the UK’s leading women’s discus thrower. Award winners were Elouise Robb and Hannah Pratchett (water polo); Kristina Pavlou, Zack Wake, Jack Thompson and Corlia Robertson (judo); Daniel Jones (swimming); Jamie Brown (kick boxing); Henry Lowis (rugby official); Isobel Hilliard, Reece Besley and Harry Harrod (artistic gymnastics); Orla Brothers, Jordan Levey, Amy Fitzpatrick and Tamsin Campbell (athletics); Elliot Bailey and Daniela Lozzi (basketball); Ellie Clark (trampolining); Kate Small (trampoline gymnastics ); Natalie Taylor and Bronwen Thomas (football); Charlie Brackpool (kayaking); Erin Marshall (hockey) and Sean Richardson (rugby). www.set4success.org

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BILLIFEST: The annual Christmas festival held in Jengers Mead, Billingshurst, will be held on Saturday 5 December. The event includes a festive market, music and entertainment for all the family.

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COMEDY: The Barnstormers Big Sundae will be held at The Capitol on Sunday 15 November from 7.30pm. This year features top Canadian comic Sean Collins, rising star Nathan Caton and Patrick Monahan, with host Kevin Precious (pictured) Tickets £12.50 from 01403 750220 or www.thecapitolhorsham.com

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HOMES AWARD: St Irvyne’s, part of Countryside’s Wickhurst Green near Broadbridge Heath, has been named Development of the Year at the Sunday Times British Homes Awards 2015. St Irvyne’s offers a collection of three to five bedroom detached homes combining colonial and traditional architecture with contemporary styling, arranged in a picturesque village style development. www.st-irvynes.co.uk

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Box Office: 01403 750220 thecapitolhorsham.com

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Sunday, 29 November, 7.30pm A night of music from many great artists who have influenced the guys’ love of music over the years.

It’s the music they have grown up with and inspired them – as well as songs from their careers. Come on a musical ride of wonderful arrangements with elements of jazz, soul, pop from the likes of Stevie Wonder and Billie Holiday.

For tickets to all the above shows, contact the Box Office on 01403 750220 or visit www.thecapitolhorsham.com

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If you’d like to advertise in AAH, email Ben at editor@aahorsham.co.uk Our advertising rates are listed on the Contents Page (Page 6)

T

Horsham to Hollywood...

here will be a very special screening of Steven Spielberg’s acclaimed new film, Bridge of Spies, at The Capitol in Horsham on Saturday, 28 November.

and back again!

As well as introducing the film, Matt will spend half an hour answering questions from the audience following the screening.

Matt experienced his first taste of theatre as a child at the Southwater Horticultural Society’s festive pantomime, and whilst a pupil at Forest and student at Collyer’s, he produced a string of plays that were often staged at The Capitol.

Screenwriter Matt Charman, who is from Horsham, co-wrote the film with Ethan and Joel Coen. Matt will be present at the 8.15pm showing in Screen One.

However, even his most ardent supporters could barely have predicted how successful he would become. Matt’s theatre productions include The Five Wives of Maurice Pinder (2007) and The Observer (2009) at the National Theatre, whilst his television writing credits include BBC drama Our Zoo (2014) and ITV mini-series Black Work (2015).

Having co-written Suite Francaise (2014), Matt’s script for a Cold War thriller was picked up by Steven Spielberg’s Dreamworks Studios. The film, starring Tom Hanks, has been well received by critics, with a ‘fresh’ rating of 92% on film review website www.rottentomatoes.com Bridge of Spies tells the story of James Donovan (Hanks), a Brooklyn lawyer who finds himself thrust into the centre of the Cold War when the CIA sends him on the near-impossible task to negotiate the release of a captured American U-2 pilot.

This special screening has been organised by Jeremy Knight, Heritage Manager at Horsham Museum, and is sponsored by Toovey’s auctioneers and AAH Magazine.

Attendees are advised to arrive by 7.30pm as there will be an introduction prior to the film.

Tickets are on sale for £15 (£5 of the ticket price will be donated to Horsham Museum) from The Capitol at www.thecapitolhorsham.com or 01403 878026. The event is expected to sell out quickly (there are a lot of Charmans around Horsham!) so book early.

Proud Sponsors of AAH’s ‘My Story So Far’ features

I sat and Cried’ MY STORY SO FAR

17

‘When I heard Shirley Bassey sing my song,

ALMA COOK I was born in Hillingdon, Middlesex, in 1935. My brother was 13 years older than me and my sister 12 years. I think my dad said to my mum ‘Would you like an Easter egg?’ many years later and I was the egg!

Our house was full of music. On my mother's side, I have a cousin who played with Ted Heath’s band.

My aunt was a very good pianist and my dad had a good singing voice. So there was music on both sides of the family.

I started playing the piano aged seven. My dad would say “Don’t touch the piano, it is not a toy!” but always said it was there for me when I was ready. I had to go to school and learn the value of things first. When I started playing the piano, I couldn't leave it alone. I never needed to be told to practice as I couldn't get on it fast enough.

Born: 16 April 1935 (Middlesex) Lives: Southwater Alma wrote songs for Shirley Bassey and Des O’ Connor

I performed at school, playing pieces such as Rustle of Spring. My teacher had been to Trinity College of Music so she wrote and told them about me. I went along to an audition and played on a grand piano for the very first time. I was the first to audition, and my mother told me that the other children wanted to go home because they couldn’t play like that! I was offered a full scholarship.

I spent five years at Trinity College and then they asked me to stay on as a full-time student.

As a child, I had played classical music and particularly enjoyed Chopin. But I later learnt a modern style of playing from Dennis Wilson, who wrote music for popular television shows including Till Death Do Us Part.

I left school at 16 and started playing gigs with a band called The Hi-Lites. I met my husband, Jeff, at

a dance at The Seagull in Southall. That was the time of the rock 'n' roll explosion. Jeff only asked for a dance and here we are, 60 years later. Often, if a girl lived in the same direction as a boy, they would walk home together, and Jeff only lived three roads from me.

Most weekends, I would perform with The HiLites, and we did very well. Jeff and I had been going out for a while and one night we were playing ‘You'll Never Walk Alone’ when he started to sing along. I said to Jeff ‘You can really sing’ and he replied that I was blinded by love! We invited him to sing with us and when I told him he would be paid, he was suddenly interested!

I really enjoyed playing with The Hi-Lites as I could write my own arrangements. I played until I was six months pregnant. I wanted a family and that signalled the end of the band. At home, whilst

18 ‘When I heard Shirley Bassey’s song, I felt like I had planted a seed and it was blooming into a flower’ raising my two children, I found that my brain would go into songwriting mode.

I wrote a song called ‘How Can You Tell?’

I played it to one of Jeff’s business clients and he really liked it. He said ‘My neighbour works at Chappells (famous music publishers.) I'll pass it to him and you never know, he might be able to get you an appointment.” So I gave him the recording and much to my surprise I was invited to Chappell’s. I played the song, and they asked me ‘Who do you see singing this song?’

There was only one person I had in mind and that was Shirley Bassey.

Shirley liked the song, recorded it, and ‘How Can You Tell?’ is on the back of ‘I Who Have Nothing,’ which reached the top 10 in 1963 and was a hit in America too. My royalties from that song paid for our first mortgage. I have always said that I would rather have a B-side with a somebody than an A side with a nobody.

Alma was known as the ‘housewife songwriter’ and was featured in a 1972 edition of ‘My Weekly’ Magazine

a gramophone so I went to my neighbour’s house to hear it. Shirley had been pregnant, so the song had been ‘in the can’ for a year after it was recorded. I was wondering if it was actually going to come out at all so when I first heard it I sat down and had a cry!

When you hear a great singer perform your song for the first time, it is just unbelievable. When I heard Shirley’s song, I felt like I had planted a seed and it was blooming into a flower.

Jimmy Henney (Music industry executive) heard my second song, ‘Your Love’, which he liked because the final word of one line was repeated as the first word of the next.

He also took another song called ‘How Can You Believe.’ Both songs were recorded by Shirley Bassey and selected as B Sides. ‘Your Love’ was on the reverse of ‘Gone’, which was a top 40 hit, and ‘How Can You Believe’ was coupled with ‘Now’.

I was close to being on the B side of Goldfinger. However, my song was instead used for Anthony Newley's musical, Stop the World, I Want to Get Off.

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I wish it had been on Goldfinger!

Most of my songs were inspired by my love for my husband. You also listen to people and observe situations and see what triggers off an idea. People ask me if the lyrics or the music come first. The music came first and I would hear the song in my head and play it on the piano.

Once I had a title, the lyrics would come out so quickly sometimes that I couldn't write down the lyrics fast enough.

My mum once told me that there's nothing quite like the feeling to be loved by a man. That became one of my love songs for Shirley Bassey (B Side to Who Can I Turn To).

Unexpectedly, one of my songs was a big hit in Australia for Little Pattie. You can see a clip of her singing ‘Gravitation’ on Top of the Pops in Germany. We went on a bowling holiday to Australia about 10 years ago and when I started playing the piano, people enjoyed it. I told them that I had actually had a hit Down Under and they couldn't believe it was Gravitation. It was amazing, going to the other side of the planet and meeting people who know one of your songs.

Primarily, I was writing the style of song that I knew would suit Shirley Bassey. I wrote a couple that would have been perfect for her, maybe even A side songs. but Shirley signed with a new record label whilst I was committed to Chappell’s.

As a member of the Performing Rights Society, I still receive a trickle of royalties.

Obviously, it’s not as much as it once was, as Shirley was an international star and royalties were paid not just for radio airplay, but also by shops, hotels and all manner of businesses that need to play music. I did hear one of my tracks on Sounds of the 60s on BBC Radio 2 recently.

Whilst I wrote for Shirley Bassey, I didn’t actually meet her for a long time. She was singing live at The Talk of the Town in Piccadilly and Jimmy Henney arranged tickets for me and my family, as she was going to sing one of my songs. We had a wonderful evening and met her afterwards. She was just an ordinary, everyday person. She had sung my song right near the end and said ‘You didn't think I was going to sing it, did you?’

Shirley doesn't just sing a song; she uses her eyes, hands and emotions to give passion to every word. You can’t underestimate the difference a great singer makes to a song. There are so many elements needed for a hit record. It needs to be the right song for the right singer with the right arrangement, and even then it needs airplay, good timing and a bit of luck.

19 Alma still plays the piano most days at her home in Southwater, but her songwriting days are behind her

MY STORY SO FAR

If you’d like to be featured in our My Story So Far feature, please email Ben at editor@aahorsham.co.uk

20

‘I have aches and pains like everybody at the age of 80 but my fingers work just fine’ I was known as the ‘Biggest B in the business’ because I was renowned for successful B-sides. I might have had more chart success but my family was the top priority. Friends would help look after the children when I needed them, but you can't keep asking people to step in whilst you go off all the time.

Someone’, was the B-side to ‘The Tips of My Fingers’ by Des O’ Connor in 1970. I didn’t meet him until he wrote a book some years later, and my daughter and I happened to be shopping whilst he was at a book signing. I said ‘Hello Des, I wrote ‘Someone’. He said, “So you’re Alma Cook!”

One of my best songs is unknown really.

It was called ‘In One Hour’ recorded by a singer called Nina Shaw. It was voted the best record of the week on the radio and was set to be a hit, but Nina couldn't promote it as she fell pregnant.

Alma and Jeff recently celebrated sixty years of marriage (see the card from the Queen)

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I was never actually really in the music business. I was known as a ‘housewife songwriter’ after our local newspaper picked up the story of me writing around my normal family life. They took a picture

of me stood by my oven. The story was then picked up by Woman's Weekly and they did a big three-page spread on me.

Some magazines thought that ‘Gravitation’ should have been recorded for Eurovision. One of my songs was also very close to being sung by Lulu at Eurovision. Mickie Most and his brother, Dave, disagreed over whether it should be my song or one other that should be entered. Mine lost out to ‘Boom Bang A Bang’. Often what happened to a song was in the hands of the publishers and the record company.

With the song writing success coming to an end, we bought a hotel in Sutton. It was very successful and we were there for 11 years, but it felt like 18. It was a 16 bedroom hotel called Eaton Court. I played piano at the hotel as well as everything else. I could write a book based on my experiences there – from dishwasher to cabaret artist! It was very tough so we sold the hotel and moved to Southwater in 1988 to be near our daughter. This bungalow was being built, and as soon as I could see where the piano could go, we bought it!

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MY STORY SO FAR

Shirley Bassey How Can You Tell (1964)

Shirley Bassey To Be Loved By a Man (1964)

Nina Shaw In One Hour (1969)

Alma’s beautiful, powerful love song was the B-side to Who Can I Turn To, which was written by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley. It failed to chart, although Tony Bennett later had a hit with the song.

This vibrant, poppy number sounds like a hit, but it was not to be. It was given airplay and even ‘record of the week’ status, but Nina fell pregnant and could not promote the song. It didn’t have a chance of charting.

Alma’s first song for Shirley was a B-side to I Who Have Nothing. The song reached number 6 and spent 20 weeks on the chart. It would be six years before Shirley would chart so highly again (Goldfinger reached No.21)

I started writing and performing with the Southwater Horticultural Society’s pantomime. One year, I wrote nine new songs for the play. People really enjoyed the shows as we also served a fish and chip supper too. Matt Charman (writer of the upcoming Steven Spielberg film, Bridge of Spies) was one of our young members.

Pattie Gravitation (1969) Australian singer Pattie, who had dropped ‘Little’ from her stage name, had a minor UK hit with Alma’s song. It reached No.67 in the UK chart but was more popular in Australia, and Pattie sang it on Germany’s TOTP.

Shirley Bassey Your Love (1964) Similar in tempo and style to How You Can Believe, Alma’s B-side to Now, ‘Your Love’ has a sensational, soaring climax

by Shirley Bassey. It has dated better than the A-side, an uptempo ditty called ‘Gone’. The record did sneak into the Top 40.

TOOVEY’S

I played at South Lodge Hotel last month during a ladies lunch. Doug Eaton, who was in a band playing at The Cavern Club at the same time as The Beatles, was talking about his memories so I played about ten Beatles songs. I still try and play the piano most days. I have a few aches and pains like everybody at the age of 80 but my fingers work just fine.

I like some contemporary music but they don't sing like they used to.

When ‘Happy’ by Pharrell Williams was released, I could tell immediately that it was great as it has lovely rhythm and he performs it with a nice mellow voice. But I find a lot of music today quite generic and too few singers have their own distinctive sound.

After retiring from song writing, I played golf for 15 years and then played bowls. I started suffering with spinal trouble so gave up bowls and started painting with Southwater Art Club. My own paintings decorate the house, although I’ve not been to the Monday sessions recently as I've needed to be at home to help my beloved husband. But we're both still standing!

Jeff and I recently celebrated our Diamond Wedding anniversary. He is my best friend as well as being my husband.

We celebrated with our two children, and five grandchildren.

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Why Teenage Poet Philippa Crundwell is Tipped for the Top So who’s this then?

This is Philippa Crundwell, a 17-yearold Collyer’s student who has recently seen her book, Seventy Beats, published by King’s England Press.

Presumably it’s about The Last Poets’ eponymous 1970 album that combined previously unheard funk and beats, laying the foundations for hip hop?

Erm, no, Seventy Beats actually finds the young Horsham writer adopting various voices and personae to tell stories via the medium of poetry.

Poetry; didn’t that ship sail in about 1835?

Contemporary poets still break into the mainstream occasionally. You may have seen John Cooper Clarke on comedy panel shows, listened to Simon Armitage on Radio 4 or Murray Lachlan Young on Radio 6 Music. Perhaps you even saw another popular performance poet, Benjamin Zephaniah, give his take on the West Midlands derby on BBC Sport. But admittedly, this probably isn’t poetry’s golden age!

So what has inspired Philippa to take it up?

Poets still have plenty of creative outlets and Philippa, whilst a pupil at Millais School, entered a 2013 poetry competition hosted by Peace One Day, which organises events on 21 September, an annual day of peace and unity. Philippa’s poem was written as a retrospective account from the perspective of somebody trying to make peace with someone that they have fallen out with in the past. Her poem won the competition.

Who selected the winning entry?

A panel of experts including Francesca Simon, author of the Horrid Henry books, chose five poems for a shortlist. Facebook then took a brief break from publishing photos of cute kids in superhero costumes to host a public vote to decide the winner.

And having won, Philippa had a book published?

Not at all, there was much work to

ONE TO WATCH

be done. Philippa said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;One of my neighbours liked my poem and sent it to a publisher who they know at Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s England Press. They came back to me and said â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;If you can write 60 poems to that same standard, then weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll publish an anthology of your work.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Philippa wrote 69 more, thus the name â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Seventy Beatsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

So what does she write about?

Philippa often writes from the perspective of somebody or something else, including a granny and two Afghan refugees, whilst often tackling difficult topics like the Hillsborough football disaster (The Match of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;89). She said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am limited to what I can write about from personal experience as Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m only 17, so I try to get inside the head of different people. I am inspired by the news or articles Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve read, and try and put myself in their shoes. Once I have an idea, I find that walking is very conducive to creating poetry.â&#x20AC;?

Does she have a favourite?

She does. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s called â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;When Society Takes Away Everything.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; It is, apparently, based on one person's thoughts from within a North Korean concentration camp.

Philippa said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;It doesn't reveal much about that person individually as I wanted it to be something that many people could relate to. I thought that, emotionally, I got it about right.â&#x20AC;?

Is Philippa like the contemporary poets who seem to be borderline rappers?

Mercifully not. Philippa is quite traditional in terms of rhythm and beat structure and most of her work even rhymes! She said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I'm very meticulous about structure and strive to find the right word every time. I have read some of the more

23

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I am limited to what I can write about from personal experience, so I try to get inside the head of different peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; traditional poets such as Christina Rossetti and many have a special rhyming structure that poets nowadays tend to dismiss. So whilst I write about modern issues, I write in traditional form. I did experiment with some beat poetry, which is a little off the wall for me, but that work is not featured in the book.â&#x20AC;?

So is she any good?

Philippa, who is currently studying English, Spanish and Classics at Aâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; level, has created an impressive collection of poetry for somebody so young. We were expecting the standard â&#x20AC;&#x153;savaged by beautyâ&#x20AC;? nonsense but the work has a clear, defined meaning in simple yet emotional verse. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the beautiful â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Elephant Songâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; that questions the mind of a poacher (As you stalk them and watch them all mighty and wild / Do you see them as money, not father and child? / Do You aim for his brains when you shoot through his hide? / Does your small heart not ache for the calf at his side?) Another of our favourites is â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Blessed with Forgivenessâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;in which a loved one of a murdered man has a

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24 defining moment whilst digging a grave.

Such mature writing has earned Philippa praise from acclaimed writers...

‘Seventy Beats has been well received by Peter James, Michael Morpurgo and Ali Sparkes.’

Dickens? Hemingway? Dostoyevsky?

No, as they’re all dead. But I salute your Wikipedia research. Philippa said: “My book has been well received by Peter James, Michael Morpurgo and Ali Sparkes. I have entered the Wicked Young Writers Award and was shortlisted a couple of times.

Michael Morpurgo was one of the judges, so I had a link with him, and he was kind enough to give me a nice review of the book. I’m very grateful for that as it is difficult for young writers to make their mark.”

How else has Philippa been promoting the book?

Well, she launched ‘Seventy Beats’ at Waterstones in Horsham, during which she read out several of her poems - an experience she found more enjoyable than anticipated. Philippa said: “Because I know the poems so well, it was easy for me to convey them in the right way.” She’ll be reading poems at Mint House Shop in Hurstpierpoint on Saturday 12 December at 11am. If you need more to entice you, we’re informed there will be coffee and mince pies…

So what’s next for Philippa?

She plans to publish a novel, but is tight-

lipped about the project. She said: “I think that my writing is always evolving so my work, be it poetry or novels, will depend on my experiences at the current time. Ultimately, I would like to write but I don’t know yet what path my career will take.”

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So can you publish one of her poems?

I can’t. Editor says there’s not enough space and we’d have to leave an advert out…

You can’t do a three page piece without one!

You’re quite right. Here’s ‘Peace One Day’

Peace One Day Philippa Crundwell When fragile words are spoken, Then promises not kept, Then someone may get broken, And tears are often wept, This is the massive void within, The tender spot inside, Where evil, hurtfulness and sin, Have vandalised my pride, So I set out to hurt you, And cut you like a knife, And after all you’ve been through, I caused the deepest strife, The gorge between us grew and grew, So did those precious years, Though neither of us ever knew, We’d cried each other’s tears, I should have said I’m sorry,

So many years before, Before we’d dug a quarry, Between our bedroom doors, I should have gently held your hand, So many moons ago, And tried to let you understand, What I hope your heart might know, I want to find a way to see, Your side of the coin, So I’ll set my hate and anger free, So that our hearts may join, So can we cross the no-man’s-land, To iron out every crease, So I can hold your tender hand, And we can live in peace.

Philippa will be at Mint House Shop in Hurstpierpoint on 12 December. You can listen to her excellent reading of Lime Green Moon on Youtube (see the QR link here) or for more on Seventy Beats visit www.kingsengland.com

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Recently, the vastly experienced team - led by Mark Edwards and Antony Deakin – built a beautiful ground floor extension with raised patio at a family home in Southwater (pictured above.)

Antony said: “We offer a full service - from the planning process through to build and installation - and we have all of the necessary expertise in every department.

“The owner of the property wanted to create a large extension to the kitchen in order to create a light and spacious room with underfloor heating, and bi-fold doors leading out to a large patio overlooking the garden.

“The patio itself is bordered with glass panels to give it a sharp, contemporary look.”

At Mark Antony Windows, our aim is to provide the best service supplying and installing PVC-U and aluminium products in the South East and all at competitive prices.

Directors Mark Edwards and Antony Deakin have more than 35 years of experience in the industry.

We cater to all needs, from complete conservatories and extensions - including design, project oversight and planning regulation - to minor repairs, locks and condensed units.

Acceditations

All of our frames are calcium organic and are recycled to create PVC products.

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Our windows are manufactured using the WHS Halo Profile, using a unique technology of a five chamber thermal system to give extra protection against the outside elements.

We are also a certified supplier and installer of bi-fold doors from Beaufort by AluK. The company is leading the way in designing a complete and stunning range of aluminium folding and sliding doors.

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Energy Efficient

Our windows are available with a variety of glass sealed unit configurations and certified by the British Fenestration Rating Council's Energy Rating Scheme. At Mark Antony Windows, our standard double glazed windows are A+8 rated, our triple glaze is A+13 rated and we have a A+20 option available if required.With carbon emissions high on the global agenda and the cost of fuel rising, we are all looking for ways to make our homes more energy efficient. Therefore replacement windows are now energy rated which will keep your bills down.

consumers with peace of mind in the event their original installer ceases trading and is unable to meet their guarantee obligations.

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28

THE DISHES

Venison Fillet Tataki A delight. The thin slices of venison were tender and juicy rather than gamey and rich. The dish felt balanced with dehydrated garlic chips, spring onion and a tangy, sweet ponzu sauce.

£12.50

LIKE A PHOENIX FROM THE

FLAME

Modern Okonomiyaki

Review: Wabi, East Street, Horsham

Lovely egg. This is a tempura battered pancake basically a Japanese take on pancakes. You’ll find afried egg under the noodles, with a chili sauce, kimchee coleslaw and thinly sliced negi (a variety of onion). It is visually dramatic and makes for a fun snack. Still, I’d take a fried English breakfast over this on any day of the week! £9.50

Owners: Paul & Verity Craig General Manager: Pedro Martins Head Chef: Cordelia Friday

Scallop Maki A refreshing treat. The shiso mayonnaise gives the sushi rice and smooth scallop a delightfully cool, refreshing taste. The hand-rolled pieces are then coated with Tobiko (flying fish roe) giving the dish great colour and a bit of theatre too. It might look a small dish, but there’s a lot going on!

Filling and enjoyable. £9.75

W

abi is not the best restaurant in Horsham. Neither is it the biggest, the busiest, or the most historic.

Yet whether or not you’ve actually sat down and tried to pronounce one of its dishes, Wabi is the most discussed restaurant in Horsham. And everyone has an opinion.

It’s been a rollercoaster five years for the restaurant. Wabi waltzed into town with much fanfare, with renowned chef Scott Hallsworth leading the kitchen.

Ambitious owners set the prices high and talked of scaling great heights in Japanese cuisine.

Then came the public backlash. “This isn’t London!” we cried, as a myth of tiny portions and £500 bills became the common perception. The owners’ dreams suddenly appeared more like delusions of grandeur.

The original partners opened a second Wabi in London, led by Scott, who throughout his time in Horsham had only ever produced exceptional food. In the city, things quickly turned sour. As administrators stepped in, partners blamed each other for the failure.

Meanwhile in Horsham, in stepped bold and enterprising new owners, Paul and Verity Craig. Already owners of their own sound and lighting equipment company and a bar (Bohemia in Brighton), the Craigs had eaten at Wabi and enjoyed their meal so much that they were prepared to take it on in Wabi’s hour of need.

They had barely begun implementing changes when a fire destroyed Wabi in May 2014.

“We’ll be back!” said the Craigs. “Not bloody likely!” thought many of us, especially when news emerged that the insurance company were refusing to pay out (18 months on, this matter is still in the hands of lawyers).

Ill-informed we may have been, but we all had an opinion on that too, didn’t we?

But indeed, back they came, and thanks to an extensive cocktail menu Wabi is the place to been seen on a Friday and Saturday night - at least for those with plenty of disposable income.

Business is booming, but it is theatrical ice-cooled cocktails that are pulling in the punters and not so much Japanese dishes.

FOOD & DRINK

29

Tea Smoked Lamb Chops A costly pleasure. The chops were tender and thanks to a strong teasmoked aroma tasted wonderful. At almost £5 a chop, they are expensive, as the chops are theatrically served on a bamboo leaf and accompanied by a sweet (aubergine) mash and Korean miso sauce.

£14.50

AWARD WINNER Tea/Coffee Shop of the Year Sussex Life Food, Drink and Hospitality Awards 2014

S

Is it a restaurant, or is it a bar?

Well, Wabi wants to be both and hopes to convince more people that dining out can be an affordable and enjoyable experience.

The new general manager is Pedro Martins. Pedro will be familiar to many as the former manager of Bill’s at the Old Town Hall in Market Square, and perhaps for his occasional column in the West Sussex County Times.

His articles tend to be based on his love for Horsham. Honestly, they’ll print anything!

We sat down with him to discuss Wabi’s turbulent past and exciting future, led by a new menu launched in November.

Pedro, what has been the impact of last year’s fire?

“It was a horrible time for the owners because they had only bought the business six months previously. Paul and Verity could have decided to let the business go, but they managed to re-open just three months later. Not many people know that they paid employees during that period and that many of them, including Nero Gilissen who was general manager at the time, helped rebuild the restaurant. I was not here then, but we do see ourselves as a family and perhaps that bond is stronger (because of the fire).”

What are your goals for Wabi?

“For all of the previous hard work, changes still need to be made. I know Horsham well, having worked at Bill’s for three years,

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Dining at Wabi still provides talking points

30

Miso Roasted Black Cod Bold Invention. The fresh, succulent cod (marinated for 48 hours in a miso dressing) sears away at the lightest touch. It was well complemented by a delivilishly rich hijiki seaweed with the lime cutting through the sharp sweetness. £17

and I want to help Wabi’s perception change from where it was five years ago an expensive restaurant where only the wealthy could eat - to a restaurant that is accessible and affordable for everyone. We have changed the menu and lowered the prices to help people afford a good night out.”

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Does that mean the ingredients Wabi sources are cheaper?

“I have worked in many restaurants and I have not seen ingredients of such quality before. We also use local producers when we can, including New Street Butchers. We have not compromised on quality but we have compromised on price, as we need to adjust to the reality of where we are. On our new lunch menu, we have ribs and rice for only £9, which is amazing value. We now have better pricing and having worked with several chains I know how vital that is.”

Has there been a lack of understanding as to what Wabi offers?

“We have been in Horsham for five years, yet still not everyone knows what Wabi is about. I have people asking if we only sell sushi. Certainly, the menu has changed since it opened in 2010. I would not say we have run away from Japanese food, but we do want to offer a menu with general appeal. I would say we are not an authentic Japanese restaurant, rather a contemporary Japanese restaurant that plays with flavours in new and exciting ways.”

‘We have not compromised on quality but we have compromised on price, as we need to adjust to the reality of where we are.’

Chicken Tempura Noodle Nuisance. We’re informed that this is a good seller, because it is ‘a fun dish to share.’ It may be filled with kimchee pickle, red onion, green chili, cucumber pickle and edible flowers, but we thought it a dull, unsatisfying splodge of dry noodles. £12

Have some people been apprehensive about trying Japanese food?

“Yes, I think so. We understand that people don't naturally know what Okonomiyaki is, which is why we use pictures on our menu. You might still have questions about it, but at least you can see that it is friendly and edible! We created the Wabi Bites menu so that people can have nibbles with a cocktail. This helps to introduce people to new dishes. If you see other people enjoying a Tempura or lamb chops, the dishes become less intimidating. We see many couples enjoying sushi with their cocktails now, which didn't used to happen. Most importantly, people don't have

31

Pedro Martins, General Manager at Wabi

FOOD & DRINK

to worry about the food; we will be more than happy to talk to you about every dish.”

In becoming more accessible, has Wabi lost some of its edge?

“No, because so many dishes and our drinks too provide a bit of theatre. We only have to make one of our dry ice cocktails and everybody wants one! People come here for an experience and we offer that with the food, the drinks, and of course the way the restaurant is laid out.”

Friday. She worked under the previous head chef, who is still here but has stepped down.

Cordelia has not been to Japan but she is prepared to play with flavour and texture and comes up with exciting dishes. So we have things like the beef fillet tataki maki, which might sound silly to the Japanese, but in Horsham it will be well received as it is of high quality.”

Are the new owners ‘hands on?’

“They are heavily involved, although they trust the team here to manage the place, which is fantastic considering all that has happened. We

Osbornes

Who is the head chef now?

“We have a very young head chef, Cordelia

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Downstairs dining and bar at Wabi

32

have meetings every week with Paul and Verity, with Cordelia preparing new dishes for us to test and discuss. Nero is still an important part of the management team as he has tremendous knowledge of working in Japanese restaurants, and he is present at the meetings. So we are always coming up with new ideas. There is a lot of work still to be done, and I’d certainly like to see us become a more integral part of the community, but we are making big steps.”

Is Wabimore of a place to be seen on a Friday night, rather than a place to eat?

“The business has adapted to try and offer something that Horsham didn’t have. If you wanted cocktails, you had to go to Brighton or London. Wabi has grabbed an opportunity, and we are still able to offer food as well. We are strictly over 21’s on Fridays and Saturdays and the place is very busy. The bar is doing very well, but my dream is to have upstairs full of people eating at the weekend. Already, all of the booths upstairs will be occupied at the weekend and people are spread out to the tables and even spilling over to downstairs.”

Can Wabi look forward to a period of stability?

“Certainly, the business is evolving and we are still trying to find out exactly what we want to offer.

We have learnt from the past what is the wrong way, and now we need to find the right way. “

That’s all from Pedro, so it’s back to us to summarise our experience.

Firstly, it’s important to note that the town’s attitude to Wabi has changed dramatically.

Generally speaking, Horsham folk don’t like hotshots coming in with grandiose ambitions. We possibly quite enjoyed taking them down a peg or two and lapped up subsequent dramas.

Now though, after years on the ropes, Wabi is still standing, still swinging. And we all love a fighter!

Now, the will is for Wabi, against all the odds, to be a success.

You can sense that cause for optimism, but that is primarily driven by Wabi’s status as a social hub for Horsham’s high fliers. On the food side, it still feels like a restaurant in transition.

Certainly, the dishes are not quite of the very high quality on offer when Wabi first opened. But do they offer better value for money now? Most definitely.

The standard of service and presentation is still high, and people can now fill themselves up on a small selection of dishes that won’t break the bank. A good number of those dishes offer great theatre, providing talking points that you cannot find elsewhere in town.

We’d suggest that Wabi is yet to find a firm footing, but after five testing years, it’s looking more settled than ever.

But it’s Wabi. Anything could happen.

Beef Fillet Tataki Maki Theatrical Thrill. It might not be the done thing to pair beef fillet with sushi rice, but we loved it. The delicate strands of tataki beef were delicious and a potent ponzu added more life to an appealing dish. Served on a wooden board, the dish is perfect for parties, thanks to its dramatic use of dry ice.

£15.50

Owners Paul and Verity Craig with Nero Gilissen

Seared Scallops Good combination. I’m not a particular fan of scallops - I prefer foods with a little more natural flavour - although I did enjoy Wabi’s offering thanks to the topping of edamame (beans) and wasabi espuma (foam). It provided a sharp little hook and added much needed colour.

£11 To book a table visit Wabi at 38 East Street, Horsham, call 01403 788140 or email reservations@wabi.co.uk You can view the menu online at www.wabi.co.uk

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34

Growing Produce for a

Better to-marrow

How Roots to Growth helps transform lives

O

n a corner of the Wiston Estate in Washington, you’ll find vulnerable people growing fresh produce within a six acre market garden.

For those who attend the site, Roots to Growth is a sanctuary from their everyday life and offers a chance for inspiration and transformation.

We spoke to founder Zoe Colson-Spence, longserving volunteer Cliff Evans, Tom Jayston from Brighton-based charity Justlife, as well as Ashley, Omar and Phil, who all visit the site on a weekly basis...

Cliff: I have been volunteering on the Wiston estate in Washington for five years, since retiring from teaching. Friends First, a charity helping homeless people in Brighton, started taking people to a lovely walled garden within the estate as part of a project called Growing Together.

The head gardener taught them how to grow plants and produce too. It was such a successful

scheme that Friends First were offered a six acre site, where we are now.

Zoe: I was taking a horticultural therapy course, and as part of that I volunteered at Growing Together. This site was formerly a ‘pick your own’ site and had an agricultural layout with long rows and fenced sections. You would have a team of 10 people working hard all day and you be lucky if they cultivated half of one row. It was absolutely demoralising for them!

Cliff: After a while, Friends First decided to base their activities closer to Brighton, so they gave back the lease on the land. Some of us volunteers persuaded Zoe to take over running the site and her life has gone downhill ever since!

Zoe: The Goring family, who own the Wiston Estate, wanted to maintain a community

growing project on this site and some of the volunteers were saying ‘We cannot leave this behind as it's too important.’ I was the one pushed to the front and Roots to Growth was born in April 2014.

Omar: Roots to Growth was just starting when I first came along. I think I was one the first clients. I am from Zanzibar originally, which is a peaceful country but life is hard and I have lost three children. I live in Brighton now, but I had a bad accident. I was knocked off my bicycle and was lucky to survive. I have spent a lot of time in hospital and still feel the effects. I do not remember the accident, but I couldn’t claim any money in compensation as they said the driver was not at fault. I was a welder/fabricator but can’t do that job anymore. I feel I have been both physically and mentally broken and I’m finding it difficult to be who I was before. I still feel like a victim, so coming here once a week

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‘As a society in general, we don't give people a second chance. Everybody here has an interesting and valued story.’ helps me a lot. My life is stressful in between, but the people at Roots to Growth are always there for me.

Zoe: When we started out, I used a more therapeutic approach to make changes around the site. I saw that we needed a fire pit and a seating area near the cabin, and that we should actually eat the produce that we grow so people can enjoy the fruits of their labour. Gradually, fences came down and we created winding pathways so the space has opened up. It encourages people to

explore the site and work smaller sections. Now when they leave, people have a sense of fulfilment as they have achieved something. We engage them, build confidence and self-esteem, and improve their chances in life.

Cliff: That is the whole idea of this place; we make a community for people, where they feel safe and it acts as a kind of sanctuary from the problems they face at home or in some cases on the streets. By the end of the day, some don’t want to leave

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36

‘With me, it is always go, go, go, from the moment I arrive.

That way, I can walk away satisfied.’ because they are so relaxed.

Ashley

Tom: I work for a charity called Justlife, which supports vulnerably-housed men and women in Brighton. Those we help don’t have much support outside of the group, so we host art sessions, photography walks, trips to the cinema, and as part of our work provide sessional activities. Coming to Roots to Growth is one of those activities. If you talk to the people we bring here, they will say that they feel better for the experience.

Zoe: As a society in general, we don't give people a second chance.

Everybody here has an interesting and valued story and they all deserve to have another chance if they have made mistakes previously. That is very much the philosophy that we work to.

Here, people can develop new social networks which are much healthier than what they have been used to before.

Ashley: I was drug user but then found this place and something clicked in my head. I didn't feel the need to be on drugs any more, and as I speak I’ve been clean for 25 days. I’m sofa surfing as I'm homeless, which makes it very difficult to find work. But at Roots to Growth I'm always busy and I like it that way. Everyone knows with me, it is always go, go, go, from the moment I arrive. That way, I can walk away satisfied, having done a good day’s work.

Zoe: We grow everything here – beans, tomatoes, melons, cucumbers, peppers, squash, pumpkins, courgettes, carrots - you name it. We like to grow interesting varieties too, so we produce yellow and purple carrots.

When we harvest them they look stunning and when they go to market they are easy to sell. It also helps build people’s interest in the produce. The food we grow is sold elsewhere, as well as being cooked in our own kitchen.

We sell at the Florence Road Market in

CHARITY

37

Brighton as well as several farm shops, and we are involved in a couple of vegetable box schemes.

‘There’s a real sense of community at Roots to Growth’

Cliff: As the site used to be a pick-your-own, we grow gooseberries, blackcurrants, raspberries and blueberries. We have some fantastic people who bring expertise, such as Keith, our chili plant expert.

Phil: I live in a hostel in Brighton, and it was there that I found out about Roots to Growth. I was quite sceptical at first, but it has worked out well. I come here, water the plants and pick the fruit and vegetables. I generally keep myself to myself and nobody minds, but I like it as it gets me outdoors and builds my confidence.

Ashley: Every Friday I am out of the house here, socialising with great, friendly people. I get a lovely lunch and it's nice to be out in the countryside rather than being in Brighton,

Zoe

Tom: It's a good day's work for those who come here. It is productive; they can talk to others and they are kept busy. Whether they are clearing shrubs with a wheelbarrow, mowing the lawn, planting potatoes or cooking lunch, it helps them feel better about themselves and introduces routine, which will help some of them get back to work. They know they can't come here and sit around. It is one small step to a different type of living for them.

sitting around with people who don't want to do anything with the day as they’re lazy. Here, you have motivation, support and love. Just this one day helps me get through the rest of the week.

Zoe: People don't feel pressured to do any particular role. They can get their hands dirty in the chicken pen or doing the gardening, but they can also help prepare food and cook. Then they can sit by the fire, chatting and enjoying the food they have grown. That gives us a sense

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of community, which is something I'm very passionate about.

Tom: When I first came here, the site didn't look anything like it does today. Even as a member of staff, I get a real sense of pride and achievement when I walk around and see the projects I had a hand in. So for the other people here, who often have confidence and self-esteem issues, it must feel even better. They are steadily growing a market garden and by the same token they are

improving their own skills.

Ashley: It’s been about two months since I first came here and I've loved it. They are talking about allowing me to come up on Thursdays as well as Fridays. Personally, I’d love to come up here Monday, Tuesday and Wednesdays too!

Cliff: I love coming here to volunteer. I come down here two days a week and when I sit down with a cup of tea, I always think that I could be sat in an office, but instead I’m here, which is good as I'm an outdoor person.

Zoe: We have to fight for funding and make it work as well as we can. We have held corporate

team building days and these really help us, but we need more help to grow. I'm trying to grow and sell the food, pursue funding, find people from various groups who can come here and benefit, as well as everything else. So it would be great if someone could help us on the produce side, as we have outlets that want to buy from us but we haven't been able to grow the amount they need. We'd also like somebody with a good business head. Some people come up with brilliant ideas on how we can make money, but I need somebody who can produce a plan and show how it is feasible! Then hopefully we can reach more people, as I’d like to see 15 people enjoying this fantastic site every day of the week.

Phil

Cliff

38

Zoe and the Roots to Growth team are looking for people with skills, experience and contacts in specific areas who might be interested in helping with the growth of the project.

You can find out more at http://rootstogrowth.org.uk/ or email Zoe at info@rootstogrowth.org.uk

REPORT: BEN MORRIS PICTURES: TOBY PHILLIPS

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41

Different Pitch Mark Ben Wilson on his percussive guitar sound WHO IS MARK BEN WILSON?

M

ark Ben Wilson is a singer and songwriter from Horsham. If you meet him, Mark will do. He utilised a middle name for stage performances as there happens to be an abundance of Mark Wilsons in the music industry.

Mark is known for adopting a percussive form of guitar playing. His technique involves tapping or hitting the guitar top and strings to add percussive elements to his songs and instrumental music.

He said: “The style of percussive guitar playing has been around for a long time. People have been using the guitar as a percussive instrument for generations, particularly for flamenco music, but it’s only recently that it has been used more in commercial music.”

“I think that is because it's such a visual thing. It is interesting to see someone playing differently.

Now, thanks to YouTube, percussive guitarists have a visual outlet. Musicians like Michael Hedges were playing a percussive guitar style in the 1980s and found some success, but the internet wasn’t there for them to expand their audience.”

HOW DID HE LEARN PERCUSSIVE GUITAR? Mark grew up in Skegness, and started playing guitar at the age of 13. The only local guitar tutor was a classical guitarist, so that was the style Mark initially learnt and adopted.

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Gradually, he became absorbed in rock music, listening to the likes of Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin. Naturally, he picked up an electric guitar and played in several rock bands, but they all petered out.

Andy McKee... is an example of how YouTube can be a good outlet for percussive guitarists. Andy has found fame on the video sharing website with his instrumental compositions, with Drifting having been viewed over 50 million times.

(Scan the QR code to view)

It was whilst studying at the Academy of Contemporary Music (ACM) in Guildford that Mark took an interest in percussive guitar.

Mark said: “I met a musician called Eric Roche, who has sadly passed away. He was a well-known percussive guitar player with very precise finger work. It was interesting to see him play the way he did and he was a great inspiration to me.

www.ericroche.com

42 Eric Roche... is the musician who first inspired Mark to try percussive guitar. He became head of guitar music at ACM in Guildford in 2000, where his pupils included Mark, and Newton Faulkner, who has enjoyed huge commercial success (with more than a hint of percussive guitar.) But in terms of technique, Newton’s not as visually impressive as Eric Roche.

He might not have looked like a guitar hero, but his version of She Drives Me Crazy by Fine Young Cannibals is wonderful.

(Scan the QR code to view)

“It was a few years before I adopted that style but it was Eric who triggered my interest.”

After completing his diploma, Mark studied for a music degree in London, but felt that the course was too focused on preparing students for a life as a session musician. He said: “I learned many different styles at university, from rock to jazz, but to be honest I just wanted to do my own thing, and I love playing percussive guitar.”

HOW DID HE TAKE TO LIVE PERFORMING? Having moved to Horsham, Mark’s first solo show came at The Tanners Arms.

“I am naturally quite introverted. I'd been the lead guitarist in a rock band before, but never been the front man, the entertainer. So for me it was nerve wracking to sing live.

“I started going to the open mic nights at The Tanners every week, as they were really good supporters of local music.

Sadly, it’s closed down now. It was a small but appreciative audience and very friendly. That really helped me build my confidence on stage.”

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Gradually, Mark became comfortable playing his instrumental pieces, so he decided to try singing as well.

He said: “I didn't quite realise how much I would love song writing. The first song I wrote was ‘You Give Me More’ which is about my three children. It’s about how everything you do is for them, yet somehow they give you even more back.

It’s not particularly rock 'n' roll, but you should always write about what you know about, and I’m a family man.

“I really like playing instrumental pieces but my set is now a combination of instrumentals and songs.”

Mark plays in showcases around Horsham and also runs one of his own with Phil Jones - The Hanger Sessions at B52’s Bar in Piries Place.

In the past, he has found it distracting when people talk over his instrumentals, treating them as background music. But with experience, Mark now views such a scenario as a challenge. “You have to give people a reason to listen; play with passion and captivate them. Some like the songs, some like the instrumentals, but in all honesty you need to play what you love.

You can take opinions too seriously.”

MUSIC WHERE DOES THE PERCUSSIVE SOUND COME FROM? The percussive sound is amplified by a microphone and several pickup systems placed around the sound hole of the guitar.

Mark said: “The pickups make percussive guitar playing crisp and clear in a live situation, so when I plug in the guitar, the microphone can detect every small tap and hit. Years ago, the pickups were not as technical and didn’t detect every sound so precisely, but now the clarity of the strings and hits is incredible. You can really use any guitar as long as they have a good pickup system.”

‘It was a small but appreciative audience at The Tanners Arms, and it built my confidence.’

jongomm.com

Mark usually plays a guitar made by David Webber, who builds acoustic guitars from a studio in Vancouver. He has fitted a ‘scratch patch’ to add a little extra effect. But it is the pickups and microphone that are most important to the sound of a percussive guitar.

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43

You can read our previous Music features on our website at http://www.aahorsham.co.uk/content/music

44 BETTER LATE THAN NEVER: THE FIRST EP ARRIVES Mark is releasing his first EP, Blind Feet , this month. It features three instrumentals and two songs, and will be debuted at a launch party on 20 November at B52's Bar in Piries Place, Horsham.

The Blind Feet EP will be available through Mark’s website as a CD and a download. It will also be available on iTunes and Bandcamp.

At the age of 33, it’s been a long road...

www.markbenwilson.com

Mark said: ““Because I'm independent and don’t have a record label, really I’m looking for exposure. It’s not really

about making money; I just want people to hear my music. It is a bit of a labour of love as it can be hard work to make a living with this niche style of playing, but the audience is growing.

“I look at people like Jon Gomm, who is an inspiration because he is quite anti-establishment and yet has been successful. With the EP, I would like to reach a new audience. Eventually, I would like a big enough fan base to make some kind of living as an independent musician, selling music and performing live.”

Mark Ben Wilson... videos can be found on his website as well as online music outlets such as Soundcloud and Bandcamp. He gives an excellent live rendition of Nostalgia on the Shore for the ‘Ont Sofa Sessions’ on YouTube and one of his songs, You Give Me More. Another Horsham act, Pipe and Tabor (who also use percussive guitar) have also played Ont Sofa Sessions available on YouTube.

You can hear more of Mark’s music at www.markbenwilson.com He also has Facebook and Twitter pages, and his instrumental track Nostalgia on the Shore is available as a download at https://soundcloud.com/markbenwilson/

REPORT: BEN MORRIS PICTURES: TOBY PHILLIPS

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46

HOPPY

Days are here Again at Essential

Beerfest Ale lovers snapped up tickets to the 13th annual Horsham Beer Festival, organised by local shop The Beer Essentials. Amongst the dancing and supping, there was the serious business of picking a festival-winning beer, with a local brewer claiming the honour...

T

Silver Award Winners at Hampton Court Flower Show 2005

he Horsham Beer Festival was celebrated in The Drill Hall, Horsham, on 12-13 September.

The 13th annual event featured 50 real ales and 10 ciders, hand-picked from across the UK by organiser Gareth Jones, owner of The Beer Essentials in East Street, Horsham.

The Saturday sessions sell out quickly, so ale drinkers form long queues for tickets from The Beer Essentials, a shop renowned not only for its great selection of local and national drinks, but also for an incessant bell that rings every time you enter!

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The beer festival started out as a party for Gareth’s 40th birthday.

Today, the event is so popular that there are three separate four hour sessions across two days. As well as plenty to drink, musical entertainment has become integral

Gareth Jones, Owner of The Beer Essentials, names five great beers to try out this winter and Christmas...

to the weekend. This year the likes of Folkee Blokes, Craic Dealers, Flash Company and of course Broadwood Morris Men inspired much alefuelled dancing.

Visitors vote for their favourite tipple. The 2015 winner, to nobody’s great surprise, was the Six Hop Ale, brewed by Dark Star in Partridge Green. Gareth said: “It was brewed back in March and I stored it for six months in the cold room of the shop, where it developed even more flavour. It is a stonkingly good beer and a very worthy winner.”

Several other beers were very well received. The Bristol Beer Factory Milk Stout, which has scooped several awards, went down a storm, as did Sea Monster by Tapstone, a fruity pale ale from Somerset.

“People are very knowledgeable about the beer and will gravitate Hepworth’s Vintage Noel (Horsham) 500ml 7.5% ABV Classic barley wine style beer which is rich, tasty and full of lovely malt flavours. It will improve with age if you can resist drinking it (I can't!)

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47

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It can be quite frustrating for First Time Buyers who can afford to pay a monthly rental amount on time every time, yet struggle to get a mortgage with the same or lower monthly payment. Often, the mortgage payment can be a lot less! The lender will look at income multiples and on-going affordability models, which don't compare when we see customers who can easily afford rental payments of circa £1,000 per month, yet fail lender affordability assessments for a mortgage of £700pm.

The models are here to stay and the tough calculations will remain. However, some lenders are realising this and looking in to other ways of helping first timers achieve their home owner aspirations.

‘The Six Hop Ale is a stonkingly good beer and a very worthy winner’ towards certain brewers,” said Gareth. “The good thing is that about 30 of the 50 beers on offer received at least one vote.

Something about the flavour might just grab an individual, which is what it’s all about.”

Many local breweries were represented. Welton’s of Horsham took its Red Rose Mild, Hepworth’s took its Daws IPA (from awardwinning Sussex hop grower Chris Daws) and Kissingate of Lower Beeding tested its Sussex bitter.

Gareth said: “Kissingate received a few votes, although the flavour is not for everyone and I personally Dark Star Imperial Stout (Partridge Green) 300ml 10.5% ABV A fabulous black stout which drinks superbly with some good stilton and crackers. Keep in mind how strong it is and don't get carried away.

find it a little sharp. However, their Black Cherry Mild was named Champion Beer of Great Britain in the ‘Speciality’ category, and they don't give such awards out lightly.”

A few home brews also impressed.

The Top Notch Bonzer, made in Haywards Heath, and Rosa’s Red (named after one of Gareth’s labradoodles) both went down well.

Gary Lucas, owner of Kissingate, believes that the festival is a good chance for brewers to get feedback.

“We like to brew beers that are appropriate for the times and beers people want to drink. So we rely on

Cotleigh Red Nose Reinbeer (Somerset) 500ml 4.5% ABV This copper coloured, award-winning ale has a malty richness that makes it perfect for drinking at Christmas.

One lender is offering a mortgage where parents can be involved and their income taken in to account when it comes to affordability. Called the 'step up' mortgage, this allows a close family member to be involved in applying for a mortgage up to 90% of the value of the property. The lender will use two incomes, although up to four people can be named on the mortgage deed. Where the relative already has a mortgage, this will be taken in to account for the calculations. At a later date, when the customer can prove sole affordability, the relative can be removed.

Another lender continues to offer a 100% mortgage! The product works by allowing the customers parents to offer their property as a guarantee on the mortgage. The main property has a loan of up to 80% secured against it and the remaining 20% is secured against the parental property. The customer must be able to afford the whole 100% borrowing on a normal lender affordability basis.

These are just two examples of how family members can help out. There are many others available to those with a small deposit. Lenders are looking at all ways to help customers get a foot on the property ladder, and why not?

A monthly mortgage payment tends to be less than a monthly rental payment, and you get to own the property!

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48 feedback and if need be we will re-engineer a beer. With our Black Cherry Mild, people consistently told us that it contained too much cherry, so we reduced the cherry content and it worked. Some people in the real ale industry believe that consistency is key, but I think changing a beer encourages a little bit of excitement for the consumer and for a brewer you should produce a beer that is a little bit better than the batch before.”

The festival showcases not only the best local brews, but national beers too. Gary said: “Gareth hand picks beers from all over the country and selects those that he thinks the aleloving community will enjoy. It’s great for us to be here alongside breweries like the Bristol Beer Factory and Dark Star, who are of course a local brewer but produce wonderful beer. I think Gareth does a fantastic job which is Weltons Wenceslegless (Horsham) 500ml 4.6% ABV A full bodied festive brew crammed with spicy citrus flavours.

It's Christmas in a bottle!

why his festival is a sell out every year.”

The event raised £650 for charity (divided between The National Autistic Society and The Doodle Trust, as Gareth has a couple of Labradoodles!

You can buy bottled beers by the likes of Hepworth’s, Weltons, Hammerpot and Dark Star at The Beer Essentials, 30a East Street, Horsham At Dark Star, you can buy minipins and polypins to fill with draught beer. darkstarbrewing.co.uk You can buy Kissingate beers online at www.kissingate.co.uk

REPORT: BEN MORRIS PICTURES: TOBY PHILLIPS Hammerpot Shepherd’s Warmer (Hammerpot) 500ml 5.5% ABV A fruity Christmas ale brewed with various spices including ginger for that special bit of seasonal warmth.

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50

‘When the dish received so much praise from the judges and fellow chefs, with the straight tens, I was blown away’

Not Such a Silly Billy M

att Gillan, head chef at The Pass at South Lodge Hotel, Lower Beeding, has won the BBC 2 cooking competition The Great British Menu.

Some of the country’s top chefs competed to win a place cooking at a banquet to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Women’s Institute at Drapers Hall in London. He created four courses; Sowing and Growing, Jamming and Canning, Teaching and Preaching, and Back to Black (and Yellow).

Matt’s main course dish, Teaching and Preaching (Goat, dumpling, pineapple, cheese), was put straight through to the banquet without a shortlist after receiving straight 10 out of 10 scores from both the chefs and judges, Matthew Fort, Prue Leith, Oliver Peyton and guest judge Felicity Cloake. It was the first time this has been achieved in the history of The Great British Menu Matt’s main course was inspired by his mother, who regularly cooked goat at home. He used a variety of goat cuts in his dish of 12 complex elements including salt baked leg, spiced shoulder and goat Ragu topped with mash

potato, named Herders Pie. The Michelin-starred chef is keen to promote the virtues of goat’s meat, and has written a book called The Herder (beautifully illustrated by Jo Parry) to highlight the wastefulness of the meat. The cover of the book has been duplicated onto a specially-made presentation box, used for the main course whilst Matt’s winning menu was made available to guests at The Pass in the weeks following the show.

He said: “We are seeing the popularity of female goat’s cheese and milk increase massively, but the male Billies are often slaughtered and discarded, so I wanted to showcase the meat. I also thought it fitted in well with the WI’s ethos of ‘waste not, want not.’

“When the dish received so much praise from the judges and fellow chefs, with the straight tens, I was blown away. That wasn't what I had been expecting at all. I think it took about a week to sink in to be honest.

“The other competitors had produced incredible dishes throughout the process, but at this final stage I had wanted to produce something that I

didn’t think the other chefs would come up with. It’s very difficult to stand out in terms of technical ability on the Great British Menu because they are all talented chefs, so instead I thought about produce.

“It was a risk, but you take a risk going on the show. It might not go well for you. I have been on the programme before and things didn’t work out for me. However, I want to test my abilities against the best.”

Following the final episode of The Great British Menu, aired on 9 October, Matt has been recognised whilst out and about in Horsham. ”I haven’t been mobbed, but in town I did get stopped every few minutes, which was bizarre. I don't mind if people are happy to chat; it’s when they approach you and just stand there, smiling, that it’s a bit awkward!”

You can view Menus available at The Pass at www.southlodgehotel.co.uk or call 01403 891711 to book a table.

REPORT: BEN MORRIS PICTURE: TOBY PHILLIPS

51

Three New Team Members for Cranfold

Physio in Horsham W

e are happy to announce that both Podiatric Surgeon Grahame Mann, and Lymphatic Massage Therapist Lesley Gilles from our Cranleigh team, will be running clinics in the new Practice in Foundry Lane from November.

We are also delighted to welcome John Harris, experienced local Sports Therapist, to the Cranfold team.

Graham Mann, Podiatric Surgeon, is well known in the area having worked for many years in Dorking treating patients with foot and ankle problems requiring biomechanical or surgical solutions.

He will be at Foundry Lane once a month to help our patients with foot or ankle pain.

Patients are often managed in conjunction with the physiotherapists, replicating the team approach to the patient’s problem, which has proven so successful in Cranleigh and Dorking.

Graham assesses the patient’s walking pattern, foot type, joint flexibility and muscle length, sometimes also using a footplate scanner to correlate that to the pain and diagnose the problem.

Treatments may involve manipulation, injection or the use of over the counter or prescription orthotics (insoles) that correct the way the lower leg and foot is working, realigning the body’s joints and optimising movement. This removes stress on overloaded and painful tissues, relieving symptoms.

“Using orthotics to correct foot function is similar to using glasses to correct long or short sight,” explained Graham. “Once in place, the orthotic should instantly improve the problem.”

Lesley Gilles, Lymphatic Massage Therapist, has a background in Sports & Remedial Massage but has specialised in Lymphatic Massage in 2014.

“The lymphatics are an amazing purification and drainage system which provides us with immunity against disease and infection,” says Lesley. “We need it to work effectively in order to stay healthy. Lymphatic massage stimulates

Special Offers for November 45 minute Sports Massage with John for £32 60 minute Lymphatic Massage with Lesley for £49.50 For appointments with any of our therapists, call Cranfold on 01403 721050 our body’s lymphatic system by 100%, aiding repair where needed and boosting wellbeing to help stress and fatigue.”

Lesley’s early successes were with patients who had undergone facial surgery, where the gentle techniques reduced swelling and fluid congestion, thereby reducing pain and also speeding up the healing process. Recent successes with Lymphatic Massage have included patients with fluid retention and systemic illnesses such as ME and Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

John Harris BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy is no stranger to Horsham. “The majority of my

working life has been spent with sports people, particularly footballers,” explained John, who worked with Horsham football teams before working with Crystal Palace, youth teams at Chelsea FC and AFC Wimbledon.

“Of course you don’t have to be a sports person to benefit from Sports Therapy for your injury, as it is all about soft tissue repair, rehabilitation of movement and restoration of normal function,” said John.

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52

Seamless Transition for Embroidery Group

GROUP: Calico & Cake VENUE: Andrew Hall, Shipley Jeanette Stevens, Hilary Husband, Madeleine Loveday, Gaynor Cooper, Jean Hartley, Françoise Vincent-Smith, Heather Shopland, Angela Witherick

Jeanette: I took early retirement and I needed to find something else to do. I went to an evening course at Crawley College, taught by Ruth Blackford, and it went so well that they introduced a full-time course. It was there that I met many of the girls here. When the funding for the course was withdrawn, like many adult education classes, Ruth was made redundant and we were left exploring other avenues.

Gaynor: Like several of the members, I wanted to do something creative after I retired, and joined Calico & Cake soon after it formed. I soon realised that I knew nothing about colour or structure, so signed up for an art course too and now art also plays a big part in my life. Strangely, I wasn't a creative person at all when I was young and I hated art at school! Only in later life did I want to pick up a paint brush.

Madeleine: I attended a different course at Crawley College, which also lost its funding. It was really disappointing, but Ruth had decided to form a new group with some of her class. She knew that I loved sewing so called me and asked if I would like to be involved. I was thrilled! I used to make dresses, but as the children in my family grew up, I had nobody to make them for. So the group felt like a natural evolution for me.

Madeleine: Ruth has moved away from the area, but when that time came we all had the skills to do as we pleased and carried on. It has been lovely, because we can pick each other's brains and ask for opinions.

Angela: We looked for a good hall. Some of us had been going to a small art class at Andrew Hall in Shipley for several years so we knew it had all the facilities we needed. We use a lot of calico, which is a plain-woven textile used as the base fabric for our work.

Ruth always used to bring a cake to classes and that was a tradition we wanted to carry on, so we rotate who brings cake each week.

We named our group Calico & Cake and formed in 2008.

Jeanette: We don't have anybody in charge, but we must be doing something right as we gel together well. We all just get on and can do as we please. We are all ladies of a certain age and this fits in well with our lives; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s never a chore. We know it's only every other Tuesday and we all make time for it.

Heather: In a group like this, you can share ideas and techniques and give constructive criticism. If you're working in isolation, you can go around in circles, but with others around you, you might see another direction to go in with your work.

Angela: What we actually do here is free machine embroidery, in which you use a

53

sewing machine to create patterns and pictures on textiles. Each term, we tend to work to a different theme, and this term it is ‘nature’. I'm creating a piece based on blackberries at the moment, which are difficult as I like them to have a three dimensional effect. A lot of time goes into each piece, so most of us will work on them at home too.

Gaynor: Today, I’m working on a personal project as I need a new quilt for my living room. We recently redecorated and I wanted to have it finished by Christmas, so the nature themed work is on hold for a little while! Prior to this, I've been creating pictures of Horsham’s historic sites and landmarks. I've made one of St Mary's Church, one of The Causeway and one of the Carfax market. The next piece will have a salsa theme, as I saw a local group dancing outside of the Old Town Hall. You see a lot of stitched pictures of Brighton and London, but I thought it was time to feature Horsham!

Heather: I'm working on a couple of pieces with a nature theme. One depicts a harvest scene, which was inspired by a walk on the South Downs. The themes are always a challenge, but perhaps one of the hardest was ‘Faces’. Faces can be difficult to recreate in fabric, so it was a real challenge and we all produced very different results.

Madeleine: For me personally, the hardest thing is getting the initial composition right, but once that’s in place I find that I work very fast. You’ll

‘At Calico & Cake, you can share ideas and techniques and give constructive criticism’

Angela works on a nature themed piece

Gaynor Cooper pieces together a new quilt

GROUP DISCUSSION

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54

Hilary: My friend introduced this group to me at an embroidery class, and I became the newest recruit in January. At the moment, I'm making little bowls in all of the colours of the rainbow, with a little pot of gold at the end. I’ll give them out as Christmas presents. I think part of the joy of making something is giving it away.

Jeanette believes that free machine embroidery is becoming more popular.

Madeleine: For the amount of time you put into each piece, you could never expect to receive enough money for the work. But that’s not why we do it. It is just nice to sell a few for a little bit of money occasionally or pass them on to family and friends.

Gaynor: The main reason I do it is because I

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Francoise features birds in her work

Francoise: What is nice about Calico & Cake is that you can just come along, have a chat, and concentrate on your own work. We don't have any set rules and nobody is pressured to do anything. I travel quite a lot to see my grandchildren, so am not always here, but I can dip into my project as and when I can, which is a nice feeling for me.

Hilary sewing colourful bowls as gifts and (centre) Jean and Heather

notice though that our finished pieces are all very different in style and size. My current piece is inspired by a painting that my sister saw at an exhibition. She thought it was created in fabric, but it was in fact a painting.

I’m reversing that effect and creating an embroidered piece that looks like a painting. It has strong colours and suits my style.

GROUP DISCUSSION

A range of work by the Calico & Cake group with a Nature theme will be exhibited in the New Year

enjoy it. I don't care enormously about what other people think of my work. If you start doing it for someone else, you feel restricted. You have to love your art, whether it is painting or sewing or any other medium. If someone likes it, that's nice, but it’s okay if they don’t!

55

Francoise: It is a real challenge to translate ideas and pictures to fabric. We all tend to work figuratively, and in some cases it can be quite abstract, so it is very important to find the right materials and use the right method to create each individual piece.

Angela: We do all learn techniques from each other and swap ideas. Sometimes, one of us will attend a workshop, pick up a new method and pass it on to the rest of us to try. We have hosted a few workshops here, with an invited textile artist coming in and talking to us about their work and techniques.

Jeanette: There are some fantastic textile artists around. You have people like Alice Kettle, who has given a workshop here, and Wendy Dolan, who are really working at the top of their game.

Francoise: It is interesting to see how different artists work, although we are getting to a stage now where it is difficult to find people that can really help us improve or show us new techniques!

Heather: Since I started creating embroidered pieces, I have also started painting and that’s been interesting. I have found that one influences the other.

Painting helps me use materials with more freedom, although I do find when painting that I am overly precise and detailed, which is perhaps down to the embroidery! Many of us in the group paint and have been on art courses, and that has a strong influence on our work.

Jeanette: I do think that gradually free machine embroidery is becoming more popular. I heard Kirstie Allsopp on TV say that free machining is ‘The crack cocaine of sewing!’ I thought, ‘hold on a minute, we've been doing that for nearly 10 years.”

We are seeing more sewing on television and free machining in particular is picking up in terms of popularity. At the Summer Exhibition, free machining artwork has started to be accepted, so that is an encouraging sign.

Angela: We have an exhibition next year at Horsham Museum and Art Gallery. It’s quite exciting for us, as it’s not something we do very often!

For further information on Calico & Cake, email Angela at whitescottages@btinternet.com

REPORT: BEN MORRIS PICTURES: TOBY PHILLIPS

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vehicle at a time to suit you including evenings and weekends. I take away all the time and hassle of numerous trips to the shops to select small samples of fabric and then trying to imagine what the fabric will look like in your home.

Mobile Curtain Showroom has over 1,000 fabrics to choose from. The beauty of it is because my samples are curtain size you can instantly see how the fabric transforms the room, taking into account the light, colours, textures and furniture. I provide all types of curtain headings, valances, pelmets, tie backs and other soft furnishings such as cushions and bed throws as well as any type of blind you can imagine including conservatory.

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BUSINESS

57

HELL FOR LEATHER Business Carves a Reputation in Custom Bike World W

earing a Harley Davidson T-shirt under a denim jacket, Mark Peckham tools a small piece of tanned leather. He is wearing a ‘Redneck’ cap, whilst the confederate flag adorns the ceiling, and the fuel tank of his motorcycle.

It might not surprise you to know that Mark is a fan of Neil Young’s music, 80s TV show The Dukes of Hazzard, and occasionally heads out to America to cruise the highways and enjoy week-long rodeo festivals!

The southern states of the USA may be Mark’s spiritual home, but his successful leather tooling business is actually based in Coolham!

Since establishing his own business, LeatherMark69 (The 69 is from a biker group Mark rides with in Horsham), Mark has forged a growing reputation for detailed leather tooling.

Most of his work comes from the custom bike industry, with tank covers, handlebar grips, side bags and seats being amongst the most commonly requests.

However, Mark also makes leather handbags, wallets, handlebar grips, mobile phone cases, tankards, gun holsters, belts and saddlery items.

CRAZY DAVE STARTED IT Mark started tooling leather in 1991, shortly after leaving the Navy and buying his first Harley Davidson motorcycle.

He joined the American Motorcycle Owners Club, where a lot of members were customising their bikes. The go-to man for personalised leather work at that time was ‘Crazy Dave’.

Mark said: “I was interested in trying leather tooling, so Dave gave me a few pointers. I bought some tools and it went from there.

“I made a leather seat for my Harley, engraved with Celtic knot work, and riding friends at various bike clubs asked if I could create something similar for them.

“Gradually, the word spread. One person wanted a leather guitar strap and another

asked for a wallet, so I built a repertoire of work using primarily Celtic patterns.

“There is a floral-type pattern commonly used for gun holsters and saddlery in the south westerly states of the USA. This also became a favourite pattern of mine.”

At that time, Mark was working as an engineer for Rediffusion, a flight simulator company based in Crawley, and the leather tooling was a hobby.

When Mark was offered the chance to take redundancy six years ago, he took the opportunity and launched his own leather tooling business. For four years, he has been based at RBK Customs in Coolham.

He said: “Russ (owner of RBK Customs) is a great custom bike builder and I get a lot of work through him, which is fortunate as I'm not very good at selling myself.

“Dave Batchelor at P&D Custom Bikes in Slinfold has also recommended me to some of his customers looking for leather tooling, and through Dave I have created pieces for Guildford Harley Davidson.”

BUSINESS

59

A TRADITIONAL PROCESS Mark uses a specific type of vegetable tanned, full grain leather, sourced from a tannery in the Midlands.

He said: “They basically supply me with a huge slice of tanned cowhide and I use that as the base leather. Initially, I need to rehydrate the leather before I transfer the design with a stencil using a marker tool.

“This creates a light impression and you can then carve into the design on the leather, using a swivel knife, and make impressions through stamping techniques or by delicately using tools to create different effects.

“Tooling leather has been around for centuries and I adopt a very traditional method that hasn't really changed.”

In America, there is a big demand for leather tooling in the equestrian industry In the UK, it is not so common, but Mark does receive the occasional request for saddlery.

As a member of a club that recreates Western-style action shooting, Mark also enjoys working with guns.

“The club I go to is associated with the Single Action Shooting Society (SASS) in America,” said Mark. “We promote the sport of cowboy action shooting, which basically means that we dress up as cowboys once a month!

“It is actually quite a competitive sport, and as well as being good fun, I do get business from it. I have made gun cases, holsters and belts too.

“There are a lot of sporting clubs and associations relating to firearms and members often require holsters and things like ammunition pouches. Much like the custom bike world, leather work is a big part of it.”

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THE THINGS PEOPLE ASK FOR When customising a bike, individuality is vital.

Mark said: “It is like tattooing because somebody will have an idea and I have to offer a solution that will work in leather and still please the customer.

“I have a lot of requests for Celtic and floral patterns, skull and crossbones, and as a member of Mythago Morris I have made a lot of tankards, often depicting the mythical green man. A friend of mine has the green man on a leather-backed waistcoat!

“Faces are a bigger challenge. Somebody wanted a portrait of (prohibition-era gangster) ‘Machine Gun’ Kelly. More often, people request mermaids, sometimes with a shipwreck scene. It's always nice to have a challenge.”

In recent times, there has been a topical challenge for the customised bike world; the use of the Confederate flag.

The flag was used during the American Civil War, triggered when seven southern states rebelled over Abraham Lincoln’s

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Made using only British Quality Assured Pork. Available every Saturday at the Local Produce Market in the Carfax and many other quality stockists We are a family run business & pride ourselves on using only the finest ingredients for all our sausages. We are continually creating new varieties to complement the more traditional flavours.

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You can read more Motoring features on the website at www.aahorsham.co.uk

60

anti-slavery legislation.

Supporters of the flag view it as a symbol of ancestry and heritage. But for some Americans it is seen as a representation of slavery and white supremacy.

Mark admits it is a concern. “It is one of those symbols that you see everywhere in the custom bike world, as bikers associate the rebel flag with freedom.

“For me, it says that I can ride my bike and be free. It represents a spirit to rebel against whatever constraints people see in their lives.

“But there are negative connotations too, and I understand that. It is a big dilemma because the rebel flag is very common in the custom car and bike world.

“It would be a shame if we could not take back control of the flag and see it in the spirit of what it is meant to be.”

THE REBEL HARLEY

AAH

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MONTHLY PRINT RUN OVER 20,000

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More people than ever are now reading our high-quality, independent, A4 monthly magazine. AAH is renowned throughout the district and beyond for its interesting articles, successful advertising and stunning photography.

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A huge amount of work has gone into Mark’s 1982 Shovel Head Harley Davidson.

The frame was built by RBK Customs, whilst mark employed two other companies on the same Thornhill Court estate in Coolham to add their expertise.

Finish First painted the bike in a striking orange, whilst Hi-Spec Coatings created Cerakote, satin black parts.

Mark created his own seat, referencing Neil Young’s‘Southern Man’ , with empty brass bullet cases adding decoration to the fuel tank. The pin-striping comes courtesy of Nefarious, a talented artist based in Farnborough.

Work commitments and the weather mean that Mark doesn’t ride the bike as much as he’d like, but when he does, it is a real head turner!

“Everywhere you go, people notice the bike and want to talk about it. I do try and go to the occasional custom bike show, because they are a good opportunity to showcase work.

“That is why I have perhaps gone a little over the top with the leather tooling and the paintwork, because it's a way of advertising my business.

“Generally though, people are more conservative with their own requests.

What is interesting is that the age range of people riding bikes has changed; it is basically the same people riding now that were riding 25 years ago!

“But it's still a lovely group of people and when you all meet at a show or rally it feels like you’re part of a big family.”

You can find out more about Mark’s customised leather goods by emailing leathermark69@hotmail.co.uk or visit the website at http://www.leathermark69.com/

REPORT: BEN MORRIS PICTURES: TOBY PHILLIPS

In The Melting Pot?

T

his month I would like to talk about scrap gold, as I’ve been exploring different ways of recycling unwanted pieces of jewellery.

For many years, we have offered a scrap gold service, in which people come to us and receive cash for their unwanted jewellery. The gold price fluctuates – although it has been consistently high for some time – and the amount we pay for scrap gold is dictated by the weight and the carat.

Most of the items we receive are nine carat gold, with an approximate scrap value of £10 per gram. A 24 carat piece of jewellery will fetch you more than double that amount.

A high percentage of the jewellery brought to us at Sakakini for scrap looks dated and old-fashioned. It might have been around the house for some time and eventually the owner has decided that they will never wear it, so they might as well trade it in for some money.

But occasionally we come across items that we think are really amazing pieces and too good to melt down.

The problem for us, as a jewellery shop, is that these items can be very difficult to re-sell at retail rates. For example, a customer recently brought in a 9 carat gold chain weighing 44.3 grams and was happy to be rid of it. They received £440, as at

Many gold items are being melted down

Sakakini we pay a higher price than most of the leading cash for gold companies.

Using the wholesale price guide, an item of that weight and quality would cost about £750, and the subsequent retail price would be considerably over £1,000.

By scrapping the jewellery, we make a small sum of money, but it is sad to see nice jewellery being melted down.

I was thinking about alternatives, and thought it would be good to give people the opportunity to buy scrap jewellery items at well below the wholesale price. Why melt them down when they can be sold for the same price and go to a good home?

The original jewellery owner receives a fair price for selling the piece as scrap gold, we receive a similar price to what we might have received for melting it down, and the new owner has an item of jewellery for a price hugely below even the wholesale price.

Also, it saves an item of jewellery from the clutches of a 1064 degree oven!

It is a win-win scenario for all, and here at Sakakini we have already been able to find people a really, really good deal.

Some customers are already taking advantage and are looking through our scrap gold items. Much of it is yellow gold, which isn’t particularly fashionable at the moment. However, it will have its day again, and some people still love it.

So if you're looking for a specific piece of jewellery, do let me know. If it comes in, we will keep it back and call you. It’s like mail order gold at a price you can afford!

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01403 250200

45 Carfax, Horsham, West Sussex RH12 1EQ

HISTORY

63

Wonder of Water When Horsham’s Water Wasn’t so Pure

W

e take it for granted today, but how Horsham first received fresh water on tap is a fascinating story…

Horsham, lying by the edge of “Horsham water” as the River Arun was known in the 18th century, had an easy supply of water.

It wasn’t clean, or fresh for that matter, but it was water!

The town was also, due to geological factors, blessed with a number of springs, some seasonal and others that flowed all year.

So talk of needing a water supply wasn’t something everyone agreed on. Some questioned why they should pay for something that was available for free.

In fact, that attitude was prevalent for centuries, causing Horsham to have death rates worse than the big industrial cities in Victorian Britain.

Laying Foundations The first recorded account of public water in Horsham occurs in the 1627, when the public fountain in North Street needed to be repaired. Some 20 years later, mention is made of the Parish having to pay for the repair of the Normandy well.

There’s little mention of water in Horsham from then until 1742, when a remarkable agreement was signed. William and Resta Patching were given permission to take up pavements and lay water pipes so that they could provide Horsham residents with water ‘from the Horsham river.’

The agreement was for a term of 500 years at a rent of 6d per year, with a condition that water should be supplied free of charge to the Manor house including water for the fountain in the “best” garden. Horsham Museum still has a few fragments of these wooden pipes.

But what about the sewage? Records from 1743 tell us that sewage pipes were laid from Horsham gaol to the Crown Inn, which originally stood at the South east corner of West Street.

Later, a new sewer for draining the Carfax was built, making the market place more desirable as it was no longer covered in pools of rainwater and excrement!

The fact that the sewer was, it would seem, uncovered, did not worry them.

In 1745, the owners of the water works agreed a deal to provide water to the gaol for £10 per year. This had nothing to do with prisoner welfare and everything to do with ensuring financial stability for the new

An image of Normandy, off Denne Road. There was a well at the bottom of the court, near St Mary’s Church (Images courtesy of HDC/Horsham Museum)

The Old Town Mill, as depicted by Colman owners. That year, Resta Patching was declared bankrupt; the mill went to her brother William, who mortgaged the mill and waterworks to James Andrews for £200 at 4% interest. 4% interest on £200 is £8 a year; more than covered by the £10 a year income from the gaol.

The Water is Revolting!

In 1836, Howard Dudley, the precocious 16-yearold author and illustrator of Horsham’s first History book, wrote: ‘The water around Horsham is of a very superior quality, and extremely abundant. It is intended shortly to supply each house by means of pipes.”

This may have been some talked of scheme rather than a plan, as it was another 40 years before it actually happened.

However, the comment made by Dudley is interesting, for the water in Horsham was very

‘With his pony cart and barrel, old Ned Hall could always do a good trade in water, selling it at a half-penny per bucketful’ good but the water supply was heavily polluted as most of it came from shallow wells that had been in place since medieval times.

Some 20 years later, a report showed how disgusting the water was, with 49 grains impurity per gallon compared with only two for Glasgow.

Some local people made money from supplying water. Henry Burstow recounts the story of ‘waterman’ Ned Hall: “With his pony cart and barrel, old Hall could always in summer time do a good trade in water, which he used to fetch from the river, selling it at a half-penny per bucketful. He charged 1d per time for watering the road in front of a house.”

Pollution Problems!

In 1862, scarlet fever struck and Robert Henry Hurst made it known how much worse Horsham’s death rate was compared to

For details of exhibitions at Horsham Museum visit the website at www.horshammuseum.org

64 neighbouring towns. Horsham’s death rate was 15 out of every 100 inhabitants; nationally 10 % was considered high.

Hurst issued a broadsheet headed Health of Horsham which showed that the drains were defective, cellars were infested with rats and sewage, and that the wells were susceptible to polluted water. The water was so bad that when it was heated a greasy film lay on top, like scum, and it smelt appallingly.

The solution was for deep main sewers, and a pure water supply.

The failure of local government committees to get things established probably encouraged Hurst to go down the route of private companies investing in the town’s infrastructure and reaping the benefits.

In August 1865, The First Ordinary General Meeting of the Horsham Waterworks Company was held at the Literary Institution, with nine directors being appointed.

Soon after, an ‘experimental well’ was sunk into land near Park Terrace East, to test the supply. This experiment proved to be successful with the water being of an ‘exceedingly good quality.’

In 1868 Dorathea Hurst, Robert’s sister, wrote about wells in her ‘History of Horsham’ book.

‘There is a considerable variety in the water of the springs in this parish, which ranges from very hard to very soft; some have a brackish taste, others are more or less impregnated with iron.

‘In general, however, the quality of the water is considered good, and some of the wells are remarkably pure and unfailing. This observation particularly applies to an ancient well, The Normandy Well. It is only about four feet in depth, and yet in the longest drought the water always stands up sufficiently high to allow a pail to be dipped into it.’

Dorathea’s account puts a different perspective on the reasons behind a new water company being

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Free Customer Parking at our Southwater Centre t our Care Equipment Centre in Southwater, you can see and test an extensive range of mobility scooters, rollaters, recliner chairs, electric beds and home care products.

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Paul Andrews, Showroom Manager at NHG, said: “It’s the perfect place to come to as there is no problem with parking, we have large electric doors at the entrance, and once you are in here you can browse and try out all of the products.

We take water for granted now, but the established. It was not because of the poor quality of water, but because 1864 and 1865 had been dry seasons and the wells had ‘not been sufficient for the existing needs of the town.’

The Star Inn Reservoir

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In 1875, the local government bought out the Water Company for £7,000 and it would remain a public service until privatisation in 1989.

Soon after, The Sanitary Authority prepared plans to ensure that the town was drained and the sewers were well constructed and ventilated.

The local government invited tenders for a “Scheme of Drainage of District and Disposal of Sewage”. The scheme had to cover the whole district, which then had a population of about 5120 in 1144 houses.

In 1879, Horsham’s drainage system was completed at a cost of £13,560, almost £6,000 above the original estimate of £7,590.

Three years later Kelley’s Directory stated that The Horsham Water Works Company was about to construct “a large reservoir in the high lying ground near the union house, for the constant supply of the district.”

This became the Star Inn Reservoir, which opened in 1883 near the Work house in Crawley Road.

The possibility of fresh clean drinking water led the town to create a drinking

HISTORY fountain in honour of Queen Victoria.

As we take drinking water for granted, it stands largely ignored on Chart Way, rather than having pride of place in the Carfax. The photograph (left) though show the pride the town took in the feature.

By the end of the century, Horsham had resolved most of the issues of drinking water and contamination by sewage.

It now had a public drinking fountain, a fountain that paid homage to Queen Victoria.

Before we turn to the 20th century, in 1898 an event occurred that reminded people of the medieval wells in the town.

The Star Inn Reservoir

1897 creation of a fountain attracted a huge crowd in the Carfax.

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Approved by Trading Standards

One of the most unusual notices put out by Horsham Rural District Council, who had their offices in 9 Carfax, appeared in the County Times in November 1919.

The Rural District Council invited tenders for “divining for water and sinking wells upon 28

65

sites selected for building dwellings for the working classes scattered throughout the Parishes of Billingsurst, Cowfold, Horsham Rural, Ifield, Itchingfield, Lower Beeding, Nuthurst, Rusper, Shipley, Slinfold, Warnham and West Grinstead.”

Obviously the need to build council houses meant that in rural areas without mains water supply, the developments had to rely on wells or springs.

In 1922, the council began implementing a major improvement in the quality of life for most residents through the enforcement of sanitation.

The Council’s Sanitary Inspector undertook a street survey in June 1922 and reported that there were 830 houses without flushing tanks.

The Councillors agreed that all properties should have flushing tanks. House owners or landlords had one year to get the work done!

Steam Driven Pumps In 1922, the town converted its steam driven water pumps to

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‘The council decided to restrict water supplys. There was to be no use of water entirely for gardens!’ electricity but water problems would continue throughout the 1920s and beyond. Expanding the use of water closets, whilst desirable, had an effect on the water supply.

In 1925 the situation was very severe as a booklet published explains: “It was evident that a new supply of water was a necessity owing to the continued growth of Horsham and to the falling-off in the flow of water to the wells.

“At the same time, owing to technical difficulties, the amount of water stored in the Star Reservoir was reduced from 500,000 gallons to only 78,000 gallons.

There was no filtration or purification of this water, it being delivered to the consumers exactly as received in the wells, and iron in suspension in the water was a source of much complaint.”

In May of that year, a request to supply water for swimming baths at the new Manor House School caused some discussion. It would be allowed, subject to the effect on the town supply.

The following month, it was reported that it took eight hours to fill the bath, reducing the water level in the reservoir by one foot and it took two hours of additional pumping to replenish it. So, in July, the council decided to restrict water supply except for domestic purposes.There was to be no use of water entirely for gardens due to water shortages.

In 1926, it was reported that the test boring for water at Whites Bridge yielded 20,300 gallons per hour. An engineer suggested that the water was of good quality and would help solve Horsham’s water shortage.

The 1930’s would see the council making the greatest commitment to the future of the town. It wasn’t its restructuring of the schools, or the investment in the market, but the creation of a new sewage and waterworks that would provide fresh water for at least 30 years…

Well Appears Outside Anchor When the Anchor Hotel was being rebuilt in Market Square, a steam roller driver had a narrow escape.

He felt the ground sinking beneath him, so at once pushed on full steam.

On feeling solid ground again, he stopped, just as the ground gave way, revealing a large well 22ft deep!

The well was pumped dry and then filled in. Henry Penfold’s endeavour was rewarded by a testimonial given

by Horsham Urban district Council “as a mark of their appreciation of the presence of mind displayed by him.”

The testimonial contains two photos, one of Mr Penfold, the other of the steam roller, which was an Aveling & Porter 3542.

As there was no record of a well there, it is possible that Mr Penfold discovered one of Horsham’s medieval wells.

The second part of this feature will appear in the December edition of AAH. Thanks for Jeremy Knight of Horsham District Council’s Horsham Museum for providing text and images for this feature Jeremy’s History of Horsham Volumes are available at the Museum. www.horshammuseum.org

WE MADE IT!

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