Viva Lewes Issue #145 October 2018

AST SUSSEX
COLLEGE
OPEN EVENTS
EAST SUSSEX COLLEGE IS THE NEW
NAME FOR SUSSEX DOWNS COLLEGE
& SUSSEX COAST COLLEGE
Visit the Sussex
Downs and Sussex
Coast websites
for more info!
EASTBOURNE
12 th
12
th
October
4:30 - 7:30pm
13 th
October
10am - 12:30pm
20 th
November
4:30 - 7:30pm
LEWES
5 th
October
4:30 - 7:30pm
6 th
October
10am - 12:30pm
29 th
November
4:30 - 7:30pm
HASTINGS
1 st
November
5:00 - 8:00pm
15 th
November
5:00 - 8:00pm
22 nd
November
5:00 - 8:00pm
6 th
December
5:00 - 7:00pm

145
VIVALEWES
EDITORIAL
Larders. Do any of us even have one? These days?
The definition that pops up when I google reads simply: ‘a room or large
cupboard for storing food’. Of course, pre-fridges, somewhere cool was
needed – to store meat. (The word larder, I think, comes from ‘lard’...)
We could reframe the whole thing ‘kitchen cupboards’? Either way, I like
Galia Pike’s interpretation – on our cover – where ‘WORRIES MISC’
may share shelves with jars of pickle and peanut butter. Certainly, this issue
has plenty of food-filled ‘jars’ sitting alongside others that aren’t.
While we are talking kitchen cupboards, though, let me just mention Lee Miller’s useby
dates, some of which predate use-by dates. And Lulah Ellender’s grandmother’s lists of
eggs (and powder rooms). And Mayor Janet Baah’s account of how she sold butterbeans to
pay her way through school. And Lewes Open Door opening its doors to our homeless.
Plus, Lewes Farmers Market turns twenty this month, and means to celebrate. We visit
specialist vegetable producers, Namayasai. Hear from poet Lemn Sissay on separation
anxiety. And from critic Robert McCrum on the consolations of reading.
I like Michael Blencowe’s piece on how the hoarding and (occasionally) absent-minded
jay has shaped our skyline. And never forgetting the feast that is this month’s Edward
Ardizzone exhibition – sight of any one of his drawings can send me spiralling backwards…
(to Lewes Library, Albion Street, circa 1975).
This has been my first few weeks at Viva. Hope you enjoy the fruits of our foraging.
THE TEAM
.....................
EDITOR: Charlotte Gann charlotte@vivamagazines.com
SUB-EDITOR: David Jarman
DEPUTY EDITOR: Rebecca Cunningham rebecca@vivamagazines.com
ART DIRECTOR: Katie Moorman katie@vivamagazines.com
ADVERTISING: Sarah Hunnisett, Amanda Meynell advertising@vivamagazines.com
EDITORIAL / ADMIN ASSISTANT / HAND MODEL: Kelly Mechen admin@vivamagazines.com
DISTRIBUTION: David Pardue distribution@vivamagazines.com
CONTRIBUTORS: Jacky Adams, Michael Blencowe, Sarah Boughton, Mark Bridge, Daniel Etherington,
Mark Greco, Anita Hall, John Henty, Mat Homewood, Robin Houghton, Jo Jackson, Chloë King, Dexter Lee,
Alex Leith, Lizzie Lower, Carlotta Luke, John O’Donoghue, Galia Pike, and Marcus Taylor
PUBLISHER: Becky Ramsden becky@vivamagazines.com
Viva Lewes is based at Lewes House, 32 High St, Lewes, BN7 2LX, all enquiries 01273 488882

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THE ‘LARDER’ ISSUE
CONTENTS
Bits and bobs.
10-29. Cover art: from the multi-talented
Galia Pike; Mayor Janet Baah’s Lewes;
Photo of the month, through the lens/
tunnel; book reviews, from the Moon, to
London Calling, to an exceptional memoir;
LewesLight and Rocket FM; Charity box:
Lewes Open Door; Carlotta Luke zooms
in on focaccia; plus, all our regulars.
Columns.
31-33. Chloë King’s car-boot sale: butter
churner, anyone? Meanwhile, David Jarman
seeks out rhymes – with the ‘ukulele’.
10
29
On this month.
35-49. Comedy at the Con Club – with
Dave Mounfield; reviving Ronald
Harwood’s The Dresser; why you need to
see Follies; Lemn Sissay joins forces with
the Brighton Oasis Project; critic and
author Robert McCrum talks death and
books; Lulah Ellender on why we write
lists; and The Godfather plus: cinema
roundup.
Photo by Carlotta Luke
Lemn Sissay and Charlotte Vincent at Brighton
Oasis Project. Photo by Bosie Vincent
43
Listings and Free time.
51-65. This month’s dates for the diary –
from OctoberFeast, to walks and trips with
The Group, to The Paint Club, to the Go
Wild autumn show, to a talk on Brexit,
to Therapy at the theatre, to Bluebell
Giants of Steam… For the family, a feast
of autumn and Halloween fun, Chris
Riddell’s new picture book, and the kids get
pickling in Shoes On Now. Plus, our Gig
guide, starring O’Connell & Love, and our
Classical round-up, including something
special: an oratorio by Handel.
5

THE ‘LARDER’ ISSUE
Art.
66-77. Edward Ardizzone’s prolific talent;
Charleston’s Famous Women Dinner
Service; Art and About, from Vivienne
Lynn at Martyrs’ Gallery, to Susan Lynch
at Chalk, via Keizer Frames’ Bonfire Art.
Plus, further afield, Laurie Anderson’s
Chalkroom, the Brighton Photo Biennial
and many others.
86
Food.
79-85. Caccia &Tails proves a big hit; try a
delicious celeriac, beetroot and lentil salad
from The Blue Kitchen; watch Sussex Blue
Gin go pink when we add the tonic. Plus
Chloë King’s food news.
Photo by Emma Croman
The way we work.
86-89. Food and drink producers
photographed by Emma Croman: what’s
your comfort food?
105
Features.
91-106. Lewes Farmers Market’s trade
secrets at twenty; a peek inside Lee Miller’s
larder; Robin Williams of Namayasai
describes harvest by torchlight; Louise
Anderson on processing grief; fancy gig
rowing? Join the club. Plus Lewes FC men
celebrate their 8-1 win; the pink and blue
jay; John Henty stocks up on plums, and a
few business nuggets.
Inside left.
122. ‘Mr Buckwell with grandson and hand
barrow…’
VIVA DEADLINES
We plan each magazine six weeks ahead, with a mid-month
advertising/copy deadline. Please send details of planned events
to admin@vivamagazines.com, and for any advertising queries:
advertising@vivamagazines.com, or call 01273 488882.
Remember to recycle your Viva.
Every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of our content.
Viva Lewes magazine cannot be held responsible for any omissions, errors
or alterations. The views expressed by columnists do not necessarily
represent the view of Viva Lewes.
Love me or recycle me. Illustration by Chloë King
6

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THIS MONTH’S COVER ARTIST
This month’s cover was designed by Galia
Pike. It’s difficult to sum up what Galia
does: she is, of course, the canine fanatic
behind @dogsoflewes (see pg 17), and she
writes about English wine, for trade publications
and for her own blog, Sussex Uncorked.
Most significantly, though, she’s one
half of multi-award winning ‘toytronica’
duo Psapp, whose music has been used on
a number of TV shows and commercials,
and who wrote the theme song for Grey’s
Anatomy – which is where her illustrative
work came into play.
Galia created “a parallel Psapp universe,
filled with monochromatic cats, imaginary
keyboards and friendly monsters”, which
would grace the band’s album covers,
T-shirts and animated videos. These led
to her receiving all kinds of commissions,
from posters and flyers to tattoos
and comic strips, and even a range
of condom wrappers. She’s painted
murals and built art installations for
French fashion designer Agnès B.
She’s exhibited her work in Paris
and London, and she was Artist
in Residence at the Institute of
Contemporary Arts’ Heavy Pencil
live drawing event. We could go
on and on.
When we asked Galia to design
our October cover, we weren’t
sure what to expect; her illustrative
styles are so broad and
varying. “I decided to be really
literal about the theme
‘larder’ and I got out all my spice jars and
started drawing them,” she says. Then,
rather than label them with actual spices,
she decided to invent her own contents. “It
was a total stream of consciousness. I had
‘ultimatums’, ‘worries’, ‘miscellaneous’…
‘Tony Hadley’ – he just popped into my
head – and ‘dogs’, obviously.” We love the
end result: a vibrant and joyful introduction
to this month’s issue.
Working under the name The Monstrous
Pencil, Galia is currently busy creating
risograph prints, jewellery and homeware,
stocked all over the UK. Recently she’s
been working with the
charity
10

GALIA PIKE
Global Action Plan, illustrating the
teaching materials for their curriculum,
which “teaches young people
to look at their own morals and
ethics”. She also works alongside
her winemaker husband Adrian,
who runs the Westwell vineyard in
Kent. Galia designs all of the labels
for the wines, which she illustrates
with “super-detailed drawings of the
earth and the vines”. You can see a
selection of her work at monstrouspencil.co.uk
or on Instagram:
@monstrouspencil.
Rebecca Cunningham
monstrouspencil.co.uk
11

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MY LEWES: MAYOR JANET BAAH
What first brought you to Lewes? I come
from Ghana. We arrived at the University of
Sussex in 2001 and lived on campus for two
months when my husband started a PhD.
While there, we decided Lewes was the place
to raise our young family. I’ve since completed
a Master’s – in Public Administration – at
Brighton University, and am currently
underway with a PhD in Education at Sussex.
We live in Malling.
You’re the town’s first ethnic-minority
Mayor. What does it mean to you? It’s an
honour. I found my inauguration emotional. All
my years in Lewes, I was struck by how elegant
and intimidating this Town Hall was. Never
would I have thought I would be sitting here.
I’m also just back from a trip to Germany; a
world away from the experience of my brother,
who died in Berlin as a student, after being
pushed in a pond. I was blown away by the
levels of interest and respect.
What do you think motivates you? I’ve
always felt compelled to help. Maybe it started
with having a smaller twin sister. By eight, I
was teaching children from our neighbouring
slum to read, and the home-helps employed
by my family. Three went on to school – they
named their children after me! I also wanted
to learn. My father wanted me to train to cook.
But whenever something isn’t right, I’ve always
asserted myself. I sold butterbeans to fund my
schooling, appealed to the town chief to argue
my case, and won a scholarship. My father
was an engineer. My mother, who’s just died,
uneducated, though very bright. That never
seemed fair.
Do you have any specific aims as Mayor?
Lewes has always been welcoming, and our
three children have done well. But I hope to
give the youth more of a voice. I’m inviting all
the local school councils to come and meet with
me. I want to ask student representatives from
every school ‘what do you want Lewes to look
like?’ I’m fifty, and I’m one of the young ones
on the Council. We must engage our youth, not
stigmatise them.
I know inclusivity is key for you, in your
work at Breaking Down Barriers, for
instance... I think people need to focus and take
charge. We recently ran workshops, as a pilot
project, with ‘trouble’ pupils in one school. This
small intervention had an enormous impact.
We surfaced their passions – one wants to be
a musician, one a zoologist, one a mechanic,
and so on. They realised they are somebody.
They discovered how and what to do to achieve
results, the little steps they needed to take.
What do you do to relax? I like music. I used
to play drums and am planning to learn the
trombone. I enjoy watching the Lewes brass
band perform. And I like walking: the scenery
helps me reflect on all the opportunities we
have, living here, and on never taking those for
granted. Interview by Charlotte Gann
13

Family shopping
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PHOTO OF THE MONTH
END OF THE TUNNEL
Lucy Albone took this pic back in the summer.
The tunnel runs under the A27 at Southover,
leading from Cockshut Road to the cycle track
to Kingston. “I took it at dusk while walking my
dogs”, Lucy tells us. “Dusk is a lovely time of
day to walk as everything starts to quieten down
as the light changes, and there’s a sense of calm
from the day”.
“This tunnel has always captured my imagination
– it’s got quite an industrial feel, and you can hear
the roar of traffic. At the same time, it’s magical,
skirted by nature. As you walk through, the traffic
grows quieter and your footsteps louder – reverberating
back to you.
“Tunnels often have connotations around death
– and this one reminds me of a story my mother
read me as a child. Badger’s Parting Gifts, by Susan
Varley. In that story Badger’s ill, and suffering.
There’s a tunnel he walks through that delivers
him – in a peaceful way – to his death. At the
time I took the photo I also saw that the lights
were only working at the end – which made me
smile. There’s that light at the end of the tunnel!”
Please send your pictures, taken in and around
Lewes, to photos@vivamagazines.com, or tweet
@VivaLewes. We’ll choose one, which wins the
photographer £20, to be picked up from our office
after publication. Unless previously arranged, we
reserve the right to use all pictures in future issues
of Viva magazines or online.
15

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BITS AND BOBS
SPREAD THE WORD
RESCUE PETS OF LEWES #5
Daniel and Eloise took their Viva along to
Dublin, and we were with them when they
met the fallow deer in Phoenix Park. The
pair have been travelling all over the UK
recently – Edinburgh, Bristol, Dublin –
and plan to jet off to South East Asia soon.
We’ve been in more exotic climes too. Jasmine,
Kim and Andy Bryce took us on their
family holiday to St Lucia. And (bottom)
here’s Arthur
Hughes, on a
recent trip to
Mustique, visiting
his uncle
(and one-time
Lewes resident) Elio, who has been working
there for the last few years. Fittingly, Arthur
was enjoying the ‘adventure’ issue as he gently
bobbed in the clear blue waters.
Keep taking us with you and keep spreading
the word. Send your photos and a few details
about your trip to hello@vivamagazines.com
Name: Willo Goodbrand, 6 or 7. Classic Felis
Catus. Willo was an exceptionally young mother
– having her first (and only) litter at under a year
old. Rescued from Cats Protection a few months
after, Willo was delighted to get away from her
kittens, preferring human children with their
shorter claws and absence of tails.
Loves: Earworms, bookworms, tapeworms,
Wormwood Scrubs.
Hates: Carpeted bathrooms, people who
describe stuff as ‘so random’, Nietzsche.
Cat facts: Female cats can be sexually mature
from 4 months. Fleas can be fatal for kittens and
malnourished strays are particularly susceptible
to bad infestations where blood loss from bites
can cause them to become severely anaemic.
Cats can make over 100 vocal sounds with which
to express their disdain for humanity, while dogs
can only make about ten, all of which mean “I
love you babes”. @dogsoflewes
With thanks to Michael Sullivan at Cliffe Vets for
the cat facts.
If you’re thinking about adopting a cat, check out
Cats Protection, cats.org.uk/lewes
17

Valuation Day
Antiques, Books and Manuscripts
30 October 2018 | 10am to 3pm
VENUE
The Courtlands Hotel
19-27 The Drive
Hove, BN3 3JE
ENQUIRIES
01273 220000
hove@bonhams.com
bonhams.com/hove
IAN FLEMING, ON HER
MAJESTY’S SECRET
SERVICE, 1ST EDITION
SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR
Sold for £6,875*
* Prices shown include buyer’s premium. Details can be found at bonhams.com

BITS AND BOOKS
LOCAL LITERATURE
Literary magazines might seem like the small change of publishing. They have
been called Grub Street, which could be just round the corner from Gin Lane.
But I like to think you’ll find them down Magazine Alley. This is where writers
can hang out, even if it’s just an imaginative space. One veteran of Magazine
Alley is Jeremy Page. Editor of The Frogmore Papers for over thirty years, Page
draws on the Alley’s bohemian associations in London Calling, a book of short
fictions and a longish novella.
The novella features Eustace Tutt. Chucked out of university, Eustace ends up in
a squat, complete with Berlin nudists, a wannabe artist, and the reclusive Rodney.
But it’s meeting gorgeous Amy Wildsmith that will change everything. Eustace’s
two ambitions – to become a published poet and lose his virginity, both by the age of twenty-one – hang
in the balance. This picaresque novella made me laugh out loud. But it’s the much shorter Dance Me to
the End of Love that really moved me, and is worth the cover price alone. John O’Donoghue
We seem to be in a Golden Age of memoir. From Blake Morrison’s And When
Did You Last See Your Father? in 1993 right up to recent experiments by Cusk and
Knausgaard, the New Memoir has arguably eclipsed the novel, a reflection perhaps
of our interesting times. Although Clare Best’s The Missing List might seem to be
a story of individual trauma and its aftermath, her memoir transcends the merely
personal. This is because the story it tells – of a sexually abusive father – comes
not from the inner city, but from a family descended from ‘minor aristocracy’. She
collects the fragments of herself contained in diary entries recording her father’s
decline and death, transcripts of his conversation, descriptions of home movies,
lists of his do’s and don’ts, and prose of crystalline clarity.
Best outlines a narrative not just of horror but of survival. She emerges angry, sane, but at peace. She
demonstrates that abuse can come from any quarter, that its effects are terrible and longlasting, that few
withstand its ravages without great damage to themselves. But most of all she shows that secrets unspoken
must yield to their saying. A brilliant, courageous, moving book. John O’Donoghue
I particularly enjoyed the ‘choreography’ of Moon by Robert Massey and
Alexandra Loske. So, the soft hues of Nils Blommér’s 1850 The Water-Sprite and
Ägir’s Daughters face those of Caspar David Friedrich’s 1818 Moonrise over the
Sea. And William Blake’s iconic ‘I want! I want!’ from For the Sexes: The Gates
of Paradise – whose protagonist is just starting up his long ladder – faces ‘The
Somnambulant’ (from Aventures et Mésaventures du Baron de Münchhausen),
who’s nearing the top of ‘a giant beanstalk’. This subtle twinning sits satisfyingly
within a book otherwise marked by variety – a French poster for the 1961
Hammer movie The Curse of the Werewolf , for instance, rubbing shoulders with archive photography and
fine art. A glorious potpourri of all things moon. Charlotte Gann
19

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Perfect for a creative business in Lewes.
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BITS AND BOBS
ROCKET FM: THE BEST PICTURES
Rocket FM goes on air for its annual stint on 15th October. From then until
6th November it will broadcast all day, every day. And broadcast on all sorts
of things. “Not just Bonfire”, Rocket FM programmer, Rosie Boxer, is keen
to emphasise.
“The station is operated entirely by volunteers – including all the presenters
– and we’re always looking for new ones”, she says. “Our programmes
cover all sorts of subjects, including local issues and history – I cut my teeth on The History Hour, and loved
it – and Steve Pilfold’s Where in Sussex? quiz, as well as music.”
There are training sessions for volunteers, including juniors – Rosie mentions one nine year old – “it’s
an opportunity for young people to have a voice if they want to”. But volunteers don’t have to go on air,
there’s all sorts to do behind the scenes. “It’s community radio. We’re open to all – just get in touch.”
Of course, the station has its idiosyncrasies. “We have to vacate our two cupboards – the green room, and
the studio – at St Mary’s Social Centre pretty smartish come November 6th, to make way for the pantomime
dressing rooms”, she laughs. “And I have to warn new presenters they won’t be able to get near by
car when it’s Nevill Juveniles.”
But the real charm lies in the medium. Radio. “Alistair Cooke interviewed a child in the 1930s”, Rosie says,
“and that small boy said it all: the best pictures are on radio.” Charlotte Gann
Rocket FM is online from 15th October (via rocketfm.org.uk Listen Live or smartphone Apps) and on
87.8 FM from 22nd October.
Photo courtesy of Rocket FM
available at
223a High Street, Lewes•Tel: 01273 472360•www.wilsonwilsonandhancock.co.uk
21

BITS AND BOBS
LEWES DOORTRAITS #5
Jo Jackson, from the blog The Lewes Home,
snaps a front door in Lewes and asks the
owner a nosy question...
CLOCKS OF LEWES #23:
RINGMER CRICKET PAVILION
If you could give your door a
characteristic, what would it be? ‘Grateful.
This house was once a butcher’s shop.
Although the original shop entrance is now
hidden, the owners long ago would have felt
gratitude for all the customers who came
through.’ @theleweshome
On the north side of Ringmer’s village green
are the pavilion and bar of Ringmer Cricket
Club. On the pavilion’s veranda is a clock. It’s
the sort of simple battery-driven device you’ll
find across the country in schools and halls, but
it ties in with the club’s long history. A plaque
below says it’s ‘in memory of EW Groundsell
who died in September 1982 having been secretary
to the RCC for over 35 years’.
The club is 200 years old, with the pavilion
dating from the early days, the walls inside
lined with boards naming significant players
from over the decades. These include Groundsell
himself and Peter Crees, the current club
chairman. EW – Ernie – was a wicket keeper
and “one of those secretaries you didn’t argue
with”, according to Peter.
Peter explained the first memorial clock was a
more traditional one with a clockwork action
but, when it “clapped out”, they decided against
anything fancy, as it would be “vulnerable and
too expensive”.
The clock itself is left up all year. If its battery
dies, a call soon reaches Peter and it’s replaced,
making Ringmer Cricket Pavilion clock one of
the more reliable timepieces we’ve looked at in
this series, over the past couple of years.
Daniel Etherington
Thanks to Peter Crees
22

Lewes Town & Country
Residential Sales & Lettings
Land & New Homes
T 01273 487444
E lewes@oakleyproperty.com
Property of the Month Lewes £475,000
A charming and quaint terraced grade II listed property ideally situated in Lewes High Street. Uniquely set up with a
commercial shop and cellar on the ground floor and residential maisonette above. The residential property is beautifully
presented with many period features, has a private entrance, one bedroom and a useful attic room. There are views direct
to Lewes Castle from the rear of the property and exterior storage. The property is being offered with vacant possession. EPC – N/A
Lewes £825,000
Attractive 'Villa' style property in Grange Road, in sought after
Southover. The property offers well-proportioned accommodation
with 4 double bedrooms, 2/3 reception rooms and a spacious
kitchen/dining room. A wealth of character features including
stripped wood flooring, fireplaces, ornate ceiling cornices. EPC - 52
Lewes £619,950
Beautiful character property in a quiet location just a short walk of
the High Street, railway station and Grange gardens. The property
offers good size living room & dining room opening in to a modern
fitted kitchen. 2 double bedrooms and loft room with an en-suite.
Stunning views towards the Castle. Decked rear garden. EPC - 64
Lewes £479,950
A unique property offering an open plan L-shaped kitchen/
living/dining room and useful utility room. Upstairs the property
offers 2 double bedrooms, modern family bathroom and further
attic room. The property further benefits from an easily
maintained decked garden and off-road parking for two vehicles.
The property also enjoys distant views to Hamsey Church. EPC - 77
oakleyproperty.com
Lewes £365,000
3 Bedroom semi-detached property situated in a central yet
quiet cul-de-sac. In need of modernisation throughout with
open living space, kitchen, separate W/C and storage on the
ground floor. Upstairs are 3 double bedrooms and bathroom.
The property further benefits from south facing garden and
garage. Vacant possession and no onward chain. EPC - TBC

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WALK OR PUSH

BITS AND BOBS
CHARITY BOX: LEWES OPEN DOOR
Lewes Open Door
first opened its door
last December. Its
aim, ‘to support the
most vulnerable
people of our community’.
Based today
in the Westgate
Chapel on Lewes
High Street – and
not to be confused
with The Open
Door complementary health centre – it runs a
drop-in service every week day between 12.45pm
and 2.45pm, providing a safe space for anyone who
needs it. We talked to Chair, David Griffiths.
Why did you set it up? Because it’s needed. Today
homelessness is a growing problem everywhere.
Some days only one person may turn up;
sometimes there’ll be six or seven. I lived in Reigate
before – I’m a retired management consultant
– and helped at a winter night shelter. When
I moved to Lewes, and saw an ad on Facebook,
placed by Lewes Open Door founder Thomas
Schorr-kon, I responded. The problem is simply
that there are more people on the streets because
there are fewer services. The Eastbourne
and Lewes District Council have just appointed
their first rough-sleep outreach officer – she’s
badly needed.
How is it funded and staffed? The drop-in
is funded purely by donations and staffed by
volunteers. We currently have 40 to 45 active
volunteers. We’d welcome more. A sign outside
invites people in, and word gets about. We also
now have a fledgling website, and an active
Facebook page. People can reach us there if
they’re interested in helping or donating clothes
or bedding, or of course money. Or just pop by.
Lewes Open Door is constituted as a charity. We
hope to become
registered, though
aren’t yet, as we’d
like eventually
to rent premises.
We’re also, just now
– and with winter
coming – looking
into the possibility
of setting up a
roaming shelter –
offering people a
roof for the night, a camp-bed, and a hot meal. I
reckon five to ten people probably sleep rough in
Lewes most nights. It’s perceived as a safer place
to be on the streets than Brighton & Hove, which
can be very violent.
What does Lewes Open Door offer? A safe
place for people living rough to relax, wash, enjoy
food and a hot drink, and pick up clean clothes
and bedding. Sadly, we don’t currently have a
shower, but volunteers sometimes take clothes
home to wash. And we also offer advice to anyone
needing practical help – say, with applying
for benefits. I can think of at least three attendees
who have now referred themselves to the CGL
(Change Grow Live) programme in Eastbourne.
And we will help them apply for Universal Credit
when that rolls out – which could be a nightmare.
For one thing, it’s all online, so you need
easy access to a computer or smartphone. Many
don’t have that. Universal Credit looks like it’s
designed for people who don’t need it.
Most importantly of all, anyone dropping in will
receive a warm welcome. Acceptance is the key.
People’s lives can be chaotic, and they can feel
judged wherever they go. We offer a place where
they’re simply accepted as they are, no questions
asked. Interview by Charlotte Gann
fb.com/LewesOpenDoor
Photo by Katie Moorman
25

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BITS AND BOBS
LEWES IN NUMBERS
Lewes offers plenty of choice of eateries and drinkeries, with at least 20 coffee shops, 15 restaurants, 17 pubs
and 10 takeaways. How often, on average, do we visit them? A national survey in 2016 by the Food Standards
Agency showed that 96% of respondents ate out or bought takeaway food, with 43% doing so at least once
or twice a week, men more likely than women (50% vs 38%). The young are more likely to eat out than
older age groups: 60% of 16-24 year olds, and 55% of those aged 25-34. Only 4% never eat out, though
this varies by age and income, rising to 15% of those aged 75+, and 15% of those in low-income households.
In the month before the survey, 67% of respondents had eaten at a restaurant, 55% had eaten takeaway food,
41% eaten in a café or coffee shop and 38% in a pub or bar. How does this compare with you? Sarah Boughton
TOWN PLAQUE #43: PIPE PASSAGE IN DETAIL
For some of the historic plaques in Lewes (mostly researched by Friends
of Lewes and funded by the Town Council) it is remarkably difficult to
say all that explains the past use and significance of a building – far less all
which one might wish to say! – in under about 45 words.
A good example of this is in Pipe Passage, where there has been a plaque
on the High Street end since 1988, explaining the reason for the name in
just nineteen words. Recently much more of the story of this short passage
has been outlined in an information board (detail pictured) on the
fence behind the Freemasons’ Hall, which was put up opposite the former Viva Lewes offices just after
the team moved out. Though only part of the remains of the Victorian clay-pipe kiln is now visible, the
manufacturing process is explained through text, illustration and photographs. Marcus Taylor
GHOST PUB #48: THE GEORGE INN, 16 WATERLOO PLACE
In 1851, beer retailer Armisgill Terry bought a property on the
corner of Waterloo Place and Little East Street. This later became
known as the George Inn. In 1875 it was described as ‘a
modern and substantially-built freehold public house … most
advantageously situated in Waterloo Place, and doing an extensive
trade.’ James Anderson had taken over as landlord in the
1860s. However, he died in 1873, aged just 29, leaving a widow
(Sarah), and a baby daughter (Eleanor). Sarah continued to run
the George Inn for the next 30 years, with Eleanor helping out when she was old enough.
Eleanor married Albert Downey in 1891, and he also helped in the pub for a while. Sarah finally retired in
1902, and went to live with Eleanor and Albert in Station Street. The George Inn then had a succession of
short-lived landlords. It hit bad times in 1932, with no official landlord, and a fall in beer sales. Its licence was
finally refused in 1934. The following year, plans were made to convert the building into two flats; the first
floor flat remaining as 16 Waterloo Place, and the ground floor flat becoming 18 Little East Street. Little
East Street was widened around 1970, and the old George Inn had to give way to the tarmac. This photo
shows where the pub once stood. Mat Homewood
27

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BITS AND BOBS
LEWESLIGHT FESTIVAL
Last October, more than 10,000 people took to
the streets to enjoy the LewesLight Festival when
it lit up the town’s quirky corners. This year, it’s
back, and we caught up with Festival Director
Graham Festenstein, to ask what it’s all about.
“I’m interested anyway in public spaces”, says
Graham, a lighting designer who thinks our towns
are often let down when darkness falls. The festival,
now in its fourth year, came about after he
returned from work in Alingsås, Sweden. There, a
team of design students, under his direction, prepared
installations across the town. “It’s a project
that’s been going more than fifteen years. Coming
back to Lewes, with some photos, I was persuaded
it would be good to try something similar here. In
2015, under the auspices of the UNESCO International
Year of Light, we gave it a go.”
Lewes has a lot in common with Alingsås: they’re
roughly the same size, with a rich, intimate history.
“I love the town’s sense of community and
the spirit of its people. We rely on these.”
And light is brilliant. “It can emphasise features,
textures, colour”, says Graham. “It can convey
serenity, or drama, sometimes subtle, sometimes
startling. I talk to the individual designers as we
go along, but never quite know what to expect. It’s
great seeing how each interprets our overall theme
– this year, Missing.” Charlotte Gann
LewesLight Festival runs 7-10.30pm, 12th, 13th and
14th October. Guided walks will start periodically
from the Town Hall.
Photo by James McCauley
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PHOTOGRAPHY
CARLOTTA LUKE
FOCUS ON FOCACCIA
Carlotta fancied checking out the new café,
Caccia & Tails, in Station Street. She’d heard they
had a new angle – Italian and American – and
thought some cooking shots might fit well with
our ‘larder’ theme. She’d also heard they made
their own focaccia – so went along to get a few
snaps of chef Elisa in action with the dough.
(Check out too our food review on pg 79.)
Carlotta will be talking on Capturing Lewes
History on Camera, at Lewes History Group, 8th
October. And you can also see more of her work at
carlottaluke.com
31

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COLUMN
Chloë King
Tit for tat
One thing I’ve learnt
about objects, is that they
make poor company.
They might be pretty, or
useful, or pretty useful,
but the conversation
is non-existent. Most
unhappily, they never
reciprocate the emotions
I pour into them.
Plus, they’re constantly
needing more of my space
and costing me more
money and more time
to look after. And other
people are always remarking on them: wondering
why they look like this or that, or asking me
where they come from – the sort of questions
that no right-minded person ought to be asking.
We’re having a big clear-out at home which
is great. Unless, of course, you’re aware of the
generalised impotence of our recycling system,
or that charity shops throw away a lot of donations,
or the fact that plastic straws get stuck up
sea turtles’ nostrils.
In which case, having a clear-out is as much
guilt-inducing as it is cathartic. But there we
are. We have a mountain of children’s clothes
to relieve ourselves of before they provoke such
powerful nostalgia we are compelled to produce
another carbon-guzzler. And that’s just one
category of items cluttering up our lives.
The only way for it is to boot sale. I think. We
can make some money and give some objects
another chance. Then we can start afresh. We
can live among blissful sparsity with all things in
their right and proper place, and in the words of
my husband:
‘No more shall we fill champagne flutes full of
beads!
No more shall we fill
bird feeders full of
dominos!
No more shall we fill
jam jars full of rocks!
Because, we are better
than this!’
So, on Sunday morning
at 5.30am, the four of
us drive to Polegate to
queue for the Mammoth
Car Boot as mists
disperse over the South
Downs.
The sun is out and there
could easily be as many sellers here as punters.
Each car opens out to display a similar array of
superfluous nonsense: children’s toys, kitchenalia,
books, tools, materials, furniture and things
on wheels. The morning unfolds slowly and
largely unprofitably.
I think men are hovering around waiting for Mr
to leave before they ask for prices on tools. They
want to capitalise on the fact I don’t know what
to charge for 40 metres of rubber tubing.
I buy a packet of heart-shaped Post-its to use
as price tags – this seller drives a hard bargain
(dropping from 50p not to 20p, but to 25p…) I
soon find they don’t stick.
Still, my butter churner attracts a lot of attention;
one couple seem especially interested.
“You put double cream in and turn the handle,
then you have butter, and the whey you can use
to make soda bread,” I reveal.
“We don’t eat butter,” the man says.
“That’s because you don’t have a butter churner!”
I reply, going for the hard sell.
“We don’t eat dairy,” he says, walking off.
My hope was to turn tat into gold. The disappointing
truth, I find, is that tat is tat.
Illustration by Chloë King
33

JO O’SULLIVAN
As a specialist family lawyer and accredited mediator
I’ve teamed up with well-known Lewes parenting
expert Stephanie Davies Arai. Stephanie provides
support for parents who have separated. She’s
devised help in the form of a Parenting After Parting
(PAP) programme.
When there are children involved in the break-up of a
relationship there may be feelings of guilt and anxiety.
Parents ask questions like:
• How do we tell the children we are going to separate?
• How can we help our child cope with all the changes and still
feel secure?
• What if our parenting styles or values are very different?
• How can I manage the children by myself without support?
The PAP programme provides parents with a roadmap to help navigate all
stages of separation; to manage the process as smoothly as possible and to
gain confidence in your ability to parent separately. The course runs over four
2-hour sessions plus a free follow-up session arranged at a convenient time
for both parents. Course materials included.
Contact Stephanie:
01273 911922 / 07707 026595.
Email info@stephaniedaviesarai.com
For all your legal advice and processes that
encourage parents getting around the table to
sort out a separation contact Jo O’Sullivan.
Please call to discuss what might be the best
process for you on 07780676212 or email
jo@osullivanfamilylaw.com
For more details about how I work visit
www.osullivanfamilylaw.com
I am an accredited family mediator and a nationally recognised expert family
law solicitor specialising in mediation and collaborative practice. Contact me
and we can arrange to meet in Lewes at Westgate Chapel, 92a High Street.

COLUMN
David Jarman
‘O City city, I can sometimes hear…’
What is it about people in middle age or
retirement taking up musical instruments?
The editor of Viva Brighton, our sister
publication, tells me of a friend who is learning
the cello. In the pages of this magazine,
Janet Baah, our Mayor, reveals that, at the
age of fifty, she is planning to embark upon
the trombone. The new Viva Lewes editor
mentions a friend who has recently retired –
will time hang heavily on her hands? Not a
chance. She’s already tackling the ukulele. My
younger son reminds me that practically the
first thing William Hague did on standing
down from the leadership of the Conservative
Party was to start piano lessons. Even in
The Archers, not a programme known for its
unerring identification with the zeitgeist, the
retired academic, Jim (‘The Prof.’), is tickling
the ivories again after decades of abstinence.
This might, of course, be a devious strategy to
drive his very unacademic lodger, Jazzer, up
the wall. If so, it may be a high-risk strategy.
Jazzer is Glaswegian. Does he play the
bagpipes? Have we ever been told? If he does,
and he chooses to retaliate against Jim’s rather
laboured scales, he is unlikely to be deterred by
a letter that I once read in the correspondence
columns of The Times: ‘… as an Englishman
living in Scotland, I always understood that
the definition of a gentleman was “someone
who can play the bagpipes but doesn’t”.’
I don’t get the impression that it makes any
difference to anyone which instrument you
choose to take up. Consequently, any revival
of Tom Stoppard’s 1970 play, After Magritte, is
unlikely to still raise a laugh at the point when
one of the characters, Thelma, berates her
husband for being mean spirited to his mother,
and concludes: “the truth is that we are very
fortunate that a woman of her age still has an
active interest, even if it is the tuba.”
Still, I understand that the ukulele is very
popular these days. There’s nothing new about
this. The banjo was all the rage in this country
in the late nineteenth century. The mandolin
took over in the early twentieth. There’s a
photograph of James Joyce playing it. By the
time that TS Eliot started, its popularity
was on the decline. He seemed to see it as
therapeutic. Perhaps that’s the primary
motivation for many middle-aged people
taking up a musical instrument these days.
Writing to Sydney Schiff, from
Margate in November 1921,
during his recuperation from
a severe nervous breakdown,
Eliot claims: ‘I sketch the
people, after a fashion,
and practise scales on the
mandolin’. And a year
later, the instrument
enters The Waste Land
itself: ‘O City city, I
can sometimes hear /
Beside a public bar in
Lower Thames Street /
The pleasant whining of
a mandoline.’ He rhymes it
with ‘within’.
Anyone thinking of writing a
Lewes follow-up to The Waste
Land, incorporating ukulele
as a rhyme, might consider
‘daily’ or ‘ceilidh’ or even
‘Daniel Waley’, as a tribute
to our foremost historian of
medieval Italy who passed
away last year.
Illustration by Charlotte Gann
35

ON THIS MONTH: COMEDY
Dave Mounfield
Comedy compère
Congratulations! I hear
Comedy at the Con
Club is celebrating its
eighth birthday this
month… Actually that’s a
really long time: it’s very
rare for a comedy night to
last more than five years.
We started in 2010, and it
was tough going at first.
Lewes takes a long time
to decide if it wants something
to exist, but once it
does, it’s very loyal.
How important is the
nature of the venue to
the success of the show?
Hugely important. I used to put a night on at
the Komedia in Brighton, which was the perfect
venue before they changed things round there.
After that finished I went a couple of years without
a venue, and Neil Masters suggested we put a
regular show on at the Con Club. I hadn’t been,
so I had a look, and it was perfect: dark, low, not
too echoey. Like it had fallen off the back of a
working man’s club in Mansfield. When I found
out it was the ‘Constitutional Club’, and not the
‘Conservative Club’, I was sold.
You share the MCing duties with Neil.
Can you describe him in three words?
Californian, wry, ex radio DJ.
How would he describe you? Chaotic,
avuncular, good MC material.
You get a lot of well known acts down here.
How do you manage that? A lot of it is down
to Neil’s connections in London, but also mine
in Brighton, which has got an inordinate number
of big-name and mid-name acts living in
it. Plus, I’ve heard, without
trying to blow my own
trumpet, that Lewes has
developed a good reputation
among comedians on
the south-east circuit. The
crowd isn’t too shouty, but
they’re smart, and they’re
opinionated. It’s become
known as a good place to
try out new material: if it
works in Lewes, it’ll work
anywhere. Even Moose, the
technician, comes in with a
heckle every now and then.
I’ve never seen that before.
Comedy is well known for
breaking taboos. Is there anything that is
too taboo to joke about? I really don’t think
so. We all value free speech, and comedy is the
free-est that speech gets. In fact, anthropologically
speaking, what laughter actually is, is the
sublimation of a snarl. When you perceive a
threat, and there turns out to be no threat…
there’s no longer any danger, and that’s when
funny happens. That’s how humour works, basically,
and the time when you laugh the most is
the time when you think ‘I shouldn’t really be
laughing at this’.
Remembering this is a family magazine, tell
us a good one-liner… [Consults Neil]. Let’s
go for a family-favourite groaner. Why did the
kid cross the playground? To get to the other
slide! Well, it’s short. Interview by Alex Leith
Comedy at the Con Club takes place on the second
Thursday of every month. On October 8th
the guests are Mike Dunn, Jen Brister and Julie
Oliver, with Dave Mounfield MCing.
37

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ON THIS MONTH: THEATRE
The Dresser
The end of a theatrical era
The Dresser, by Ronald Harwood,
is a play about theatre;
in fact it takes us to the bitter
end of a once-glorious theatrical
era.
It was a West End hit in 1980,
and went on to succeed on
Broadway, too. You might well
have seen the 1983 screen adaptation,
which starred Albert
Finney and Tom Courtenay.
The era in question is that of
the actor-managers, who ran
their own repertory companies,
and toured classic works
– largely by Shakespeare –
around provincial theatres, playing the lead roles
themselves. Notable examples include Sir Frank
Benson, and Sir Donald Wolfit.
Nicholas Betteridge is directing The Dresser
at Lewes Little Theatre for the second time;
the first was in 1986. He explains to me the
dynamics of the play. It’s set immediately before
and during a performance of King Lear, in a
provincial theatre, in 1942. The rep company’s
actor-manager, ‘Sir’, a sixty-something veteran,
whose reputation is waning, is in the throes of a
nervous breakdown. His dresser, Norman, has to
persuade him to pull himself together enough to
get on the stage and perform the lead. We watch
the action – explosive in more ways than one –
from behind the scenes.
Harwood was himself for many years a dresser in
a rep company, run by Sir Donald Wolfit, and it’s
tempting to deduce that ‘Sir’ is based on Wolfit.
“He’s always denied that that was entirely the
case,” Betteridge tells me (and certainly an essay
written by Harwood, and included in a 1980 programme
our sub-editor David dug out, confirms
‘Sir is not Donald Wolfit’).
“But he was certainly a man of
similar style, and substance.”
Sir is a complex and deeplyflawed
character. “He is
egotistical. But he believes that
what he is doing – educating
the people about Shakespeare –
is absolutely necessary.” Thus,
he draws some sympathy from
the audience, and The Dresser
is, in part, its own tragedy. “But
there’s more to it than that.
There are some extremely funny
lines in it. It might be argued
that it’s part comedy, too.”
Betteridge, who has been involved with Lewes
Little Theatre since 1963, was tempted out of
retirement to direct the play but, he tells me,
he wasn’t tempted to play the lead himself. For
that he chose another veteran of the company,
Anthony Bannister (pictured), who knows the
play well, having previously played the role of
Norman. The Dresser is “extremely relevant today,”
Bannister tells me, “because theatre’s on the
move again. Young fringe theatre companies are
getting together and touring their own performances,
while Kenneth Branagh and others are
reprising the role of the actor-manager.”
If The Dresser depicts the end of an era, then, it’s
one that’s left a lasting legacy. “This play gives us
a wonderful insight into a theatrical genre that
most people would not know about,” says Bannister.
“And a lot of what we understand about
theatre today is down to the hard work of the
great actor-managers. They were the superstars
of their age.” Alex Leith
The Dresser, Lewes Little Theatre, Oct 6th-13th,
lewestheatre.org
39

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ON THIS MONTH: THEATRE
Sondheim’s Follies
Growing up and looking back
When it opened in 1971, Stephen Sondheim’s
musical Follies was a contemporary tale set in a dilapidated
New York theatre. “A lot of the context
is very topical for that time”, says Thomas Hackett,
who’s directing a version for LOS Musical
Theatre in Lewes this month. “We’re setting it
when it was written. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
We’ve found a quiet spot for a chat during
rehearsals by squeezing into the costume store,
which seems particularly appropriate for a story
about theatrical lives. “It’s about growing up
and looking back at your younger self. Your
course may have changed but that doesn’t mean
it’s wrong.” Before the fictional theatre closes
forever, former members of Weismann’s Follies
reunite on stage for one last time. “They were
showgirls, they’re proper performers”, says
Thomas. This, he tells me with a smile, is why
he’s working with choreographer Star Bray. “I
needed someone who knows what they’re doing,
not just to wing it myself!”
Fortunately, there’s space in the storeroom for
all three of us. “We both wanted to keep the
choreography as part of the story, rather than the
singing and the dancing being separate”, explains
Star. “The music is beautiful. You have the
opportunity for the Charleston, for the 1940s
close-hold jive, for the Shim Sham, and we’ve
got elements of Fosse as well. There are plenty
of different dance styles to play around with,
which has been fun.”
“We’ve been incredibly blessed with the amount
of talent that has rocked up”, Thomas adds. “We
have this abundance of leading ladies with so
many credits to their names – here, Brighton,
Eastbourne – and they’ve brought all that talent.
Every time something happens on stage, it’s a
highlight.” Not only is the show packed with
performers, it’s also packed with Sondheim
songs. “When he wrote it, it was an homage to
Rodgers and Hammerstein, to Oscar Straus…
Obviously Losing My Mind is the big torch song,
I’m Still Here is another big number but, as a
piece, it’s really hard to break it down. I look on
it very much as a whole.”
Although Thomas has kept the show rooted
in the 1970s, he’s made one change from the
Broadway production. “We’re breaking for an
interval”, he says. “When Sondheim originally
wrote it, he didn’t want one, but an interval was
subsequently put in the script. It’s a long time
to sit and focus. And there’s a social side as well;
having a chat at the bar is part of an evening out.”
As I emerge from the costume store, I ask the
director what message he has for those sociable
theatregoers of Lewes. “More than anything, if
you don’t know it, you need to see it.” To which
his choreographer adds “And if you have seen
it and you do know it, then you’ll want to see it
again”. Mark Bridge
Follies runs from 3rd-6th October at Lewes Town
Hall. Tickets via losmusicaltheatre.org.uk
Photos by Finnian Hackett
41

Celebrating 50 years
MASSENET
CINDERELLA
VERDI
LA TRAVIATA
LA TRAVIATA:
BEHIND THE CURTAIN
PRESENTED BY CHRIS ADDISON
Photo: Clive Barda
Join us at Glyndebourne
12 October – 3 November
Tickets from £15
Book now
glyndebourne.com

ON THIS MONTH: PERFORMANCE
Lemn Sissay
The Art of Attachment
Lemn Sissay and Charlotte Vincent at Brighton Oasis Project. Photo by Bosie Vincent
Lemn Sissay has
lived an extraordinary
life. Born
in 1967, he was
fostered into a
family who were
told - wrongly - to
treat this as an
adoption. When
Lemn was twelve,
his foster parents
placed him in a
children’s home.
The next five years were spent in the care system.
On leaving his final children’s home he was
given his birth certificate, showing the name
of his mother, Yemarshet Sissay, and his true
name, Lemn Sissay. He was also given a letter,
written by his mother, pleading for his return.
He began the search for her and finally met his
birth mother when he was 21. After making his
way as a poet, playwright, and writer, he is now
Chancellor of Manchester University.
When I was asked if I wanted to interview
Lemn I didn’t hesitate. I’m a care leaver myself,
and know well the toll ‘care’ can take. We speak
on the phone, on a sunny autumn day, and in
his warm Mancunian tones he tells me about
the show he’s been working on.
“The Art of Attachment comes from a call I got
from Brighton Oasis Project, a brilliant organisation
that works with women caught up in
substance misuse. I’m choosy about the projects
I work on, but this really spoke to me. I did a
series of workshops where we wrote poetry and
they said things that they’d never said before.”
Lemn has been working on the show with
award-winning choreographer Charlotte
Vincent (also pictured). “Charlotte and I had a
few meetings. She’s
doing a great job
of translating the
women into dancers.
Charlotte’s
using the subject
matter of attachment
and there’s a
lot coming out of
that.”
Something I want
to explore with
Lemn is separation
anxiety. If my Other Half takes her time
coming back from the shops I start to get very
uneasy. “Something that we have in common is
dysfunctional reactions to disappearance. I tend
to think that nobody’s coming back anyway.
Sometimes I’ll leave them before they leave me.
I’ll push them away before they push me away.”
I ask him whether he thinks women get a
rougher time than men about substance
misuse. “I think ever since the care system was
established women have been adversely treated.
Their children have been taken from them,
they’ve been punished from the get go, and as
soon as you step out of the matrix, that punishment
is waiting for you. And this has got to do
with the fear of a pregnant woman without a
man. That’s why they’ve taken their children,
that’s why they’ve put them into children’s
homes. This is not the way for a child to be.
Groups like Oasis are right at the forefront of
change and growth.”
As we finish I realise that Lemn Sissay hasn’t
lived an extraodinary life – he’s still living it.
John O’Donoghue
Attenborough Centre, University of Sussex,
Thurs 18th Oct, 7pm, £10/8. vincentdt.com
43

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ON THIS MONTH: TALK
Robert McCrum
The lives and deaths of books
Why do we recite poems at funerals? Because
words console us. That’s the overall message I
get chatting to former Faber & Faber Editorin-Chief
and one-time Observer Literary Editor,
Robert McCrum, who’s speaking at this month’s
Lewes Literary Society.
‘Consoling narratives must be patched together
from transient fragments of experience’ is
one way he puts it, in his 2017 book Every
Third Thought: On life, death and the endgame
(Picador). This intrigues me, so I ask what is it,
does he think, about narrative that consoles us?
“Storytelling is human. Our brains are wired
to tell stories. We construct narrative from
fragmentary and disturbing data to organise
it into a satisfying shape. Say you’ve been
diagnosed with terminal cancer”, he says, “to
cope, you build a story – something you and
your family can grab hold of.”
In other words, arguably with all experience,
but particularly at hefty or traumatic times, we
compose ‘stories’. “It’s the coherence”, Robert
McCrum believes, “that’s consoling. That’s why
all the rituals around end of life are important.
They help.” And yes, he says, storytelling helped
him when, at 42, in 1995, he suffered a stroke
(which became the subject of an earlier book, My
Year Off). “I know my belief in storytelling came
first”, he says. “But yes, it helped me cope.”
As for McCrum’s stint as Editor-in-Chief at
Faber & Faber in the 80s: was it fun? I can’t
resist asking. “It was tremendously good fun”, he
says. “If I’d understood quite how special at the
time, perhaps I’d never have given it up! Every
week the people coming through our offices
were the likes of Harold Pinter, Seamus Heaney,
Kazuo Ishiguro… And we were all young –
under thirty-five.”
He also thinks it happened to be “a quite
extraordinary moment” in English literature
and publishing – better than what’s come since,
which he calls “grim and depressing and narrow
and un-instinctive. I think history is like this”,
he says. “Times of irrational exuberance are followed
by its antithesis. We must take the longer
view: it’s not for us to decide which books are
really going to matter.”
I mention a piece he wrote in The Guardian
about the Man Booker Prize at fifty: how AL
Kennedy once described it as ‘a pile of crooked
nonsense’. “Well”, he says, “the prizes today are
the least-bad way we have of recognising new
writing. It used to be modulated by reviews –
they were crucial. But with the onset of the ‘marketplace’,
these have been replaced by prizes.
They’re unfair, there’s no doubt, with many
flaws. But in general are, I think, a good thing.”
He seems enthused talking about publishing.
“I don’t really know about death and dying, not
yet”, he laughs. “I do know about the lives and
deaths of books!” Charlotte Gann
Robert McCrum will be in conversation with Nick
Tucker at the Lewes Literary Society in the All
Saints Centre on 16th October.
45

Louis Browne
NOTARY PUBLIC
Specialist notarial services
in Central Lewes
lb@louisbrownenotary.co.uk
01273 487744
louisbrownenotary.co.uk
Member of the Notaries Society
Member of the Society of Trust
and Estate Practitioners
REGULATED BY THE FACULTY OFFICE
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ON THIS MONTH: LITERATURE
Lulah Ellender
Something really true...
Lulah Ellender’s
maternal
grandmother,
Elisabeth, was a
diplomat’s wife.
And she wrote lists.
She wrote them in
a marbled hardback
journal which Lulah’s
mother, Helen, had
always kept and
one day gave her
daughter. “I felt something the moment my
mum handed me this book,” Lulah says. “Why
would someone keep a whole book of lists? It felt
precious. I didn’t know what to do with it.”
What she ended up doing was writing a book
of her own, based around these lists, which was
published earlier this year by Granta.
As our theme this issue is ‘larder’, I ask if her
grandmother’s kitchen lists possess any especial
resonance? “Yes”, she says. Elisabeth’s record of
eggs, for instance, (pictured): “I think this is one
of my favourites. She had two small children, and
bombs were falling: why would you keep a record
for a whole year of every egg laid?”
Another, a picnic list, records: ‘Cigarettes &
matches / ? Fry-pan, lard, sausages etc’. The lists
are both nostalgic, and historically interesting.
There’s also something that draws Lulah about
the human impulse to write lists in the first place.
“I think Elisabeth wrote them to try to control
the chaos”, she says. “To find order. But the lists
also give a permanence to the objects in them.
She often noted ‘flapjack’ on her travelling lists. It
was my mum who told me a flapjack was actually
a powder compact!”
I imagine the charm was partly in the small,
human detail? (‘P.M. Ice-cubes… “Powdering”
room. Tip for
waiter.’) “Yes”, she
agrees. “Unlike
diaries, where
you just might
imagine someone
else reading
them, lists are so
unselfconscious”,
says Lulah. “They’re
snapshots of real,
lived moments.
There’s something really true about them.”
Many of Elisabeth’s lists were absolutely
necessary. As a diplomat’s wife, and often upping
sticks and moving, she also had to throw together
elaborate suppers or cocktail parties at short
notice. She had to put on a very English show –
whether in Beirut or Madrid, in the immediate
wake of the civil war, dogged by food shortages.
Hers was a job that, though unpaid and largely
unacknowledged, was extremely demanding.
And the book also contains heart-rending lists.
The contents of her brother’s flat after his suicide.
Attempts to control and manage her household,
and self, when consumed by unrecognised postnatal
depression.
Elisabeth died in 1957 at the age of 42 from lung
cancer. Her daughter Helen was only nine and
her memories limited. One Lulah does remember
her sharing was of hampers being delivered each
year, then stowed away in the larder. “Mum
remembered the excitement of rifling through for
anything child-friendly”, Lulah says – although,
“sadly, there was usually nothing…”
Charlotte Gann
Lulah will be reading from Elisabeth’s Lists, at
Needlewriters, in the John Harvey Tavern, on 18th
October.
Photo of Lulah by Sarah Weal
47

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ON THIS MONTH: FILM
Left to right: The Godfather 3, Babette’s Feast, Fitzcarraldo
Film ’18
Dexter Lee’s cinema round-up
Last month’s screening of 1959 classic Ben-Hur
(Sept 30th) was the first of a Roman epics season
entitled Harness my Zebras! The other two films
are Stanley Kubrick’s unforgettable 1960 movie
Spartacus (Oct 7th), with Kirk Douglas as the
rebellious Thracian slave (with a cast of thousands
claiming his identity), and Ridley Scott’s 2000
sandals-and-swords revenge-drama Gladiator
(Oct 14th), starring Russell Crowe.
There’s another cracking series starting later in
the month: Francis Ford Coppola’s three-part
adaptation of Mario Puzo’s novel The Godfather,
following the trials of the Corleone family across
two continents. My favourite is The (first) Godfather
(1972, 23rd, 24th), particularly the scene
in which Al Pacino, playing Michael Corleone,
gets involved in the family business. Others think
The Godfather 2 (1974, 29th) to be superior, as
Michael gets caught in a spiral of viciousness. The
Godfather 3 (1990, Nov 7th) divides opinions,
especially the performance of Coppola’s daughter
Sofia (later, of course, a director herself).
The Depot are putting on three events connected
with Lewes OctoberFeast food festival: on the 6th
there’s a screening of Tim Burton’s 2010 Alice
in Wonderland, followed by a Mad Hatter’s tea
party; on the 14th spirits expert Mark Ridgwell
follows Gladiator with a whisky-tasting session;
on the 21st a ‘long lunch’ in the dining room is
followed by a screening of the dignified 1987
Oscar-winning Danish movie Babette’s Feast.
One more adaptation to report on, and it’s the latest
in the Book-to-Film Club series. This month’s
film is the glorious Audrey Hepburn vehicle
Breakfast at Tiffany’s (4th), also starring George
Peppard, a 1961 movie version of the 1958 Truman
Capote novella of the same name. Note of
warning: Mickey Rooney tries to ruin the film
with his over-the-top portrayal of Mr Yunioshi,
the angry upstairs neighbour. Luckily the rest of
the movie is so classy, he doesn’t manage.
Other one-offs include: a dementia-friendly
performance of the Bing Crosby-Frank Sinatra-
Grace Kelly love-triangle musical High Society
(2nd); a live broadcast from Shakespeare’s Globe
of The Winter’s Tale (4th); Peter Jackson’s
acclaimed WW1 film They Shall Not Grow
Old (16th, with a live satellite q&a with Jackson
afterwards); and two documentaries: Resilience
(20th, about adverse childhood experiences);
and School in the Cloud (20th, 21st), local film
maker Jerry Rothwell’s latest, about a pioneering
teaching method being piloted in an Indian
village and a Northern English town. Plus, there’s
a two-day skating (ie skateboarding) event, with
a screening of the 2005 doc Rollin’ through the
Decades, on the 22nd and 23rd. (All previously
mentioned films at the Depot, lewesdepot.org for
more details).
Finally, there are four fine films at the All Saints in
the Lewes Film Club season. Christian Mungiu’s
2016 drama Graduation (5th) explores low-level
corruption in contemporary Romania; Censored
Voices (9th, 2015) explores Israeli soldiers’ reactions
to the Six-day War; and there’s an ‘Exploring
Werner Herzog’ weekend featuring Aguirre, the
Wrath of God (19th, 1972) and, also starring
Klaus Kinski as a wild-eyed explorer, Fitzcarraldo
(21st, 1982). Who could forget that steamboatover-the-isthmus
scene?
49

BLAST THEORY
BLOODYMINDED
14 OCTOBER
CLOD ENSEMBLE
PLACEBO
16 – 17 OCTOBER
BRIGHTON OASIS PROJECT
LEMN SISSAY &
VINCENT DANCE THEATRE
ART OF ATTACHMENT
18 OCTOBER
PREVIEW
SUE MACLAINE
VESSEL
25 – 26 OCTOBER
01273 678 822
attenboroughcentre.com
University of Sussex, Gardner Centre Road, Brighton BN1 9RA
OCTOBER
HIGHLIGHTS
Image from Sue MacLaine: Vessel (Paul Blakemore)
LewesLight acknowleges the support of Lewes Town Council
www.leweslight.uk
October 12 th -14 th
7pm - 10.30pm
LewesLight
Festival of Light 2018
Supported by:
Lewes District Council
Chalk
Cliff
Trust
Photograph ©JamesMcCauley

OCTOBER listings
THROUGHOUT OCTOBER
Lewes OctoberFeast. Grub galore, in all sorts
of venues. See lewesoctoberfeast.com.
TUESDAY 2
The Group. Club for men and women aged
50+. Opportunities for meeting new friends,
walking, eating out, theatre, golf, holidays. A
pub in Lewes, see thegroup.org.uk.
WEDNESDAY 3
The Paint Club. Fun, social and relaxed painting
class for all. Fuego Lounge, 7pm, £25.
FRIDAY 5
Film: Graduation (15). Romanian realism.
All Saints, 8pm, £5/£2.50 (£40 for Film Club
season membership).
SATURDAY 6
Lewes Farmers Market birthday. Celebrating
20 years with a special market, family activities
with prizes. Cliffe precinct, commoncause.org.
See pg 91.
SATURDAY 6 – SATURDAY 13
The Dresser. 1980 West End and Broadway
play by Ronald Harwood, directed by Nicholas
Betteridge. Lewes Little Theatre, see
lewestheatre.org. See pg 39.
SATURDAY 6
& SUNDAY 7
Growing Citrus Plants. Lewes and District
Garden Society present a talk by Emily Rae and
mum Isobel who run their own online family
business ‘Plants4Presents’. Emily will talk about
growing and distributing over 100 different
flowering and fruiting plants, and how we can
make limoncello. Cliffe Church Hall, 7.30pm,
£3 for visitors.
WEDNESDAY 3 – SATURDAY 6
Follies. LOS Musical Theatre present the
Sondheim classic. Lewes Town Hall, various
times, see losmusicaltheatre.org.uk. See pg 41.
THURSDAY 4
Comedy at the Con.
With Mike Gunn, Jen
Brister, Julie Oliver and
MC Dave Mounfield.
Con Club, 8pm, £8-£12.
See pg 37.
Go Wild. Autumn
show and game
fair with falconry
displays, interactive activities, clay pigeon
shooting and plenty more countryside
experiences. South of England Showground,
Ardingly, 9am-5pm, see seas.org.uk.
MONDAY 8
Capturing Lewes History on Camera.
Lewes History Group talk with photographer
Carlotta Luke, who has been documenting the
renovations of some of Lewes’ more interesting
buildings, including Southover Grange and the
Depot. King’s Church, 7pm for 7.30pm, £1/£3
for non-members.
Suzanne Ciani & Martin Messier double
bill. Part of Brighton Digital Festival. Attenborough
Centre, 8pm, £12.
TUESDAY 9
Film: Censored Voices. Israeli doc. All Saints,
8pm, £5/£2.50 (£40 for Film Club season
membership).
51

OCT listings (cont)
WEDNESDAY 10
The Jewel in the Crown. The Arts Society
Uckfield, Lewes and Newick present a lecture
on the Sainte Chapelle in Paris. Uckfield Civic
Hall, 2.20pm, £7 (free for members).
Driverless Cars – part of a low-carbon
future? An evening of facilitated discussion on
the subject of driverless cars and the effects on
our society. Hosted by Transition Town Lewes
and Thinking Box. Elly, 7.30pm, donations £3
(tickets on sale at Elly in advance).
THURSDAY 11
Brexit – The Final Act? Talk by Guardian
Journalist Rafael Behr, hosted by EUnity
Lewes. Elly, 8pm, £5.
Therapy. New play by La La Theatre company,
a combination of farcical theatre and
warped word play. Con Club, 8pm, £10/£8.
FRIDAY 12
A Taste of the
Farmers Market.
Opportunity to
meet farmers and
producers while you
taste their foods. Fitzroy House, 7pm, £10.
FRIDAY 12 – SUNDAY 14
LewesLight. A Festival of Light celebrating
culture, history and the environment in and
around Lewes through the medium of light,
art and design. Throughout Lewes, 7-10.30pm,
see leweslight.uk. See pg 29.
Giants of Steam. Bluebell Railway’s Autumn
Gala with two special locomotives, a special
intensive timetable and Harvey’s Beer Tent.
Further activities and attractions across the
railway, see bluebell-railway.com.
52

OCT listings (cont)
SUNDAY 14
Framing the Railway Land. Illustrated talk on
the thinking behind the Linklater Pavilion by
Dr John Parry. Linklater Pavilion, 3pm, free.
TUESDAY 16
Lewes Literary Society talk with Robert Mc-
Crum. See pg 45.
WEDNESDAY 17
Lewes Castle
Morning Explorer - Herbs &
Spices,
Mon 22nd Oct,10.00-11.00am
A time for families with additional
needs to explore the site &
collections. Hands on activities,
stories and guiding.
For more details & to discuss your
needs, call: 01273 405734
Anne of Cleves House,
Autumn Colours,
Tues 23 rd Oct, 1.00-4.00pm
Explore Tudor plants, dyes
and paints.
All ages. Included in admission.
Lewes Castle*
Knights & Dragons,
Thurs 25 th Oct,
10.30 -12pm or 2pm-3.30pm
Ages 4-8. Tickets £5.
*Booking required for
Lewes Castle activities
www.sussexpast.co.uk
Learn about
Stethoscope Massage ®
Lewes Castle &
Anne of Cleves House
Quests for truth in the age of truthiness.
Clare Best reads from her memoir The Missing
List, followed by a presentation by Professor
Lyn Thomas, curator of Life Writing Projects,
and others. University of Sussex, Room 155,
Jubilee Building, 4pm, free. See pg 19.
Sussex Military History Society. The RAF in
the Cold War, with speaker Rob Martin. White
Hart, 7.30pm for 8pm, £3 for non-members.
THURSDAY 18
Needlewriters. Featuring readings from Lulah
Ellender, Liz Bahs and Jan Woolf. John Harvey
Tavern, 7pm for 7.45pm, £5/£3. See pg 47.
FRIDAY 19
If I catch Alphonso
tonight! In his play,
Miles Jenner charts
the life of Music
Hall great Billy
Merson. Performance
in aid of the Saving Berwick Project,
aiming to conserve and restore the Bloomsbury
paintings at Berwick Church. Selmeston Village
Hall, 7.30pm, free (donations appreciated).
Lewes Archaeological Group Talk. County
Archivist Christopher Whittick on Beachy
Head Lighthouse and Belle Tout. Town Hall
Lecture Room, 7.30pm, £4/£3 concessions, free
entry for under 18s, tea/coffee included.
Lewes FC Quiz Night. General quiz, four
people per team, must book in advance:
nickgeall@tiscali.co.uk. The Dripping Pan,
7.45pm, £2.50 (optional £10 meal deal).
53

BENTLEY
Wildfowl & Motor Museum
Harveys Lane, Nr Halland, East Sussex BN8 5AF
Photos by Jonathan Watt
Wildfowl Reserve, Motor Museum,
Miniature Railway, Tearooms, Gift Shop,
Gardens & Woodland
“A Great Day Out for the Family”
Tripadvisor
Open 10am-5pm daily
www.bentley.org.uk | 01825 840573

OCT listings (cont)
Film: Aguirre, The Wrath of God (PG). Part
of ‘Exploring Herzog weekend’. All Saints,
8pm, see lewes-filmclub.com.
SUNDAY 21
Film: Fitzcarraldo (PG). Part of ‘Exploring
Herzog weekend’. All Saints, 4pm (workshop
from 2.30pm) see lewes-filmclub.com.
Celebrating Sussex Folk Song… in new
ways. ‘Folksong and you’ workshop 3.30pm
(free), Magog Morris dancing from 3.30pm,
Horsham Folk Band in venue from 6.45pm and
concert at 7.30pm. newmusicbrighton.co.uk.
Habitats Galore! Railway Land Wildlife Trust
present an afternoon of hands-on community
learning about the mosaic of habitats at the
Railway Land Nature Reserve. For adults and
families. Meet at Linklater Pavilion, 2pm, free.
WEDNESDAY 24
The Truth About
Plastic. Plastic Free
Lewes hosts an evening
of discussion, with
speakers answering
questions about plastic pollution and how we
can each tackle it. Lewes Town Hall Corn
Exchange, 7.30pm (stalls open from 6.30pm),
donations welcome.
THURSDAY 25
Pumpkin carving. Help set the scene for the
weekend, pumpkins and tools provided.
Lansdown, 6pm, free.
SATURDAY 27
Activism Toolkit. Michael Segalov, author
of ‘Resist! How to be an Activist in the Age of
Defiance’ opens a Lewes Labour day of doit-yourself
campaign skills workshops. Lewes
Town Hall, 10.30am-6pm, £5.
The Railway Land Wildlife Trust &
Greencuisine Trust Pop Up Supper. Wild,
cultivated, imaginative, ethical and wholesome
foods. A botanical cocktail with canapés on
arrival, followed by a three-course meal. Feast
on healthy food from healthy soil. Linklater
Pavilion, 7pm, £30.
Halloween Party. Dress up and dance with
Kings Hi Fi. Lansdown, 8pm, free.
SUNDAY 28
Sensing WW1. Exploring the sensory experience
of WW1 in a multidisciplinary arts event.
Illustrated talk by Professor Michael Bull of the
University of Sussex, screening of Stanley Kubrick’s
(1957) Paths of Glory, and a new piece
of gig theatre using original song, spoken word
and sound to illustrate the poetry of WW1.
Depot, 1pm-5.30pm, £10/£5 talk & film, £8/£4
theatre piece, £16/£8 for whole event.
Tea with Laughton Village Choir. A varied
programme of light classical and choral music
with tea and cake. All Saints Centre, 3.30pm for
cake, concert at 4pm, £7.50, contact
info@leweslions.org.uk.
MONDAY 29 – WEDNESDAY 31
‘Dystopia’ Halloween Train. Bluebell Railway
present ‘Dystopia Station’, a place full of
strange and frightening characters. Travel on
an evening train from either Sheffield Park or
East Grinstead, £30 per person (suitable for
age 11+).
TUESDAY 30
Sussex Witchcraft. Local
historian and author
Chris Horlock looks at
the historical aspects
of witchcraft in Sussex.
The Keep, 5.30pm, £5.
TUESDAY 30 – THURSDAY 1
Dracula. Special Halloween preview of
SISATA’s new theatrical production of Dracula.
Café will be open for light refreshments. Anne
of Cleves House, 8pm, £12.50.
55

FREETIME êêêê UNDER 16
SUNDAY 7
Family Art Activities. Activities including
paper lampshades and clay models, inspired
by the art and lives of the Bloomsbury group,
hosted by Charleston’s volunteers. Suitable
for everyone aged three and over. Charleston,
12.30pm-4pm, free.
TUESDAY 23
Toy Hacking. Learn how to use different
tools and techniques to make your own mutant
creations reusing toys destined for landfill.
Materials and tools provided, suitable for ages
seven and over. Towner, 11am & 2pm, free
(donations welcome).
Autumn Colours. Explore Tudor plants, dyes
and paints. Anne of Cleves House, 1pm-4pm,
price included in admission.
MONDAY 22 – FRIDAY 26
Raystede school holiday family fun. Free
daily activities for all the family at the animal
welfare centre. See raystede.org.
SATURDAY 20
Time Travelling with Orlando. Storytelling
and drawing with Sian Jones. Listen to a
unique, new story inspired by themes of time
travelling within Virginia Woolf’s Orlando.
Each session lasts about 45 mins. Charleston,
11am, 12.30pm and 2pm, £5 (suitable for ages
five and up).
SATURDAY 20 – MONDAY 29
Spooky half-term fun. Halloween activities
at Newhaven Fort for all the family. See
newhavenfort.org.uk.
MONDAY 22
Morning explorer: Herbs and Spices. For
families with additional needs, with special
tactile objects to feel, a chance to try spinning
wool on a wheel, plus garden games and audiodescribed
tours. Lewes Castle, 10am, regular
admission applies.
WEDNESDAY 24 – SUNDAY 28
Bluebell Railway Halloween Scream Train.
Steam-hauled journey from Sheffield Park
Station with Halloween fun for all ages. Horsted
Keynes Station, 12.15pm or 2.45pm, £16.
THURSDAY 25
Go Kid Music’s Spooky Special Family Gig.
Join Al Start and her Beastie Band for spooky
half-term fun. Grab your Halloween costume
and go in fancy dress to win a prize. Live music,
fun and spooky frolics. All Saints, 11.30am &
2.30pm, £7 or £24 for family of four (under
twos free).
Film: Wall-E (U).
Disney hit about the
last robot left on Earth
to clean the planet
after humans have
abandoned it. Towner,
4.30pm, £4.
Wall-e © Disney Pixar

FRIDAY 26
Wild Family Day Out. Activity-packed
day for all the family, run by Circle of Life
Rediscovery. Woodland site near Laughton, see
circleofliferediscovery.com.
SATURDAY 27
Ernest and Celestine © Ascot Elite
Film: Ernest and Celestine (U). Animated film
about the unlikely friendship between a bear
and a mouse. Towner, 10.30am, £4.
Big Autumn Family Fun Party Night. Live
music party with band, supper, cheap bar, games,
prizes, raffle and more. Profits to St Peter &
St James Hospice. Ringmer Village Hall, 7pm,
£12.50 (under 16s £5).
SATURDAY 27 & SUNDAY 28
Halloween Weekend. Traditional family
entertainment, with Punch & Judy, crafts, trails
and a family ghost hunt. Halloween inspired
menu in the café. Michelham Priory, 10.30am-
4pm, see sussexpast.co.uk.
Open Morning
Wednesday 10th October
from 08:30 - 12:00
Alternatively, book in for a Private Tour
email: contact@michaelhall.co.uk
With its excellent and imaginative
approach, the Steiner Waldorf
curriculum has gained ever-widening
recognition as a creative and
compassionate alternative to
traditional avenues of education.
But just how does it feel to be a child
in this environment, soaking up this
stimulating and rewarding teaching?
www.michaelhall.co.uk/school-open-days
Kidbrooke Park, Priory Road, Forest Row. East Sussex, RH18 5JA
Tel: 01342 822275 - Registered Charity Number 307006
57

ONCE UPON A
WILD WOOD
BY CHRIS RIDDELL
êêêê UNDER 16
A new book by local favourite Chris Riddell is always something to celebrate
here at Bags of Books. We’ve loved his Ottoline and Goth Girl series for young
readers for many years now, but for his latest offering he returns to picturebook
format, with his wonderful illustrations providing a visual feast on every
page. Once Upon a Wild Wood follows Little Green Rain Cape (or Green for
short) as she makes her way through the Wild Wood with her straight strong
stick, clumpy comfortable shoes and a rucksack containing a good book (and a few other essentials).
Thumbelina, Rapunzel, Cinderella, the three bears, the seven dwarfs and many other familiar fairy-tale
characters appear in this fun story. The thread that holds them all together is Rapunzel’s party – which
Green and the other characters are all on their way to, apart from Beauty, who hasn’t had her invite
yet. The poor broken-hearted Beast is pining for Beauty, and Green must find a way to ensure they are
reunited at the big fairy-tale bash!
This picture-book is slightly longer than usual and is perfect for children of about 5-8, who are already
familiar with the well-known characters, or who have just learnt to read. Anna, Bags of Books
Once Upon a Wild Wood is one of Bags of Books’ Books of the Month for October, which means you can
get 25% off when you buy a copy in store or online this month. bags-of-books.co.uk
SHOES ON NOW:
LET’S GET PICKLING
Coming into autumn, we discovered a glut of figs in our
garden. They didn’t look as good as fruit in the supermarket
– you know, blemished with gnarly bits and some were misshapen.
But we didn’t want to leave them all out to rot on the
ground. Luckily, we seem to have found an answer: pickling.
We were surprised by how easy, and fun, it turned out to be – courtesy of a YouTube video. The boys
carefully cut the figs in half and packed them into heatproof glass jars along with bay leaves for flavouring.
Combining white balsamic vinegar, sugar and salt in a saucepan we (carefully) brought the
lot to the boil before pouring the liquid out – into the fig jars. Once the jars had cooled, we simply
added a lid and popped them away for later consumption.
Emboldened by our first attempts, the boys have now suggested we visit some local farmers’ markets
and find other fruits to pickle at home. It also means we’ve all thought and talked about fruit’s
seasonality – and the produce available changing from month to month. So far, we’ve tried the
pickled figs in cheese sandwiches, and dolloped on top of fresh bread and morning porridge – which
the boys certainly wouldn’t have been willing to do with pre-pickled figs! And all from a few figs in
the garden… Jacky Adams
59

Country Pub & Carvery
Join us for a warm welcome
this Bonfire season!

GIG GUIDE // OCTOBER
GIG OF THE MONTH:
O’CONNELL AND LOVE
‘Folk music with a hand grenade’ was enough to pique my interest
when scrolling through the musical riches Lewes has to offer this
month (as it does every month). This is the latest incarnation of
Larry Love (Alabama 3) and his long-time songwriting partner
Brendan O’Connell; the pair are playing with full band and special
guests at the Con Club on 25th October. Having enlisted dance
producer Wizard (Dizzee Rascal, Wiley, Chase & Status) to oversee
their 2015 album Minesweeping, in an effort to ‘urbanise’ their take
on all things folk, they have created a sound quite unlike anything
I’ve heard before. Love’s deep, gravelly vocals (which make Alabama
3’s songs so distinctive) pair delightfully with the gritty lyrics and
country vibe. Can’t wait to hear it live. Kelly Mechen
25th Oct, Con Club, 7.30pm, £13
MONDAY 1
Christian Brewer (sax) with Nigel Thomas,
Bobby Worth and Terry Seabrook. Jazz.
Snowdrop, 8pm, free
TUESDAY 2
English dance tunes session - bring instruments.
Folk (English trad). John Harvey Tavern,
8pm, free
THURSDAY 4
Alligator Swing. Gypsy swing. Pelham Arms,
8.30pm, free
FRIDAY 5
The Curst Sons. Rattle ‘n’ hum Americana.
Con Club, 8pm, free
Yacht Rock Paradiso. Club classics and floor
fillers. Lansdown, 8pm, free
SATURDAY 6
Songs of the Sea. Folk. Royal Oak, 8pm, £3
SUNDAY 7
English dance tunes session - bring instruments.
Folk (English trad). The Volunteer,
12pm, free
Jam Night. Friendly and informal jam session.
Lansdown, 7pm, free
The Sarah Savoy Cajun Band. Cajun. Con
Club, 7.30pm, £12
MONDAY 8
James Osler (guitar) with Alex Eberhard and
Terry Seabrook. Jazz. Snowdrop, 8pm, free
TUESDAY 9
Concertinas Anonymous practice session.
Folk & misc. Elly, 8pm, free
The Sarah Savoy Cajun Band
61

EUROPE
BREMF 2018
explores the topical
theme of Europe
with 700 years of
music from
17 European
countries, including
music from the
13th-century Lewes
Priory Breviary.
See the full programme and book tickets at
bremf.org.uk or call 01273 709709
@BREMF
brightonearlymusic
brightonemf
4OCT@
LEWES
Con Club
COMEDY NIGHT
5 CURST SONS
7 SARAH SAVOY CAJUN BAND
11 LA LA THEATRE CO. THERAPY
12 TOTAL STONE ROSES
18 ANCIENT SHAPES
20MEMBRANES
25 O’CONNELL & LOVE
26DIGITALIS
27 LOOSE CABOOSE NIGHT
28 STEVE ’SNIPS’ PARSONS
SEE WEBSITE FOR ANY CHANGES, DETAILS AND ENTRY

GIG GUIDE // OCTOBER
Alistair Anderson. Photo © E. Anderson
FRIDAY 12
Let’s Get Funked. Funk, soul and reggae night.
All Saints, 7.30pm, £8/£6 adv
Total Stone Roses. Stone Roses tribute. Con
Club, 7.30pm, £13
Alistair Anderson in concert – Lewes Folk
Festival. Concertina, Northumbrian pipes. Elly,
9pm, £10
SATURDAY 13
Jim Causley in concert – Lewes Folk Festival.
Folk & settings of Charles Causley poems. Elly,
8pm, £12
SUNDAY 14
Open Space Open Mic. Music, poetry and
performance. Elly, 7.30pm, free
MONDAY 15
Sam Miles (sax) with Darren Beckett, Terry
Seabrook and Paul Whitten. Jazz. Snowdrop,
8pm, free
THURSDAY 18
Ancient Shapes. Punk featuring Daniel Romano.
Con Club, 7.30pm, £10
David Celia. Alt/folk singer/songwriter. Lansdown,
7.30pm, free
The Feeling. Playing Twelve Stops and Home
in full. De La Warr, 8pm, £25/£35
SATURDAY 20
The Membranes + The Cravats + The Filthy
Tongues. Peel-era punk. Con Club, 7.30pm, £13
Bob Lewis. Folk (Sussex traditional song). Elly,
8pm, £7
MONDAY 22
Jason Henson (guitar), Milo Fell and Terry
Seabrook. Jazz. Snowdrop, 8pm, free
TUESDAY 23
English tunes practice session – bring instruments.
Folk (English trad). Elly, 8pm, free
THURSDAY 25
O’Connell & Love. See ‘Gig of the month’.
Con Club, 7.30pm, £13
FRIDAY 26
DIGITALIS. Electronic duo. Special guests
Battery Operated Orchestra and Kid Ivy. Con
Club, 8pm, free
SATURDAY 27
Loose Caboose Night. DJ night with a mix
of 60s soul, northern, R&B, Latin & jazz. Con
Club, 7.30pm, £5
Halloween with candles & soul cakes. Folk.
Royal Oak, 8pm, £4
SUNDAY 28
Steve Parsons. Sundays in the Bar session with
‘Snips’ of Sharks. Con Club, 3.30pm, free
The Membranes
MONDAY 29
Terry Seabrook Trio with Darren Beckett
and Nigel Thomas. Jazz. Snowdrop, 8pm, free
63

BARRY WORDSWORTH
Conductor
BRIGHTON FESTIVAL CHORUS
SHOSTAKOVICH
Festive Overture
HANDEL
Zadok the Priest
PARRY
From Death to Life
ELGAR
Great is the Lord
Overture:Cockaigne
O Hearken Thou
Scenes from the
Bavarian Highlands
Discounted parking
at NCP Church Street
just £6 between 1-6pm
BrightonPhil
Tickets from £12.50-£39.50
Brighton Dome Ticket Office
(01273) 709709
brightondome.org
50% student/U18 discount
@BPO_orchestra
brightonphil.org.uk
25th Anniversary Concert
Glinka
Overture Ruslan & Ludmilla
Ed Hughes
Six Pieces for Orchestra
(first performance)
Tchaikovsky
Variations on a Rococo theme
Solo cello Ivana Peranic
Rachmaninov
Symphonic Dances
Friday 12th October 7:30pm
Lewes Town Hall, Lewes, BN7 2QS
For tickets & prices visit;
www.lewesconcertorchestra.org
A6 & ADVERT.indd 1 13/09/2018 11:11:37
INTERNATIONAL CHAMBER MUSIC PROGRAMME 2018-19
Cliffe Building, Sussex Downs College, Mountfield Road
October 19th (Friday): Trio Shaham Erez Wallfisch Piano Trios by Bloch (Three Nocturnes)
Beethoven (Op. 1 no 2) Dvorák (Op. 65 no 3)
November 23rd (Friday): Martinu Quartet String quartets by Haydn (Op. 64 no 2) Schulhoff
(No 2) Dvorák (American)
January 23rd (Wednesday): Matt Hunt, Alina Ibramigova, Louise Hopkins, Alasdair Beatson
Debussy (Premiere Rhapsodie for Clarinet and Piano) Ravel (Piano Trio) Messiaen ('Quartet for the
end of Time’)
March 1st (Friday): vision quartet String quartets by Ligeti (no 1) Schubert (Quartettsatz and
Death & the Maiden)
March 29th (Friday): Notos Piano Quartet Mozart (K493), Françaix (Divertissement) Schumann.
Concerts start at 7:45pm. Tickets: £60 for all 5 or £15 each, 8-25 year olds, free.
More details and tickets: www.nyslewes.org.uk

MUSIC
Classical round-up
SATURDAY 6, 7.30PM
Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno – an oratorio by Handel.
These four young singers at the start of their professional careers
recently studied Handel’s first oratorio, Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno,
at an early-music summer school in France. But they shared
roles with other singers and never got to sing the whole piece. So
they’ve decided to perform it in Lewes, with John Hancorn and the
Baroque Collective. There’s no chorus, so the four soloists and fine
period players take centre stage in a tale of ‘conflict between earthly
pleasures and divine grace’. It’s wonderful music, some of which Handel
used in later works including Giulio Cesare. “Lewes is always really responsive and knowledgeable,
we knew it would be the perfect venue,” says mezzo Thalie Knights, whose father lives in the town. The
singers, none of whom are taking a fee, are crowdfunding to help with costs. Expect a fabulous evening.
St Anne’s, £12 - £20, ticketsource.co.uk/thalie-knights
PICK
OF THE
MONTH
SATURDAY 6, 3PM
A Celebration of the Life and Music of Malcolm
Lipkin. A memorial concert for the East
Sussex composer who died last year. St Anne’s,
£10/£6, under 16s free. newmusicbrighton.co.uk
SUNDAY 7, 3PM
St Michael’s Recitals. Piano soloist and
chamber musician Yoko Ono has performed all
over the world, from Japan and Europe to the
USA. Programme includes Mozart, Grieg and
Debussy. St Michael’s, free
SUNDAY 7, 4PM
Corelli Ensemble. Soprano Dame Felicity Lott
and tenor Paul Austin Kelly join the Corellis
to perform duets and arias by composers from
Monteverdi to Lehár. St Leonard’s Church,
Seaford, £10 in advance, £12 on the door, children
free. corelliensemble.co.uk
FRIDAY 12, 7.30PM
Lewes Concert Orchestra. Currently celebrating
its 25th anniversary, Lewes Concert Orchestra
presents an (almost) all-Russian programme of
Glinka, Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov, alongside
a new commission by Lewes-based composer Ed
Hughes. The cello soloist is Ivana Peranic. Town
Hall, £10 in advance or £12 on the door, under 18s
& students £5. lewesconcertorchestra.org
SUNDAY 14, 2.45PM
Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra. In the first
concert of its 2018-19 season, Brighton Philharmonic
Orchestra is joined by Brighton Festival
Chorus in a programme of Shostakovich, Handel,
Parry and Elgar. Brighton Dome, £12.50-£39.50,
save 25% with a Season Ticket. brightonphil.org.uk
FRIDAY 19, 7.45PM
Nicholas Yonge Society. The 2018-19 season
begins with the international Trio Shaham Erez
Wallfisch playing Bloch, Beethoven and Dvorák.
Nicholas Yonge concerts are a fantastic opportunity
to hear world-class music and performers,
for a very reasonable price. Sussex Downs
College, Mountfield Road. Season membership
£60 for five concerts, single concerts £15. Free for
8-25 year olds. nyslewes.org.uk
SUNDAY 21, 3PM
Recital – Lucinda Houghton & Sara Gourlay
with Howard Beach. Songs from Vaughan
Williams to Gershwin in Iford’s 11th-century
church. St Nicholas, Iford, £12.50
Robin Houghton
65

‘Bathers at the Seaside in Summer’
Focus on: Edward Ardizzone
Pen and ink drawings on show in Lewes
The artist Edward Ardizzone was born in 1900
and died in 1979. Here’s just a few of the things
he achieved in his lifetime: the penning and
illustration of seven children’s books chronicling
the adventures of ‘Tim’; work for the GPO,
Overton’s Restaurant, Guinness, Moss Bros;
illustrations for Punch, Radio Times and The
Listener; film posters; illustrated war diaries, an
Indian Journal and a memoir of his youth. During
the Second World War his work as an official
War Artist yielded no fewer than 401 pictures.
And all this before one even begins to consider
the book illustrations for which he is best
known. Again, ‘prolific’ is hardly an adequate
description. Ardizzone expert Alan Powers has
calculated that, between 1946 and 1979, the artist
illustrated 165 titles.
For the collector of Ardizzone this ‘embarras de
richesses’ is, of course, problematic. Concentration
on one or more particular aspects of
the artist’s output is essential. And so when, in
2003, Carol Manheim put her own Ardizzone
collection up for sale in London, she entitled the
event: An Exhibition of one hundred first editions
in dust jackets, original drawings, Christmas cards,
posters and lithographs. With her Brooklyn brogue
and a more than passing resemblance to Goldie
Hawn in her late 1960s heyday, Carol Manheim
was a welcome exotic presence in the usually
drab and dingy secondhand book trade!
66

ART
Lewes resident Simon Blaxland
has been collecting Ardizzone
for thirty years. He now has
approximately 120 original
artworks – mostly pen and ink
drawings, but also a number of
pencil sketches, watercolours
and original book illustrations.
They will be on show at
Lewes House from Friday 5th
October to Sunday 7th.
Asked, in old age, whether his
war years had changed his art,
Ardizzone replied: ‘I’ve always
been interested in people, not
necessarily soldiers and people
being killed, but in people. I
love women and I like drawing
tarts, and I like drawing pubs,
I like drawing everything you
know, so it made no difference
in that sense’. And if I had to
single out one aspect of his
work, it would be the many
pictures of pubs and their clientele
based on the Maida Vale
pubs local to Elgin Avenue, W9
where Ardizzone and his family
lived for fifty years (a blue
plaque was unveiled in 2007).
These formed the basis for his
books, The Local (1939) and
Back to the Local (1949).
For another exuberant
expression of Ardizzone’s bon
vivant approach to life, one
more local to Lewes, there’s
A Day Out at Glyndebourne
(1960). ‘As the train moved
out of the station a bottle of
champagne was opened for us.
I can imagine no better start
to a festive day’… ‘a round
table in the corner of the main
dining hall was covered with a
forest of bottles and glasses’…
‘At 5.00pm we changed in to
evening clothes. There were
two bottles of champagne to
sweeten the task’.
And the opera? THE
OPERA!? ‘…was Bellini’s I
Puritani… the pretty, tuneful
music gave us all much
pleasure’.
David Jarman
Edward Ardizzone: A Lewes
Collection, Lewes House, 32
High Street. sarahokane.co.uk
‘Cometh My Lord Peacably’
‘They Perched Themselves Around Her’
‘Watering the Flowerbeds’
67

01273 471647
15 Malling Street Lewes BN7 2RA
RACHEL CLARK
www.keizerframes.com
PRESENCE OF ABSENCE
ABSENCE OF PRESENCE
Vivienne Lynn
6–26 October
Thursday–Sunday
12–5pm
www.martyrs.gallery
Private View:
Friday 5 October
6–8pm
“A really inviting space that
we love spending time in...”
JOHN MILLER DESIGNS.CO.UK

ART
ART & ABOUT
In town this month
After something of a hiatus,
Martyrs’ Gallery is
back with an exhibition by
the artist, researcher and
critical theorist Vivienne
Lynn. Called Presence of
Absence/Absence of Presence
it ‘opens up new perspectives
… on dementia, via a
matrix of visual evidence’,
(6th - 26th October, see
martyrs.gallery).
Slow Fade by Vivienne Lynn
I let go of you and you let go of me by Vivienne Lynn
Helen Turner
As we discover on pg 66, Sarah O’Kane, formerly of
HQ Gallery and St Anne’s Galleries, is putting on an
exhibition of some of the 120 Edward Ardizzone works
collected by Lewes resident Simon Blaxland since 1987.
Ardizzone was a twentieth-century printmaker, painter
and author/illustrator of children’s books, probably best
remembered for his illustrations of classics such as Stig
of the Dump and Little Tim and the Brave Sea Captain. The
show, Line, Light and Life, takes place from 5th-7th October,
below our offices in Lewes House. [sarahokane.
co.uk] As we went to press, we learnt that Helen Turner
– a familiar name to regular readers of this column – and
Nick Marsh, who have shared studio space for 27 years,
have teamed up to present an exhibition of their paintings,
also in Lewes House, called Under One Roof (13th-
14th Oct).
Veiling by Ursula Stone
Susan Lynch continues
as Chalk’s featured
artist till mid-October;
from the 15th the
North Street gallery
highlights Ursula
Stone’s ‘inner landscapes’,
and rather
exquisite Chinese-ink
life drawings.
Laina Watts
Keizer Frames, meanwhile,
are hosting a Bonfire
Art exhibition, from
the 27th Oct - 11th Nov,
to coincide, obviously,
with the annual celebrations
in town. Laina
Watts, best known for
her brilliant satirical map
of Lewes, curates.
69

ART
Out of town
‘Finally an artform where you can fly, just like in your dreams,’
says Laurie Anderson, of her installation Chalkroom, which is on
show at the Attenborough Centre at the University of Sussex
from October 4th-25th. This is a 15-minute solo experience (£8,
see attenboroughcentre.com for booking) created by Anderson
with Hsin Chieng Huang, in which ‘the reader flies through an
enormous structure made of words, drawings and stories’. At the same venue on the 5th and 6th, there’s
another installation by Max Cooper, who merges electronic music and visual art, called Aether, which is
part of the Brighton Digital Festival (£6, booking recommended).
Laurie Anderson
From September 28th to October 28th it’s the eighth edition of the Brighton
Photo Biennial with free festivals throughout the city. The 2018 theme is ‘A
New Europe’. Artists include Tereza Cervenová, charting life since the Brexit
referendum, and Émeric Lhuisset & Harley Weir, looking at the ongoing
migrant crisis. Also look out for Donovan Wylie, who explores ‘the geography
of Britain as an island, simultaneously divided yet connected’ (check photoworks.
org.uk for venues). There’s also, of course, the BPF’s shadow festival, the Brighton Photo Fringe,
another trail of exhibitions, of a less curated nature, over the same period. [photofringe.org]
© Harley Weir
Hendall Manor Barns
A beautiful and intimate setting for private family occasions,
wedding ceremonies, receptions, exhibitions, concerts and fund-raising events
www.hendall.co.uk | 01825 732561 | info@hendall.co.uk
71

The
Everyday
Extraordinary
and
An Arts Council Collection National Partners Exhibition
29 September 2018 –
6 January 2019
Towner Art Gallery
townereastbourne.org.uk
Free entry
Conceived by Birmingham Museums Trust, in partnership with Towner Art Gallery
as part of the Arts Council Collection National Partners Programme 2016–19
Image: Jean-Luc Vilmouth, Five Heads, 1981. © The artist’s estate. Arts Council Collection,
Southbank Centre, London. Installation photo by David Rowan, courtesy of Birmingham Museums Trust

ART
Out of town
Photo by Axel Hesslenberg
And don’t forget that Charleston’s new galleries have opened
their doors, as we announced last month, with the current set of
exhibitions running till January 6th. Orlando at the present time,
at The Wolfson Galleries, brings together contemporary artists’
responses to Virginia Woolf’s ground-breaking novel. At South
Gallery you can see Zanele Muholi’s LGBTQIA+ black-andwhite
photos, while Spotlight Gallery features the Famous Women
Dinner Service, by Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant (see pg 76).
Finally, it’s last call at the Ditchling Museum
of Art + Craft for their two summer
exhibitions, Belonging, featuring Morag
Myerscough and Corita Kent: Get with the
Action. From October 20th (till April 2019)
you can see the work of MacDonald ‘Max’
Gill, Eric Gill’s younger brother, an illustrator,
letterer, map-maker, architect and decorative
architect with a humorous twist to his work.
Highways of Empire, Max Gill (1927), private collection
Edward Ardizzone:
Line, Light and Life
Original drawings and watercolours
by a master illustrator
5 th , 6 th and 7 th October
Lewes House, 32 High Street, Lewes BN7 2LX
open 6-8pm Friday and 10am-6pm Saturday and Sunday
Simon Blaxland Collection | Sarah O’Kane Contemporary Fine Art | sarahokane.co.uk
73

Open every Sunday in October.
The last month of the 2018 Season
Experience the extraordinary atmosphere of the Sussex
home of the Surrealists Lee Miller and Roland Penrose
whose friends and guests included Picasso, Carrington,
Man Ray and Miró. We open to visitors on Sundays from
10am, offering 50 minute guided tours, exhibitions in our
gallery and a sculpture garden to explore.
Muddles Green, Chiddingly
East Sussex, BN8 6HW
Tel: 01825 872856
www.farleyshouseandgallery.co.uk
@ FarleysHG
27 High Street, Lewes East, Sussex. BN7 2LU
Website: www.cordeliajames.com
Email: info@cordeliajames.com
Phone: 01273 480896

ART
Further afield
The touring exhibition of objets trouvés, The Everyday and the
Extraordinary (see last month) continues at Towner Gallery; from the
13th there’s the first solo UK presentation of the work of Simon Ling,
an edgy plein-air oil painter of both urban and rural settings. Also at
the Eastbourne gallery is the chance to see works by the experimental
filmmakers shortlisted for the 2018 Film
London Jarman Award, including Larry
Achiampong & David Blandy and Jasmina Cibic. And Towner is the
venue for Mainstone Press’s Ink Paper + Print fair on Oct 13th and 14th,
with 55 exhibitors showcasing a range of printmaking, artists’ books, 20thcentury
design, ceramics and contemporary crafts. Another reason to travel to
Eastbourne is the show at Emma Mason Prints of works spanning the career
of print-maker Chloe Cheese, from Oct 6th-Nov 3rd. [emmamason.co.uk]
NADA: Act III – The Exhibition
(2017), courtesy of the artist
Chloe Cheese
Maggi Hambling No.2, Suffolk 2018 © Juergen Teller, all rights reserved
Back in 2005, in the Colony Room in Soho, writer/dandy Sebastian
Horsley introduced painter/sculptor Maggi Hambling to YBA enfant
terrible Sarah Lucas. The network of friends soon grew to include
Lucas’ partner, visual/audio artist Julian Simmons and German fineart
and fashion photographer Juergen Teller. From October 20th
Jerwood Gallery in Hastings is showing a collection of works by these
artists, of one another, or influenced by one another’s works. It’s called
The Quick and the Dead; expect to hear more in these pages soon.
André Breton
called them
‘the best and
most surrealist
of all British
artists,’ but, in
1940, Grace
Pailthorpe
and Reuben Mednikoff left that art movement
and henceforth became largely ignored by the
art world. Until now, that is: the De La Warr
are putting on a show – The Tale of Mother’s
Bones – looking
at their role in
‘the birth of
psychorealism’,
from 6th
October - 23rd
June 2019.
(Top) Reuben Mednikoff, The Stairway to Paradise, 1936. (Bottom) Grace
Pailthorpe, 1968. Both private collection. Photos by Ivan Coleman
Julian Trevelyan, Home Waters, 1971 © The Julian Trevelyan Estate
There are two events in Pallant House opening
on October 3rd. The first survey exhibition of
Julian Trevelyan’s work for 20 years, and a show
by Cathie Pilkington, whose personal selection
of modern artworks from the Pallant House
Collection will be interspersed with 30 of her
bawdy doll-like sculptures.
75

Image courtesy of Piano Nobile
ON THIS MONTH: ART
Famous Women Dinner Service
The Charleston plates by Grant and Bell
The last time the Famous Women Dinner
Service was at Charleston was in 1933. Having
just completed the set, before shipping it to
its expectant owner, Vanessa Bell and Duncan
Grant asked if they could hold a tea party –
using the plates – for intrigued friends and
potential customers.
The 50 plates, hand-painted by Grant and
Bell on Wedgwood blanks, depict 49 historic
women and just one man: Grant himself.
“They were largely strong and independent
women who broke ground within their
own fields,” explains Darren Clarke, Head of
Collections at Charleston, “united by having
lived extraordinary or inspirational lives.”
The eclectic rollcall was divided into four
sets: Beauties; Dancers & Actresses; Queens,
and Women of Letters. George Eliot
features, as do Murasaki, Miss 1933, Greta
Garbo, Helen of Troy and Sappho. Each portrait
is surrounded by a distinctly Bloomsbury
border of cross hatching, swirls and circles.
The striking set would have been a real conversation
starter at any dinner party, and yet
the plates are like new, barely used at all.
“They were commissioned by Kenneth
Clark, who knew the artists already and was a
patron of their work. He was an art historian,
the youngest-ever director of the National
Gallery and a bright rising star of the British
art scene.
“There was very much a movement at the
time to encourage artists to design applied
art. Clark commissioned them to make a
140-piece dinner service, which originally
included serving dishes, pepper pots, soup
tureens and soup bowls. We don’t know what
became of the rest.”
Perhaps it wasn’t quite what Clark had had
in mind? “He wrote later that ‘it turned out
differently to what we had expected’, but
there was a lot of correspondence between
76

ON THIS MONTH: ART
Clark – and especially his wife, Jane –
with the artists, so I don’t think it was
a total surprise.”
The plates were missing for decades
and only recently resurfaced. The
Charleston Trust is in the process
of acquiring them and they make
their homecoming as a part of the
inaugural exhibition in the new galleries.
“Bloomsbury has been described
as a matriarchy,” concludes Darren,
“about strong women and a feminine
approach to life. The Famous Women fit
perfectly into our current exhibition
Orlando at the present time, which is
about portraiture but also explores different
ideas of gender and femininity.”
Lizzie Lower
Orlando at the present time continues
until 6th January 2019, the Famous
Women Dinner Service will be on
display until summer 2019.
charleston.org.uk
Photo by Axel Hesslenberg
Image courtesy of Piano Nobile
77

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RESTAURANT
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SO GRAB A GLASS OF
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WITH A MAIN MEAL (OBVS).
In OCTOBER MoNDAY - THURSDAY.
TEAR THIS OUT & HAND IT IN.
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busclubpizza.co.uk
01273 470755
Mon-Thurs
17.00-22.00
Fri and Sat
12.00-22.00

FOOD REVIEW
Caccia & Tails
Just delish
I’ve been eagerly
awaiting the arrival
of Caccia & Tails. A
café serving homemade
pasta and
focaccia, stylishly
branded, and just a
couple of minutes’
walk from the Viva
office – it’s right
up my street (via a
twitten). I can’t help
but wander past on
opening day, just to see what it’s all about. It’s
small – there’s a bar with a few stools along one
wall and a little kitchen with an enormous oven
along the other – but it’s just my kind of place:
modern and minimal with splashes of parakeet
green and canary yellow.
In the window are trays of freshly-baked focaccia
Genovese and farinata, which, owner Elisa
Furci explains, is a kind of Italian flatbread made
with chickpea flour. They’re stuffed and topped
with various delicious-looking combinations of
ingredients, and there are fresh cannoli and filled
doughnuts too. It all looks very enticing. I try a
slice of farinata, slathered with pesto and sprinkled
with pieces of sundried tomato and pine
nuts (£3.95). It’s just delicious: the bread is dense
but soft, and oily enough to feel quite indulgent.
I have a quick read of the menu board – pasta
served with cavolo nero and dukkah (£6), subs
filled with meatballs or pancetta (£6.95), sides of
polenta (£2.95) or mac ‘n’ cheese (£3.95) fries –
and arrange to meet some friends there for lunch
a few days later.
I arrive first. While I’m gazing at the board,
wondering what to have, Elisa points out today’s
dish on the ‘Speciali’ board by the door: pasta
with feta, yoghurt,
pea, chilli and pine
nuts (£6.95). That’s
the one for me. Jamie
arrives next; a quick
glance at the board
and he’s set on a beef
ragu (£7.50) and
when Sam walks in,
her eye is immediately
caught by the
breads in the window.
She goes for the
focaccia with pesto, sunblushed tomatoes and
olives (£3.95).
“Shall we get some fries too?” I ask, as if it were
a question.
“Ooh, polenta or mac ‘n’ cheese?”
“Both?” We get both.
The three of us watch as Elisa and another chef
prepare our food fresh to order and pack it all
into a brown paper bag like a luxurious picnic.
It’s such a nice day that we take it away to the
Grange to eat in the sun.
My mouth is watering as I unpack the food onto
the grass. I can’t wait to dig in. The pasta is
beautiful: thick tubes coated in the tangy yoghurt
sauce and topped with plenty of feta and grated
parmesan. The fries come with two kinds of mayonnaise:
marmite mayo for the mac ‘n’ cheese
ones and truffle mayo for the polenta. The ragu
goes down really well, and the soft fluffy focaccia
gets great reviews. By the time the last polenta
fry is offered around, we’re all pretty stuffed.
Later on, in the Viva office, as I’m raving about
my lunch, somebody asks ‘did you try the cheese
focaccia? That’s really good.’ I guess I’ll be heading
back soon. Rebecca Cunningham
15 Station Street, cacciaandtails.com
79

80
Photo by Chloë King

RECIPE
Roasted celeriac and beetroot with
Puy lentils and toasted hazelnuts
Delia Minoprio of The Blue Kitchen
When I started The Blue Kitchen last January,
I’d say to my friends, ‘drop a dish over’. I’d
then fill it with whatever is on the menu, maybe
lasagne, chicken pie… that way there’s no
waste packaging and all the convenience of a
supermarket ready meal.
It’s like an indie version of Cook, I guess.
I want to provide an alternative with none
of the plastic – to make delicious, healthy,
seasonal food using local, organic and homegrown
ingredients. I want to make good food
accessible, and just bring people some joy.
I have a 94-year-old client who I deliver to and
we sit down and chat. It’s not just about food:
I want to look after people. I really enjoy the
interaction side of my delivery and privatecatering
service – to explain a dish to people as
I hand it over.
The business is still very small. I’m not yet
at a stage where I can produce masses, but
that’s fine. It works with my life and it also
works for other people; the moment that you
industrialise anything, anyway, I don’t think
it’s really as special.
The great thing is, if people trust you and they
love eating your food, then they don’t mind
whatever’s coming up. What happens with
my clients now is, they say “I’m in; whatever
you’re doing, I know it’s going to be good so
sign me up”.
The big family dishes I was making have turned
into more ‘clean-eating’ dishes, because that’s
what I really love to cook. Everyone knows
they should be eating healthy food, but people
don’t have much time. What I intend is to
deliver lunches a bit like poke bowls: a bed of
grains or lentils in their own dressing, topped
with roasted veg, nuts, some sort of raw slaw, a
creamy side and a tangy homemade pickle.
I’m not a nutritionist; for me it’s just common
sense. Clean eating is about cooking with the
seasons, lots of colours, few refined sugars, less
meat, less dairy. I want every mouthful to be
packed full of flavour, delicious, and to offer
something different.
This is one of those dishes. As we slide into
autumn, I like to make salads with grains and
lentils in place of greens. The dressing is redwine
vinegar and extra virgin olive oil, garlic,
and not much else. I like all the individual
flavours to sing, as they say, without sounding
too cringey!
Ingredients (serves four): 1 celeriac, peeled
and cubed; 2 whole beetroots, scrubbed; 60g
hazelnuts, toasted; 200g dried Puy lentils, precooked;
olive oil; a good handful of parsley and
mint, chopped. For the dressing: 1 small clove
garlic; 3tbsp red wine vinegar; 4tbsp good olive
oil; squeeze of lemon, salt and pepper.
Method: Pre-heat oven to 180°C. Dress the
beetroots in oil, salt and pepper then wrap in
foil. Place into a large roasting tray alongside
the seasoned celeriac and cook for 45 minutes,
or until you can slide a knife in easily. Cut the
cooked beetroot into wedges and then combine
all the ingredients in a large bowl. Shake up the
dressing in a jam jar, pour over the completed
salad and serve warm.
As told to Chloë King
instagram.com/thebluekitchen.lewes
81

DRINK
Sussex Blue Gin
Turning Sussex pink
It’s fair to say
Harley House
Distillery
are strong
contenders in
the local spirit
game. Not only
do they distil
their gin just
down the road
in Seaford from
a mixture of 15 botanicals, one of which
grows right here on the South Downs,
they even produce their own base alcohol
– which is rare for a small distillery – using
locally-sourced water. But with new Sussex
distilleries popping up all the time, how can
one make sure it stands out from the rest?
Harley House have come up with a unique
idea: Sussex Blue Gin. In the bottle, the
spirit is a deep, inky blue – which already
catches your eye on the shelf. But the real
magic happens when you mix it; the acidity
of the tonic turns the blue gin to a bright,
flamboyant pink. I pick up a bottle from
Symposium (£35) to bring with me to a
dinner party.
To prepare, pour one measure of gin over a
few cubes of ice. (Hold the lemon because,
as the man at Symposium points out, the
acidity causes the colour to change before
you have a chance to add the mixer.) Then
pour over the tonic and watch as the drink
bubbles from blue to purple to pink. Spritz
with edible glitter (optional) and enjoy.
So it is a bit of a gimmick, but it’s a gimmick
that keeps us entertained with every pour.
We polish off that bottle and, although the
flavour is more on the floral side than I
would normally go for, I’d buy it again just
for the magic. Rebecca Cunningham
delicious
food from...
ethiopia, sri lanka,
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plastic-free packaging |
vegan options
www.thefeaturekitchen.co.
info@thefeaturekitchen.co.uk // 07876655664
83

2 x free
Tsing Tao beers
for you and your
guest when you
eat in after 5pm
Monday to
Thursday and
spend over
£30*.
Bespoke Wedding
and Event Caterers
Tel: 01273 473235
162 High Street, Lewes, BN7 1XU
Opening Hours:
Mon/Wed/Thu: 12-2pm, 5-10.30pm
Fri/Sat: 12-2pm, 5-11.00pm
Sun: 12pm-10pm
Tues: closed
Home delivery service available from 5pm
*offer valid until 31st October
tel: 01273 694111
eat@circacirca.com
www.circacirca.com

FOOD
Illustration by Chloë King
Edible updates
There’s always a feast of events to choose from
in October. Firstly, congratulations to two of our
best loved institutions: Harvey’s, for winning
UK Brewery of the Year at the International Beer
Challenge (second year running); and Common
Cause, who turn twenty this year. Lewes
Farmers Market will celebrate with an extended
hours market, bar and family activities on the 6th
(see pg 91), and with A Taste of the Market talk
and tasting at Fitzroy House on the 12th (£10,
Eventbrite).
OctoberFeast offers a tempting selection of
pop-up suppers and Depot film specials, (see
lewesoctoberfeast.com). Stand-out events include
the Talking Trees Pop-up Woodland Café (6th);
A Wild Foraged Feast at The Secret Campsite
(7th) and a Regions of France Supper at Café du
Jardin (27th).
Autumn is the perfect time to keep your eyes open
for edible mushrooms,
and thus
Fire & Wild are
offering a Mushroom
Hunt & Feast on Oct 20th.
The Threshing Barn Café at Charleston is now
open, providing an even bigger draw to a favourite
venue. Aurora of Calypso Kitchen is cooking up a
Caribbean menu for The Feature Kitchen (weekends
of 5th, 12th & 19th October) and Bus Club
celebrate their first birthday, offering a free glass of
wine with any main meal, Mon-Thurs in Oct.
The Lamb reopens this month, promising
Barrel & Stone pizzas, charcuterie boards and a
wide range of gins. Sadly, Le Magasin has closed
and another sore loss is Spring Barn Farm. Last
up, you have until 24th Oct to nominate your
Lewes food heroes for the Sussex Food & Drink
Awards via sussexfoodawards.biz. Chloë King
enjoy a
complimentary
bottle of wine
For you and your guests when you
dine before 30th November
To redeem, present this page
- Choose from -
La Place Sauvignon Blanc 2016
or
Chemin De Marquiere Merlot 2016
82 HIGH STREET, LEWES, BN7 1XW | 01273 311 344 | www.cote.co.uk/lewes
Offer valid Sunday to Thursday at Côte Lewes only. Offer valid when 2 or more guests order main courses from our
à la carte menu. Not valid in conjunction with any other offer or set menu.

THE WAY WE WORK
This month, to fit in with our ‘larder’ theme, we asked photographer Emma
Croman to visit four intriguing food or drink producers. Whatever exciting
things they create by day, she asked them: ‘what’s your go-to comfort food?’
emmacroman.com
Lucie Hawkes, Wild Alchemy Foods
“A really good roast (the Pelham Arms do a great one)... and raw chocolate!”

THE WAY WE WORK
Merle Moustafa, Merle’s Kitchen
“A flaky croissant with chocolate and hazelnut spread, warmed in the oven.”

THE WAY WE WORK
Andrew Mellor, ABYSS Brewing
“A stacked drippy burger at the Pelham Arms or an authentic Neapolitan Pizza.”

THE WAY WE WORK
Einat Chalmers, Mamoosh Bakery
“Spicy Thai noodle soup with lots of fresh herbs and vegetables.”

The Pelham arms
LEWES’S FIRST
SMOKEHOUSE IN A PUB!
Best Burgers
for Miles
Home of
ABYSS Brewing
Award Winning
Sunday Roasts
VEGETARIAN, VEGAN &
GLUTEN FREE OPTIONS
Great Venue for
Celebrations
Children and
Dog Friendly
A Taste of the
Farmers Market
7pm 12th October
Fitzroy House, Cliffe Precinct
Tickets £10 in advance
via Eventbrite
OPENING TIMES
MONDAY BAR 4-11PM
TUESDAY TO THURSDAY
BAR 12 NOON TO 11PM
FOOD 12 NOON TO 2.30PM & 6 TO 9.30PM
FRIDAY & SATURDAY
BAR 12 NOON TO 11PM
FOOD 12 NOON TO 2.30PM & 6 TO 9.30PM
SUNDAY
BAR 12 NOON TO 10.30PM
FOOD 12 NOON TO 8PM
HIGH STREET LEWES BN7 1XL
T 01273 476149 E MANAGER@THEPELHAMARMS.CO.UK
BOOK ONLINE @ WWW.THEPELHAMARMS.CO.UK
Fresh and
Seasonal Sussex
Produce
LEWES
FARMERS
MARKET
Join us for
a special
extended
market to 3pm
for cocktails,
delicious
lunches and
children’s
activities
Visit Facebook or our website
for up-to-date information
www.commoncause.org.uk
Cliffe
Precinct
Lewes
6th October 2018
Celebrating
20
Years

TRADE SECRETS
Lewes Farmers Market
Twenty years of local food
The Lewes Farmers
Market celebrates
its 20th birthday on
6th October – when
it promises ‘an extra
special market’. I get
together with Manager
Annabel Frost to
chat about the secret
of its longevity, and
its birthday plans.
Have you been
involved all along?
No, I’ve been
manager for the last three years. For two years
before that, I was a trader – of hand-raised pies
– and before that a customer. The market was
started in 1998 by Common Cause, a not-forprofit
local body which is also responsible for
things like Furniture Now and Compost Doctor.
It’s the second oldest farmers’ market in the
country – the oldest is in Bath. It came about at
the right time in the right town. Six years ago,
it went from once to twice-monthly; and here
we are, twenty years on from the first market,
still going strong.
What do you think is the secret of its success?
We’ve never diluted our brand. There are
many markets springing up these days that claim
to be farmers’ markets but aren’t really – they
sell all sorts of things. Not us. We’re vigilant behind
the scenes. Our producers all need to meet
strict criteria – everything has to be produced
within a thirty-mile radius of Lewes, including
ingredients. A lot of people are conscious, these
days, of what they eat. And they know they can
trust the ‘brand’: we guarantee minimal food
miles, and minimal packaging, and our customers
keep coming back. We’re also attentive to the
overall mix of traders on any one Saturday. We
have about forty on
our books, though
some are seasonal,
so probably about
thirty setting up at
any one market. We
make sure there’s
plenty of variety.
How is it, working
with the producers?
They’re great. A
constant inspiration.
I always visit before
they start and, time
and again, I’m struck by what a remarkable
bunch they are: resourceful and resilient. They
have to be. They’re all passionate about what
they’re doing: what else would motivate you
to get up at four in the morning? Or remain
cheerful all day in wind and rain, and even the
extreme heat this summer? They’re each running
a small business and making a success of it.
That takes a certain breed. And they appreciate
the opportunity to trade at our market. Among
other things, it’s a great way to test the water for
their products.
What are your plans for the birthday market?
We usually run from 9am to 1pm every
first and third Saturday (in Cliffe Precinct).
This Saturday (6th October), we’ll have an
extension – till 3pm. This means street food –
which doesn’t normally feature. Do come and
enjoy some lunch with us. We’ll also have a gin
bar, courtesy of Tom Cat Gin, and have commissioned
them to create an original Farmers
Market cocktail specially for the occasion. Plus,
there’ll be a quiz for the kids, and live music –
from Edenwood, and maybe a.n.other. Come
along and find out. It should be quite a party.
Interview by Charlotte Gann
91

92
Photos by Tony Tree © Lee Miller Archives, England 2018. All rights reserved. leemiller.co.uk

MY SPACE
Lee Miller’s larder
Chicken in gold leaf, anyone?
“This one’s the oldest,”
says Ami Bouhassane,
pointing to a jar in a
high kitchen cupboard.
“That’s a chilli sauce
from 1952. That’s a
pepper jam from 1954.
That’s red currant jelly
from ’55. It’s the same
colour as the plum jam
from 1975… Dad’s
quite brave; he thinks
they should stay where
they’ve always been
but, because of the pressure in the jar, they could
explode, and they are merrily sitting above the two
Picasso lithographs.” The potentially explosive
preserves were made by Ami’s grandmother, Lee
Miller, in her exemplary 1950s fitted kitchen in
Farleys House at Muddles Green.
“When Lee died in 1977, she was a celebrated
cook. She was the equivalent of a celebrity
chef. The world had forgotten Lee Miller, war
correspondent and surrealist photographer.
And now it’s completely turned on its head and
everyone has forgotten about her as a cook and
they remember her as a photographer.”
Every cupboard and drawer in the kitchen is full, as
is so often the case with truly experimental chefs. “I
thought I’d get some of the gadgets to show you,”
says Ami, returning from the larder with various
contraptions. “We have heaps of gadgets. This
is a Legumex which is meant to be one of those
awesome time-saving devices with rubber fingers
for peeling potatoes. But the whole time-saving
aspect is completely destroyed when you have to
clean it.” She picks up another. “An ice shaver. Early
slushies! I don’t think she ever used this one. She
used to buy two of everything – one for Farleys and
one for their London
home – and get her
parents to send things
from America. There
are four boxes in the
larder of weird gadgets
that never made it back
together again after
they’d been cleaned
because they were so
complicated.”
“She would trawl
through magazines and,
if she saw an interesting
ingredient or cooking product she wanted, she’d
cut it out and paste it in her notebook. She once
discovered edible gold leaf, bought in a job lot
and covered a whole roast chicken. That was very
expensive, so she found Reynolds food wrap which
was gold on one side. Much cheaper.”
Whilst you could believe that Lee had just stepped
out, the kitchen is no shrine. It’s still in frequent use
by the Penrose family and Farley’s staff and visitors.
Brighton photographer Tony Tree has been
documenting the house over the past six years and
has had to find moments in between coffee breaks
and mealtimes to record the kitchen contents.
“It being so intact has a lot to do with Patsy,”
explains Ami. “She was Dad’s nanny and she just
stayed on. She ruled, and we never questioned the
contents of the kitchen, so we lived with our stuff
alongside Lee’s. We just knew to check the label
and, if there wasn’t a date, then we knew that we
really shouldn’t use it because it predated use-by
dates.” Lizzie Lower
Farleys House & Gallery is open every Sunday until
the end of October, with tours leaving regularly
from 10.30am until 3.30pm.
farleyshouseandgallery.co.uk
Photo of Ami Bouhassane and her father Antony Penrose by Tony Tree
© Lee Miller Archives, England 2018. All rights reserved. leemiller.co.uk
93

Namayasai
Specialist vegetable grower Robin Williams
My wife Ikuko and I were selling mizuna
and edamame in 2005, when hardly anyone
had ever heard of them. Now, our range is fiftyfifty
English heritage and Japanese varieties. For
instance, we grow purple potatoes, a variety of
beetroots, a range of soft fruits – desert blackcurrants,
gooseberries – and some lesser-known:
aronia berries, haskap, sea buckthorn. It’s fun
trying new things, the more unusual things.
Even with carrots: instead of the regular red
English carrots, we harvest wild ones. They’re
very popular.
We specialise in growing for flavour, nutrition
and freshness. We harvest under torchlight
for delivery (mainly to restaurants) the same day
and we grow almost entirely outdoors. The fact
is, plants grown under stress of the elements,
and those given more time to grow, produce
many more natural chemicals that enhance their
flavour and nutritional content.
I’m not a big fan of labels. People tend to
think about organic and non-organic as black
and white, but there’s so many shades of grey inbetween.
I think people should try the produce,
buy something that’s local and forget about the
label. (We do a vegetable box that we deliver
locally, usually on Thursdays.)
I’d stress the importance of growing with
nature, outside, but there’s no one way of
growing. If you look closely, there’re always disadvantages
to the so-called ‘perfect’ method. It’s
up to the individual really, to do what they feel
is best in their own unique growing environment
and circumstances – and to learn by trial
and error.
Growers, just as chefs, can be a bit like artists,
really. You create your own landscape. Our
garden at home is registered farmland. It’s
94

MY SPACE
probably the only residential plot in Lewes
and, even though we don’t get a subsidy, it’s
on the Defra map. We have much less time
to spend there now, but we still harvest some
crops. It’s almost like a propagating area, and
you’d be amazed what we get in our lawn –
wild orchids, for example.
We learnt a lot this year. It was the first
time we had such a long period of intense
heat and some seed just doesn’t germinate in
those temperatures. But this work is never
routine. There’s always something new happening.
And nature never ceases to amaze.
We’ve seen the greenhouse soil – which
we just left this year, because it needed a
break – as dry as dust. You’d think there
was no life in it at all, but once we put other
crops in, start watering, suddenly there’s lots
of growth from self-seeded crops.
Usually, in the summer, we see the
sunrise soon after we start harvesting. As
it gets later in the year, we see thousands of
stars, and often a strong moon so we don’t
even need torches to harvest by. Time flies.
We might start at two in the morning but
before you know it, it’s 7am, the van’s leaving
with the deliveries and it’s breakfast time;
half the day is gone. As told to Chloë King
namayasai.co.uk
Photos by Chloë King
95

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1 Station Farm Barns, Station Road, Glynde, Lewes, East Sussex, BN8 6EU
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Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Barwells Wealth is a trading name of Barwells Independent Financial Management Ltd.

HEALTH
Good grief
Moving on from loss
“Loss is a universal. It’s part of the human condition.”
So says Louise Anderson, and she speaks
with some authority. Having trained in Psychosynthesis
Counselling, she now specialises in
helping others to cope with loss, running regular
Life Beyond Loss courses in Lewes.
So how did it all start? “I was already working as
a counsellor,” she explains, “and then my husband
died quite suddenly in 2015. His death took me
on a journey, where I began to ask myself, ‘how
can I support myself with this?’”
Her investigations led her to the Grief Recovery
Method – and ultimately to set up Life Beyond
Loss. “It’s not a therapy, as such,” she clarifies, “it’s
a programme, which has distinct steps to take,
through to ‘emotional completion’. There are
always things that have been left incomplete when
someone dies – such as a conversation that hadn’t
been finished, or an issue that hadn’t been resolved
– and those are things we can work with.”
Her course is aimed at anyone struggling with any
kind of loss.
“Loss isn’t just experienced when people die,” she
points out, “but might be the end of a marriage,
children leaving home, loss of health, loss of
employment, even loss of trust, or loss of faith…
We’re all going through something, and sometimes
we don’t have the tools to deal with it.
“Way back in the past, we lived in communities
and could go round to a neighbour to talk and get
support. Now our lives are so busy and full that
it’s hard to find the space, and we don’t always
know how to work through things. We need to
relearn how to get in touch with our feelings and
how to process them in a way that supports us to
move on.”
That type of support is key in the Life Beyond
Loss group programme, she adds. “It suits some
people to work in a group. They can feel very
held in the structure, as each week we go through
certain things, leading up to a final session where
everything comes together. In the midst of
trauma, it’s very common to imagine nobody else
understands what you’re going through, so it’s
quite comforting to realise others are feeling the
same. It normalises what is a very natural process,
and, in a group, you don’t need to disclose anything
you don’t want to, so people can go at their
own pace.”
The group programme includes one-to-one
sessions before and after the seven-week course,
while there is also the option of completing the
whole course individually for those who prefer.
“We need to move on from the shame of appearing
weak or looking vulnerable,” Louise says. “I
firmly believe there’s always a way through, if
we’re open and prepared to ask for help.”
Anita Hall
The next Life Beyond Loss course takes place 30th
October to 11th December. For more details, see
lifebeyondloss.co.uk or call 07891 550196.
97

FITNESS
Lewes Pilot Gig Club
From the Ouse... to the Scillies?
Photo of the World Pilot Gig Championships at St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly
Local resident
Gary Budd is on a
mission to bring a
Lewes team to the
World Pilot Gig
Championships
next year. He
founded the Lewes
Pilot Gig Club
just last month
and he has already
secured the lease
on a boat for the club to train in, which will
be making its way to Lewes in early October.
His plan now is to build up a men’s crew and a
women’s crew, who will train together over the
coming months and be ready to compete in the
races at the Scilly Isles in May.
Gigs are 32-foot, traditionally wooden boats,
which originated in Cornwall in the 18th
century. They were used to transport pilots
and also goods from large sailing ships into the
small harbours; the gigs would race out to meet
a ship before other competitors, and gradually
this racing became an official sport.
A gig crew is made up of six rowers and a cox.
“It’s serious teamwork,” says Gary, who has been
rowing for over ten years. “You’ve got the first
stroke and second stroke at the back, who set
the pace, and everyone else follows suit, watching
each other’s blades so that you’re all rowing
together. As the oars knock against the pins on
the gunnels you hear a click all the way down
the boat, so it’s clear if one person’s out of time.
“Racing the World Championships is just unreal,”
he continues. “This year there were about
135 boats, from all round the UK – Cornwall,
Bristol, London – and from Australia, the US,
Bermuda…” The nearest club until now has
been Newhaven,
but Gary is
determined to
build up a strong
rowing community
here in the
town: “I think it’s
going to be a great
thing for Lewes.
We’ve got a lot of
support from the
Cornish Pilot Gig
Association and British Rowing, and the clubs
in London and Hayling Island. There’s a push
to get gig rowing recognised as an Olympic
sport, so they’re keen to encourage new clubs
to get started.”
The Lewes club will be based at Seaford &
Newhaven Sailing Club’s inland site, at Piddinghoe,
where the crew will train as frequently
as possible. “The more we can get everyone
out on the water, the better,” says Gary. But to
adapt to the shorter evenings over the winter
months, he is also in the process of working
out deals with a few local leisure facilities,
which will allow the club to train together,
whether through team swims or timed sessions
on a rowing machine.
The club are welcoming new members, with
any level of experience, to attend an open session
and find out more about what’s involved.
The date is to be confirmed and more details
will be released via the Lewes Pilot Gig Club
Facebook page. The club meet every Wednesday
at the Dorset at 7.30pm; join Gary and
the other members at the Plastic Free Seaford
Beach Clean on 7th October. Meet at the
Buckle at 10am.
Rebecca Cunningham
99

FOOTBALL
Ready for any challenge
Darren Freeman, Lewes FC men’s manager
Photo by James Boyes
As an opening gambit, in the bar after Lewes
(men’s) FC’s 8-1 FA Cup win over Moseley, I
wonder whether manager Darren Freeman is
more disappointed with the ‘1’, or delighted
with the ‘8’.
“I’m disappointed we let a goal in, to be
honest,” he says, though I can see, try as he
might, he can scarcely contain a broad smile of
satisfaction. “But I’m delighted with the way
the lads didn’t let them off the hook, and kept
on scoring”.
It’s a measure of the progress of his team that
they should so comprehensively thrash opponents
that were in the same league as them
last year, who came away from the Dripping
Pan with a 2-2 draw less than a year ago. Since
then, of course, Lewes have gained promotion
to the Bostik League Premier, and (as we go to
press at least) have started in impressive form,
looking more like promotion candidates than
relegation fodder.
Is it, I ask, a big step up into this league? And
how come we’ve started so strongly? “It’s a
huge step up,” he says. “At every level: the
teams are fitter, and faster, and more physical,
and more skillful. We’ve had some good new
signings, but it’s also about the learning curve
of our very young squad. The players have got
a lot of games in their legs now. They’re improving
all the time. They all know their roles
and their responsibilities, and they’re working
hard and getting rewards.”
“I’m a great believer in letting young players
have a go,” he continues. “And we’re always
looking to the Under 23s and the Under 18s
to see if there’s anyone who’s ready to train
with the first team, and, when they look good
enough, to get a game. Tonight, for example,
there were three youth players on the bench.”
It’s now four years since the 3G pitch was laid
down, and Freeman believes being able to
train on that surface has been a big factor in
his team’s success. “It’s massive,” he says. “The
facilities help to attract better players to the
club, and training on that [top-grade, artificial]
surface has really helped us to develop our
passing game.”
Lewes Women FC play at a higher level than
the men’s team – in the second tier, alongside
the likes of Manchester United and Spurs. Is
that an inspiration, I wonder, for the men?
“We want them to do well, just as I’m sure they
want us to do well. What’s good for the football
club, is good for us.”
Freeman needs to get home, but I manage to
fire one more question to him: does he think a
second promotion might be too far, too soon
for his young squad? “My first priority is getting
the 40 points we need to avoid relegation,”
he smiles. “After that… I mean, people have
babies without expecting to, don’t they? I’ll
make sure, and the club will make sure, that
we’re ready for any challenge that faces us.”
Alex Leith
101

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solicitors
Residential Conveyancing
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Chrismas Ogden Solicitors Limited, Howard Cottage, Broomans Lane, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 2LT.
Web www.chrismasogden.co.uk Telephone 01273 474159
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Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm

WILDLIFE
Illustration by Mark Greco
Jays
Acorn architects
Each autumn a lot of my conversations go like
this: “This morning I saw a weird pink and blue
bird on my lawn.” Me: “It’s a jay.” “There’s a
parrot on my bird table!” Me: “It’s a jay.” “I’ve
just seen…” Me: “It’s a jay”. Spotting such an
exotic-looking bird in the back garden gets even
my most wildlife-averse friends reaching for the
Blencowe bird-identification hotline. Yet, despite
looking like it has flown in direct from the jungles
of Costa Rica, the jay lives in Sussex all year
round. For most of the year it withdraws to the
woodlands and leads an elusive life amongst the
leaves. But in October it is time for the jay to step
out of the shadows.
Jays look fabulous. With extravagant pink plumage,
a drooping black moustache and a snazzy
electric blue flash through the wings, it’s no surprise
that eminent Sussex naturalist WH Hudson
called it ‘the British Bird of Paradise’. Surprisingly,
it’s a member of the crow family. But while the
related ravens, rooks, crows and jackdaws all wear
black funereal feathers, the jay obviously didn’t
get the memo about the dress code. Gather the
crows for a family portrait and the jay stands out
like Danny La Rue in full drag amongst a crowd
of coal miners. But when the jay opens its beak it
reveals its family heritage. The song of the jay is a
rough, rasping, nails-down-the-blackboard shriek
which would make any crow proud.
The reason we see more jays in the autumn is
because they are busy. Jays are nuts about acorns
and, at this time of the year, their favourite food
is in plentiful supply. But the jay is a clever bird.
Aware that there are lean times ahead, it starts
making a long-term investment for surviving the
winter. With up to nine acorns jammed in its beak
and throat, the jay flies far from the woodlands
and hides these nuts in nooks and under dead
leaves. With an impressive ability to remember
exactly where he has stashed them, the jay will
return to tuck into these life-saving larders in the
cold days of winter. I’ve employed a similar strategy
many times at parties. Faced with a full buffet
at the start of the night, I hide a few piles of crisps
and vol-au-vents behind curtains and cushions to
help me through the evening.
One jay can store up to 5,000 acorns in a season.
Not all are remembered and retrieved and, from
these lost acorns, mighty oaks grow. I often
wonder how many of the huge oaks we see in Sussex
were originally planted by jays. Through the
centuries these birds have been architects of the
English countryside: a landscape created by the
forgetfulness of a pink crow.
Michael Blencowe, Senior Learning & Engagement
Officer, Sussex Wildlife Trust
103

RICHARD GREEN FUNERAL SERVICE
The only truly independent, family owned and run
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There are Funeral “Directors”
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Or there is Richard Green Funeral Service
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We always listen to what you want
and pride ourselves on exceeding your expectations
170 High Street
Lewes
BN7 1YE
01273 488121 (24hrs)
lewes@rgreenfs.co.uk
125 High Street
Uckfield
TN22 1RN
01825 760601 (24hrs)
uckfield@rgreenfs.co.uk

COLUMN
Lewes Out Loud
Plenty more Henty
Whatever your thoughts
about the hot weather
experienced this summer,
and mine were far from
favourable, I have to concede
that our two small
plum trees benefitted big
time – and I mean big.
My photograph shows
one bowlful of the plump
Victorias but there were
literally hundreds of them to choose from and
daily picking was a pleasure – what you might
call a genuine plum job!
It is claimed Victoria plums were first discovered
by a Suffolk nursery owner named Denyer
in 1837, the year Queen Victoria succeeded to
the throne. She was crowned the following year.
The trees rarely get old apparently due to their
high fruit production.
Now I don’t know about you, but I have to say
there is a limit to the number of times I can eat
plums and custard – however delicious. Bottling
the beauties is one answer, of course. Remember
Kilner jars? As a child, our walk-in larder
at home was full of them, together with jars of
home-made jam and pickles.
Come to think of it, what has happened to
larders in this frantic age of freezing and refrigeration?
We even slept in ours, positioned as it
was under the staircase, during the flying bomb
raids over South London. The larder was dark
but strangely reassuring and there was always
the bonus of a handy midnight snack.
While I’m in a reflective mood, and you know
me, a conversation recently outside Boots
the chemist reminded me of the days Salvation
Army members in
uniform would visit local
pubs in an effort to raise
funds and spread the
Gospel message.
Good friend Graham, the
bearded chap with a smile,
himself a church member,
carries on that tradition
with his regular visits to
our town and it is always
a joy to stand with him and note the generosity
of local shoppers. Good humoured too, and noone
leaves without a “God Bless!”
Few though, like Lewesian Terry, pick up a copy
of War Cry, which is a shame because it is an
excellent read. The editorial in my edition dealt
with homelessness in Brighton and Hove but
also had features for Bake-Off fans and those
interested in Skype. There was even an article
about a church service for Goths. The Salvation
Army first published a newspaper called War
Cry in London in December 1879 and it has
appeared every week since then – a remarkable
record. By my reckoning, Viva Lewes (albeit
monthly) will achieve a similar goal in 2145.
There’s a challenge for our new editor!
Finally, congratulations to all those involved
with Artwave this year. I dropped in on several
exhibitions and was particularly impressed by the
Sussex Guild celebration of fifty creative years.
The Southover Grange Gallery was full of light
and glorious colour on the afternoon of my visit.
With the festive season fast approaching, it’s a
perfect place to find that special gift. Naturally,
we’ll be giving out labelled jars of home-made
plum jam.
105

BUSINESS NEWS
Marchand Son have
opened their (beautifully
coloured) doors at the
top of Station Street.
After 16 years in London,
they’ve moved south,
offering ‘our own brand
of entirely natural, ecofriendly
paint made with local ingredients
from the South Downs’. You can find them
at makespeoplehappy.com: they’ve certainly
cheered us up. Welcome too to Ed Gunter and
Jon Neal, founders of Revive Joinery, opening
this month in the Cheese Please premises
by the War Memorial. Revive specialise in
‘turning industrial and commercial materials
into high-end unique furniture’.
Talking revivals, the King’s Head, in Southover,
and the Rainbow, in Cooksbridge, have
been bought up by Revived Inns, also responsible
for the recent refurb of the Royal Oak, in
Newick. The Lamb, meanwhile, is rebranding
as a gin bar… which leaves a Lamb-sized gap
in the local live music
scene. Anyone ready to
step up to the plate?
And Ez Tutty’s ice cream
parlour, in the old Hugh
Rae shop, now plans to
add hot chocolate, waffles,
tea & scones, and oldfashioned
sweets to the menu – and stay open
all winter. Yum.
Need office space? Michael Bell has at least
seven desks to rent in St Anne’s House,
111 High Street, a beautiful Grade II* listed
building. And congrats to three winners in the
Lewes District Business Awards: Oakley,
for Professional Services; Bake Out for Food
and Drink Producer; and Alexis Dove for Best
Independent Retailer.
Finally, Late Night Shopping is planned for
Thursday 6th December, Lewes Chamber
of Commerce Head Clare Crouch confirms.
It’ll run from 6-9pm; this year’s charity is
Rockinghorse.
Photo by Katie Moorman
Because every life is unique
…we are here to help you make your
farewell as personal and individual as possible,
and to support you in every way we can.
Inc. Cooper & Son
42 High Street, Lewes
01273 475 557
Also at: Uckfield • Seaford • Cross in Hand
www.cpjfield.co.uk

DIRECTORY
Please note that though we aim only to take advertising from reputable businesses, we cannot guarantee
the quality of any work undertaken, and accept no responsibility or liability for any issues arising.
To advertise in Viva Lewes please call 01273 434567 or email advertising@vivamagazines.com
• Digital TV aerial upgrades & service
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• Extra points
• Communal systems
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• Satellite TV installs and service
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• European systems serviced and installed
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WE FIT BIRD DETERRENTS
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07958 473 622 | 01273 046 039
107

HOME
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Aluminium windows, doors,
lantern roofs and bi-folding doors.
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T: 01273 487 565 M. 07801 784 192
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UIS OF EWES 07778987286
leweshandyman@hotmail.com
LOCAL HANDYMAN _ PAINTER AND DECORATOR
Interior and exterior painting
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FINDING SOLUTIONS
REFERENCES AVAILABLE
IF YOU THINK “WHO COULD REPAIR THIS?” CALL LUIS OF LEWES
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HOME
PROFESSIONAL RELIABLE
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LADY DECORATOR LEWES
For a no obligation quote call
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HOME AND GARDEN
PAUL FURNELL
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Based in Lewes
t. 07717 862940 e. paul.lee.furnell@gmail.com
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07796 802588
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GARDENS
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S1.001_QuarterPage_Ad_01.indd 1 12/11/10 Winners 18:24:51
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brookhartservices@gmail.com
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We work with individuals,
couples, families and groups.
Sam Jahara (MSc Psych UKCP Reg.)
Psychotherapist and superviser
Mark Vahrmeyer (MA Psych UKCP Reg.)
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Psychotherapist and superviser
Jane Craig (MSc ClinPsych HCPC Reg.)
Clinical psychologist and superviser
Magdalena Whitehouse (MA HCPC Reg.)
Drama therapist and superviser
Thea Beech (MA TGA UKCP Reg.)
Psychotherapist and Group Analyst
David Bor (MPhil ACP Accred)
Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist
01273 921355
The Barn, 64 Southover High Street, Lewes, BN7 1JA
Third Floor, 6 The Drive, Hove BN3 3JA
www.brightonandhovepsychotherapy.com
admin@brightonandhovepsychotherapy.com
Qualified & Experienced gardener
07912 606 557

HEALTH
VALENCE ROAD OSTEOPATHS
Counselling
in Lewes
neck or back pain?
Lin Peters - OSTEOPATH
for the treatment of:
neck or low back pain • sports injuries • rheumatic
arthritic symptoms • pulled muscles • joint pain
stiffness • sciatica - trapped nerves • slipped discs
tension • frozen shoulders • cranial osteopathy
pre and post natal
www.lewesosteopath.co.uk
20 Valence Road Lewes 01273 476371
Acupuncturist & Nutritionist
Hanna Evans
The Open Door, Church Twitten, Lewes
01273 474949 | evans.hanna@gmail.com
Visit: www.hannaevans.co.uk
Periods •
Migraines •
Fertility issues •
Pregnancy •
Post-natal •
Menopause •

HEALTH
Ruth Wharton Viva Advert 8.18 AW.qxp_6 10/07/2018 08
Taking a Natural Approach
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www.chantryhealth.com 07970 245118
RUTH
WHARTON
BA (Hons) BSc (Hons) Ost Med DO
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INTRINSIC HEALTH • 01273 958403
32 Cliffe High Street, Lewes BN7 2AN
intrinsichealthlewes.co.uk
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Psychotherapy, Family Therapy,
Herbal Medicine, Massage,
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Podiatry/Chiropody

CLIFFE OSTEOPATHS
complementary health clinic
Tom Lockyer
BA (Hons). Dip Couns, MBACP
Counselling and Psychotherapy
I offer a professional, conndential counselling
service for individuals and
couples. In providing a safe, supportive,
mindful space, I seek to facilitate the
deepening self-awareness and compassion
for oneself and others, together
with consolidating the psychological resilience
that allows us to better
manage the stuff of life.
I am happy to answer any questions you
may have about the way I work.
Call 07711 265642 or
tom@sussextherapyworks.co.uk
OSTEOPATHY
Mandy Fischer BSc (Hons) Ost, DO
Steven Bettles BSc (Hons) Ost, DO
HERBAL MEDICINE & REFLEXOLOGY
Julie Padgham-Undrell BSc (Hons) MCPP
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Julia Rivas BA Hons), MA Psychotherapy
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01273 480900
23 Cliffe High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 2AH
www.lewesosteopath.com
Open Monday to Friday and Saturday mornings
Welcome to
The Cliffe Osteopathy
& Complementary
Health Clinic
Cameron Dowsee M.Ost
Cameron will be available on
a Saturday morning offering
osteopathic treatment and
sports massage if required.
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types of osteopathic treatment
tailored to the specific needs of
the paaent. He has a parrcular
interest in sports injuries and is
able to offer osteopathy , sports
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For an appointment with
Cameron please call The Cliffe
Clinic on 01273 480900 or
07716460250
CLIFFE OSTEOPATHS
complementary health clinic

HEALTH
HERBALIST
Kym Murden
BA Hons Dip Phyt
Weaving wellness together
whatever your age.
Doctor P. Bermingham
Retired Consultant Psychiatrist. Retired Jungian Psychoanalyst.
Assoc. Med. Psychotherapy. Psychotherapy for the
psychological core of depression, depressive illness and relapse.
Supervision for therapists
drpbermingham@gmail.com
Herb & Health Workshops
Visit:
kymmurden.com
Appointments 07780 252186
IMPROVE YOUR FUTURE
Transform your health
Conquer your fears
Stop smoking for good
Life Coaching, Transformational Therapy
and Hypno-Coaching in Lewes
info@claudinegrant.co.uk / 07771 457390
www.claudinegrant.co.uk
NHS FREE HEALTH CHECKS
St Annes Pharmacy is now offering FREE NHS
HEALTH CHECKS to eligible paaents.
Please ask for further details.
These will take around 20 minutes to complete.
We will be taking appointments on
WEDNESDAYS iniially.
OTHER SERVICES
The Cycling Seamstress
Vanessa Newman
Alterations, repairs, tailoring & hair cutting
07766 103039 / nessnewmantt@gmail.com
FLU VACCINATIONS
We are taking appointments for flu
vaccinaaons. These will be FREE for those
eligible on the NHS and £12 for private
vaccinaaons. Please contact the pharmacy
for further informaaon.
(Closed between 1-2pm)

COMPETITIVE
PRICES
FLO TYRES
& ACCESSORIES
LOCAL INDEPENDENT RETAILER.
TYRES. BATTERIES. BULBS. WIPERS
FROM STOCK WHILE YOU WAIT.
FREE TREAD & WEAR CHECKS.
PUNCTURE REPAIRS.
WHEEL BALANCING.
WHEEL ALIGNMENT.
Flo Tyres And Accessories
Unit 1 Malling Industrial Estate, Brooks Road, Lewes, BN7 2BY
Tel: 01273 481000 | Web: flotyres.com | info@flomargarage.com
OTHER SERVICES
EXPERT
ADVICE
O N E S T O P S H O P F O R P R E M I U M , M I D R A N G E A N D B U D G E T T Y R E S
We also stock vehicle batteries, wiper
blades, bulbs and top up engine oils.

OTHER SERVICES
LESSONS & COURSES
www.andrewwells.co.uk
We can work it out
• BUSINESS ACCOUNTS AND TAX
• MEDIA AND THE ARTS
• CONTRACTORS AND CONSULTANTS
• FRIENDLY AND FLEXIBLE
T: 01273 961334
E: aw@andrewwells.co.uk
FREE
initial
consultation
Andrew M Wells Accountancy
99 Western Road Lewes BN7 1RS
GUITAR LESSONS
with Guy Pearce
For all ages and abilities. Fully CRB checked
• Lessons and Grades in Electric and Acoustic guitar.
• Mobile Tuition
• Guitar restringing service.
07504173888
guypearceguitarlessons@gmail.com
Ages 16 and up from an experienced, qualified teacher
Contact: Lucinda Houghton BA(Hons), AGSM (GSMD), FRSM
Kingston, Lewes (Ample parking)
07976 936024 | canto-voice.org
drew Wells_Viva Lewes_AW.indd 1 25/06/2012 09:05
LESSONS AND COURSES
French, Italian & English
Would you like to speak French or Italian?
In 15-20 hours you can reach conversational level.
Beginner to advanced. Groups and individuals.
Highly qualified, experienced teacher. Outstanding results.
Contact Aggie on 07974 626276 or aggiejonas@gmail.com
Singing Lessons
Experienced voice teacher - DBS checked - Wallands area
www.HilarySelby.com
07960 893 898

GARAGES
We print 11,500 magazines monthly
We deliver 7,500 into homes
The rest into high visibility pick ups
Advertise with us
01273 488882
EXPERT
ADVICE
I N C O R P O R A T I N G F L O T Y R E S
INDEPENDENT GARAGE
CELEBRATING 12TH YEAR
SERVING LOCAL COMMUNITY.
ALL MAKES & MODELS
COMPETITIVE RATES
QUALITY PARTS
HIGHLY SKILLED TECHNICIANS
www.mechanicinlewes.co.uk
info@flomargarage.com
Units 1-3 Malling Industrial Estate, Brooks Road, Lewes BN7 2BY
Vehicle Servicing, Repairs and MOT Service: 01273 472691
www.mechanicinlewes.co.uk | info@flomargarage.com

INSIDE LEFT
BARROW BOY
We were sent this picture by Tom Reeves, as a
suggestion for the October theme, ‘larder’. He
also sent a caption from the archives: ‘Mr Buckwell
with grandson and hand barrow, 1928’.
Down to the record office. There were eight different
Buckwell families living in Lewes in the
directory of that year, but this must certainly be
Isaiah Buckwell, a greengrocer, who lived above
his shop at 42 North Street, two doors down
from the Blacksmith’s Arms. Isaiah was born in
1867, which would make him 61 in this picture.
A look at the electoral register of 1911 sees him,
aged 44, already living at the same address with
his wife Annie (40), and five children, Annie
(21), Isiah (19), Ruth (17), Albert (13) and David
(6), as well as son-in-law Hubert Washer. His
occupation is listed as ‘greengrocer’; we know
that he was working in the shop for some years
before that. The building was demolished, along
with many of its neighbours at the town end of
North Street, in the sixties.
There must be a reason he commissioned this
picture and, from the look at the button-hole
flowers and the dapper way both grandfather and
grandson are dressed, we imagine them to be on
their way to a wedding. Chances are this was the
wedding of his daughter Ruth, in the autumn
of 1928, to Frederick J Martin, a corn dealer.
Frederick and Ruth, we can see from the Kelly’s
register, continued to live at number 42 at least
until WW2 began. After Isaiah’s death in 1944,
his son Isiah, known as Ike, took over the shop.
So who is the little chap with the cane? Vanessa
Fielding, great granddaughter of Isaiah, reckons
(via the Lewes Past group on Facebook) that
the child is most likely to be one of her uncles,
Stanley or Raymond Buckwell. He looks more
sombre than his grandad, who is replete with
medals, rings and a fob watch, and holding an
unlit cigar. His barrow is full of exotic fruit,
including a pineapple, grapes and some bananas.
The spot the picture was taken has hardly
changed since: we’re talking the little area on
Castle Precincts which offers a view towards
Offham and beyond. We are unable to identify
the two females shyly looking on, but we have
little doubt someone out there will be able to tell
us more. Alex Leith
Thanks, as ever to Edward Reeves Photography,
159 High Street, 01273 373274
122

Pr ices from £249,950
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Exclusively for the over 60s
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Drop in to see us, or call Christine and Marie on 01323 315 087 to book your private viewing.
Visit pegasuslife.co.uk/hortsley for more information

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