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Adur Valley News Bulletin

Adur Torpedo

This is the first published Electronic Newspaper for
Shoreham-by-Sea and District, West Sussex, England

October 1999 : Volume 1 Issue 3

News & Events

4/5 September 1999 (Sat/Sun)
BATTLE OF BRITAIN AIR SHOW

Shoreham Airport

The weather was sunny for the 1999 Air Show with the usual displays of aircraft, but with nothing special to attract enthusiasts who have seen the show before.

Plans for Shoreham Harbour

Moss Environmental put their plans on display for the future of the Port of Shoreham. On first inspection, the plans seem really no more than coloured illustrations, without adequate research (at least published and available to the public). The plans for Southwick beach seem to be an area of wharfage destroying the beach in favour of a docking area available on all tides. This is exposed to all the storms (not a harbour as a shelter for vessels) and appears badly flawed.

The consultants received public money, including a contribution of £20,000 from Adur District Council.

The weir plan has been abandoned. This is not surprising in view of the local opposition, based on an understanding of the environmental damage the scheme would cause, and the vast expense without any benefits (it seems that navigation would have actually been impeded).

However, I know that at least one Councillor is still partly in favour of the scheme. I can only put this down to the lack of any environmental (ecological) expertise or judgement.

If you wish to discuss this subject, please send a message by EMail.

The Marlipins Museum is now closed for the winter.

Wildlife Reports

The rain has finally come. For the second half of September, it seems to have rained quite hard every day. The showers and downpours came in bursts. It was still warm and it was easy to get caught out.

Not surprisngly, there has not been any wildlife reports of any special significance. The Little Egrets still visited the estuary.

Historical Snippets

Goldstone Mail Robbery

In the 18th century the mail was delivered by horseback.

In Shoreham, on 30 October 1792, a crook by the name of Edward Howell undertook the robbery of the mail coach at the Goldstone Bottom, with his accomplice a young man named James Rook. James Rook gave away his involvement at the Red Lion, Shoreham, and the two highwaymen were arrested for the robbery from John Stephenson (the boy delivering the mail) of half a sovereign. They were tried and found guilty at the Spring Assizes at Horsham and sentenced to death. The hangings took place on 26 April 1793 before a large crowd at the Goldstone. After the two guilty men were hanged, the bodies were saturated in tar and enclosed in a gibbet, an iron frame with the chains fastened to the bodies.

The loud black nights for us, and the storm rushing over the down,
When I cannot see my own hand, but am led by the creak of the chain,
And grovel and grope for my son till I find myself drenched with the rain.

But he lived with a lot of wild mates, and they never would let him be good;

They swore that he dare not rob the mail, and he swore that he would;

And he took no life, but he took one purse, and when all was done

He flung it among his fellows–I’ll none of it, said my son.

I came into court to the Judge and the lawyers. I told them my tale,
God’s own truth–but they kill’d him, they kill’d him for robbing the mail.
They hang’d him in chains for a show–we had always borne a good name–
To be hang’d for a thief–and then put away–isn’t that enough shame?
Dust to dust–low down–let us hide! but they set him so high
That all the ships of the world could stare at him, passing by.
God ’ill pardon the hell-black raven and horrible fowls of the air,
But not the black heart of the lawyer who kill’d him and hang’d him there.

Extracts from "Rizpah" by Alfred Tennyson

The poem was based on the experiences of the mother of James Rook, but was not written until about a century later.
The bit in the poem (not shown above) about James Rook who could have joined the Army is probably from Alfred Tennyson's own experiences.

http://members.tripod.com/~IMAHH/timeline.htm

Brief History of Shoreham-by-Sea

Web Sites