Author: Andrew Taylor
Town Mayor’s Charity Music Quiz
The Town Mayor, Cllr Bob Mainstone, held his Charity Music Quiz on Tuesday 12 July in the Meridian Hall. With 18 teams battling to become champions they were put through their paces by Quiz Master Barry Rossiter. At the end two teams – “Peanutters” and “All in it together” were tied on 74.5 points so a play-off question had to answered. “All in it together” provided the winning answer and so became worthy champions receiving their prize from the Town Mayor. The booby prize for propping up the scoring chart went to the gallant “Famous Five” who received their prize in good spirit and vowed to do better next time!
Bob added,” It was a great night created by Barry with lots of memory searching music questions. With the help of The Friends of the Museum who ran the raffle the pleasing amount of £1,031 was raised for my three charities. I would also like to thank “Indigo Events” for providing a lovely supper for our 140 quizzers.”
Lest We Forget
IN a regular feature on the Town Council website, we will be remembering, on the anniversary of their deaths, the East Grinstead soldiers who died during WWI, and who are named on the High Street War Memorial.
This month we recall (as recorded on The Roll of Honour website):
Harry Reginald ADAMS
Gunner 76193 8th Battery 37th Brigade. Royal Field Artillery
Died of wounds 13. 7.16.
Born and enlisted in East Grinstead.
Buried Carnoy Military Cemetery. F.513
John Charles Raymond GODWIN
Second Lieutenant 7th Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment. 12th Division. (‘B’ Company).
Killed in action at Ovillers 7. 7.16. Aged 27.
Alfred JENNER
(Possibly) Private 6314 2/6th Battalion, The Royal Warwickshire Regiment. 19th Division.
Killed in action 19. 7.16.
Enlisted in Hastings. Resident of Marks Cross. Formerly with the Royal Sussex G/2987.
Commemorated on The Loos Memorial MR. 19
Alfred Thomas KEMP
Private 18016 The Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) No. 11 Company
Killed in action on the Somme 1. 7.16. age 21.
Son of Alfred and Agnes Kemp of 1, Railway Cottages, East Grinstead. Born and enlisted in East Grinstead. Formerly with the Rifle Brigade.
Commemorated on The Thiepval Memorial MR.21
Charles LEDWORD
Private G/8834 2nd Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment. 1st Division.
Died of wounds 23. 7.16.
Born and enlisted in East Grinstead. Next of kin, East Grinstead.
Buried Albert Communal Cemetery Extension F. 430
Charles William RICE, MM
Lance Corporal 4301 1st Battalion, The Rifle Brigade. 4th Division.
Killed in action on the Somme 1. 7.16. age 21.
Son of Charles and Emma Rice of 74, West Street, East Grinstead. Born in Bermondsey and enlisted in East Grinstead.
Buried A.I.F.Burial Ground, Flers. F. 744
Rio arrives at East Court
The second of the Town Council’s East Court Live events took place on Sunday 3rd July with the carnival show. East Grinstead Carnival parade having set off from Railway Approach arrived several hundred participants strong, plus onlookers and supporters at East Court by 1pm. The music started at 1:15 with fabulous local group The Tar Babies who got the party rocking to their repertoire of well-known tunes.
At 2:30 Sackville School hit the stage with choirs and bands followed at 3:30 by Rock Choir and at 4pm Shaun Angels Urban City Dance gave an energetic and lively street-dance demonstration. Headliner Rogue Minogue dressed in feathers and full show girl outfit, added to the carnival atmosphere with her Kylie tribute act encouraging a conga line doing the locomotion through the crowd.
It was a great afternoon, the sun shone and the spirit of Rio and the coming Olympics was spread around East Grinstead. The crowds generously donated nearly £700 to the Town Mayor’s charities (Town Museum, Bluebell Railway and Jigsaw) on the day.
The next and final East Court Live for 2016 will be on 7 August “East Court Rocks” with acts including Inchoir, Sweet Revenge, and Euphoria.
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Burrin Awards 2016
The Burrin Awards are presented annually by Disability Access (East Grinstead Area) to organisations that have shown particular endeavour to provide facilities for people
with disabilities.
At the Disability Access AGM on 5 July at East Court, organised by Chairman Paul Johnson, Chairman of Mid Sussex District Council, Peter Reed, welcomed everyone to the meeting. Town Mayor Cllr Bob Mainstone presented the Burrin Awards to three local organisations.
- Roger Kelly received the award on behalf of the Bluebell Railway for their ASH project and the production of their video towards the application to the heritage Lottery Fund. The ASH (Accessible Steam Heritage) is a project to allow a wide range of visitors to learn about steam heritage. This would allow ramped access for all visitors to the running plates of steam locomotives in the engine shed.
- Kate Green received the award on behalf of the West Sussex Library Service for their help with the setting up of the boom boxes for the Visually Impaired Readers’ Group. The boom boxes provide a sound recording of books and newspapers.
- Mike Kettle received the award on behalf of the East Grinstead Target Shooting Club for the provision of a unisex toilet facility at the club.
The Committee members elected for 2016–17:
- Chairman: Paul Johnson
- Secretary: Rosemary Rowe
- Treasurer: Olive Harper
- Executive: Cliff Barrow, Eddie Harper, Bob Astington, Carole Steggles, Kathy Mackie- Clark, Andrew Brock
Photo shows (l to r): Cllr Bob Mainstone (Town Mayor), Roger Kelly (Bluebell Railway), Kate Green (West Sussex Library Service), Paul Johnson (Disability Access Chairman), Mike Kettle (East Grinstead Target Shooting Club), Cllr Peter Reed (Chairman Mid Sussex District Council)
Neighbourhood Plan Examination Hearing
The Examiner Deborah McCann had determined that a hearing is necessary for the draft East Grinstead Neighbourhood Plan. This has been called for Wednesday 20 July at 10am and will be held in the Meridian Hall. The meeting is open to the public but is not a public meeting. Contributions to the discussion will be in accordance with a prescribed and timed agenda to be advised by the Examiner, and by invited parties only. Mid Sussex District Council have advertised the hearing in a notice dated 30th June.
The public are welcome to attend the hearing and watch the proceedings but may not disturb the hearing.
Road Closure – East Grinstead Town Centre
Summer Events Programme 2016
Nighttime vigil held by town to mark The Day Sussex Died WW1
In the small hours of the morning, a small group of East Grinstead Town Council representatives made up of Town Mayor Cllr Bob Mainstone, Mayoress Cllr Christine Mainstone, Town Leader Cllr Rex Whittaker and partner Ali Hinton, Chairman of Amenities and Tourism Cllr Adam Peacock and Town Clerk Julie Holden gathered at 3:05am to light a candle and pay their respects.
Later in the morning at 7:00am they returned and together with the Royal British Legion, provided an honour guard of flag bearers and at 8:00am the Town Mayor laid a wreath as the High Street traffic was held for a minutes silence. The candle burned for 5 hours to mark the length of the battle of Boars Head Richebourg.
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Battle of the Somme 100th Anniversary
We are advised that there will be a national 2 minutes silence to mark the 100th year anniversary of the beginning of the Battle of the Somme.
At 7.28am the East Grinstead branch of the Royal British Leagion will blow three blasts on a whistle at the High Street War Memorial (the signal to “go over the top”) – this will be followed by 2 minutes silence.
The Town Mayor and Clerk will be in attendance, all are invited to pause and reflect