Recently back in print, this is a fascinating look at life in Fairlight during the 20th century by a local resident, Alan Shearer. He covers many of the people and businesses who resided in Fairlight and Pett, with many stories to tell. This is available at the Archive to read, or you can buy it ...
A History of Pett written and illustrated by Zoe Vahey, the cover was by Fred. Zoe and Fred Vahey came to live in Pett in 1938. This booklet records a history of the area from ancient times, through the Medieval period and concluding after World War II. Zoe was a keen archaeologist This booklet was originally ...
Compiled in 2014 by John Taylor this booklet has fascinating snippets about Pett: dates through history; the first murder in the area; who lived in Pett in 1894; history of local place names; Pett through the wars; businesses in Pett; coronation celebrations...
Auction Catalogue - The Outlying portions of the Fairlight Hall Estate - Auction sale that took place on November 24th 1917 - 3,580 acres in 75 lots. 'Mixed Dairy and Sheep Farms, Fatting Marsh Pastures, Old Sussex Houses and Cottages, with magnificent Sea Views, Exceptional Sites, Building Land, Woodlands, Ground Rents and Clean Beach Gravel'.
A sample of pages from one (1927 to 1937) of nine ledgers from the Pett firm Barden & Sons dating from the late 1800s to the mid 1900s. We have copied only a few pages. Barden & Sons were the main builders in the area and the chances are your home lies among the entries! ...
Tom Barden making a wheel at his Wheelwrights in Pett village
'Beating the Bounds' is a tradition going back 2000 years although the term came in with Elizabeth I. A boy's head was bumped against the marker stone so he would not forget where the parish boundaries lay. This died out in the 19th century after the Enclosures Act. Photograph shows the Rector and Mr F. Harman 'bumping' ...
Carter's (Carthouse) farm was sold as part of the Fairlight Hall Auction in 1917.
This research has been conducted by Julie Marshall of Downhouse. It relates the story of the plaque that resided in the Catholic church in Pett until it was decommissioned in 1982. It now resides in a private home in Fairlight.
These four scanned copies of Cecil W Bacon's work were kindly donated by Julie Marshall. These are examples of his Pen and Ink Scraperboard Drawing. The illustration was for an exhibition of his work in the Hastings Museum and Art Gallery in 1983/84. The pig was his 'trademark" and is also on his gravestone in ...
Photo and drawing depicting Elms Farm, Pett. The second photo is taken from the Fairlight Hall sale catalogue dated 24th November 1917
Rye and Battle Sussex Express dated Friday, January 18 1974: Daphne Davis of Church Farm, Guestling set up a committee representing Pett, Guestling, Three Oaks, Fairlight and Icklesham, for a care home in Icklesham donated by Dick Merricks of Icklesham. Richard Strange from Pett, asked for each subcommittee to help with fund-raising and nominate elderly ...
Letter to residents of Pett, Pett Level and Fairlight, dated March 1949, to consider the formation of a Flower, Fruit and Vegetable Society.
Fred Vahey was a local, bohemian, artist who lived for many years in Panel Lane in a caravan before building his own thatched cottage. His wife, Zoe, a local historian who has her history of Pett of this website, was also an artist and an archaeologist , but it is Fred who was prolific in ...
A book by Ann Kramer describes those who were conscientious objectors during the Second World War; why they became one, what they had to do and their subsequent roles. One person mentioned is Fred Vahey, often using a narrative from his daughter Lorna. We have taken some of the excerpts from the book. If you ...
Black and white undated photograph of the rear of front of French Court Farm House with large tree and barn.
Black and white undated photograph of French Court Farmhouse carts (could one be a Barden Sussex Wagon?)with top of oast house seen behind the farmhouse.
Black and white photograph of the front of French Court farmhouse showing wooden fence and hedge, taken in 1917.
Gatehurst Farmhouse, barns and oast house These are early pictures before the oast houses were turned into The Roundels a private home. A list of owners (first being Robert Dingley, a haberdasher from London, in 1717). researched by John Taylor. Gatehurst has been in both the parishes of Pett and Fairlight due to parish boundary ...
Ivy Cottage is Grade II listed and dates from the late 18th/early 19th century. These are early photos and written postcards of/from Ivy Cottage taken about the early 1900s Ivy cottage is located just past the recreation ground on the left hand side, just before Rectory Cottages on the right. Only the side can be seen ...
Courtesy of Hastings and Rother Family History Society, we have copies of their booklets: Baptisms 1675-1812; Marriages 1675-1940; Burials 1675-1904. These list all baptisms (not births), marriages and burials registered in St Mary and St Peter's church. You can acquire your own copies direct from the Family History Society, or view our copies which we hold ...
The First Company of the Cinque Ports Rifle Volunteers was launched in 1859, as a defence against a possible invasion from the French. Disbanded in 1908 the gun was taken by a team of horses to Fairlight and the Company had its Orderly Room on the Fairlight Road. See article for more details.
1931 map showing land plots in Cliff End, 1931
The map was designed and printed by Joan Zeepvat for 2000. It features old and new buildings along the roads of Pett and Pett Level