One of the most interesting ways to approach local history is through the memories of those who were there. While taking into account the vagaries of memory, reminiscences of the past provide a unique source of information for the historian. In the case of Crawley before the First World War,…
Having freshly arrived at the end of 1990 from the EU on work permit visas my wife and I were promptly furnished by the Home Office with Registration Certificates, and asked to report our domicile in Crawley to the local Police. We were labelled “Aliens” which makes our kids laugh…
Caroline Haslett at the Signing of Youngmans lease, September 1949. Suffragette and women’s equality campaigner Caroline Haslett (1895-1957) was born and grew up in Three Bridges. She went on to champion the role of women in the world of mainstream employment – particularly engineering – by their emancipation from domestic…
By David Stoker My family and I arrived in Crawley when I was three and a half years old. Our previous home had been a cramped second floor garret at 208 East Lane, Walworth, just off the Old Kent Road. It was the period leading up to the great London…
A Crawley Parody PreludeFree time free land free loveEverything was free It was the season for bicyclesAnd we wanted to raceOn a track with lots of featuresTough, very little grace Someone thought to ask DonBecause he had the toolsImplements borrowed fromThe councils unused pools Donald a real skivvyReady within two…
THE CROW I am the crow From my perch on high I see the town below. I’ve watched you Crawley, I’ve seen you grow. From stones to iron and the age old market. The coaching stops, trains and the old racecourse Machines matching my ability to fly The New Town…
The Old Toll House in Northgate was near the entrance to what is now Ifield Drive, at the junction with the High Street. As well as a photograph of it, we’ve recently been donated a watercolor painting, presumably based on the photo. There is no artist’s name on the painting.…
The move to the new museum buildings at The Tree is an exciting time for anyone interested in local history, and offers a good opportunity for people to get involved in researching and talking about the development of Crawley. This is especially so as it coincides with the 70th anniversary…
West Green C of E School 1824-1955 The school was started for the poor of Crawley and Ifield for eighty boys and forty girls by Sarah Robinson but it very soon had more children as time went on. My mother attended this school from 1905 until leaving in 1912 along…
