Our Treasurer, Alan Barwick (Joint Curator, Henfield Museum) took us on a photographic tour of the High Street over the last 150 years or so, displaying over 70 slides during the talk. This was a well supported evening, with an audience of almost 50 members.

Starting at the northern end of the village on the western side of London Road, we saw a photograph (1937) of cottages which were being demolished. The original police station was situated at the northern end of the row. The Bell (Henfield Tavern, and previously The Raven), was originally a private residence. In c1900 the property was pulled down and the present building constructed.

London House (ChineseTakeaway) was occupied byThomas Stevens, clockmaker (c1860-1882) and then the Cramp family (Clockmakers from Horsham) followed by Jack Allis, and then Douglas Funnell who was followed by his son, Robin. Richard Pattenden was the first butcher at Jasmine House (Video Box), and the business was carried on by his wife, Elizabeth, until 1845 when the Thorns family took over and had the shop until the 1950s. Between 1838 and 1841 Mr. Kennard, a Baker, occupied what is now the Nat West Bank (followed by his wife and daughters until 1878), then George Stenning until 1885, when it became Fred Moore & Son, Henry. In 1931 it became one of several Mussons shops, and the Bank moved into the premises in 1952.

Village Care was 2 shops for a good part of the 19th century - the northern side was a leather seller, while Charles harding was the chemist from 1838-1856 in the southern half, followed by William West (chemist), and finally Matthew Neale (chemist 1878-1890). At last month's meeting we heard about Mr. and Mrs. Tyler who were here from 1890 to the 1950s, and Alan showed up a photo of them. After the Tylers, Mr. and Mrs. Furnival respectively cut mens and ladies hair on the premises, following which it became Maison Madeleine.

Clarence House (Post Office) was built (c1840) by Edward Pattenden, retired stage coach driver (later local carrier operating between Henfield and Brighton). Mr. Brunning started his business in Church Street (where he was followed by Bowden's gentleman's outfitters), but in c1906 he moved to Clarence House, where he had his boot shop and post office. Miss Terry had the southern half of the shop selling dresses through to the 1930s, when it became a Gas Showroom. The current Barclays Bank was built on the site of a property called Holmwood, home of Dr. Holt who held a surgery in the premises, from c1908 until the 1940s. Dr. Pratt lived there before him, who took over from his partner, Dr. Caudle, who died in about 1903.

In 1880 Henfield Coffee Tavern and Temperance Hotel was established, and in 1902 Henfield Working Man's Club started upstairs. In 1913 the upstairs was extended outwards at the front to give more room. In 1920 the Hotel became the Eardley Hall Memorial Institute (the village library had a room here, prior to a room at the rear of the Assembly Rooms, which were built c1885). In 1962 the Institute closed through lack of support, and the premises became a butchers (first Mr. Barwick - trading under the name of A.E. Baker - then Alan Woodward).

Ben Cornford was our first known postmaster (c1828 onwards) in what is now the Henfield Club (he died in 1830); his wife Gaynor was also listed as postmaster; then her daughter and husband James Bright had the post office and grocers until about 1860. Edward Pattenden (junior) then opened his Bootmakers and Tobacconists in the premises, and the post office moved across to what is now the chemists. Moving southwards (to the old site of Henfield Motors) we saw a photo of the Pound Cottage and Yard, which was demolished in c1906, and also of the original Merry Kettle premises (now Seafood Restaurant), which was run by Mrs. Greenfield. The original Hewitts house (Mr. Patching the Grocer) with a Brewery to the rear were also shown, as too was the first wooden construction of Braziers Garage.

Crossing over we saw a 1910 photo (at about the time the corner was removed) of the house of John Challen (deputy registrar, and reeve of Stretham Manor), still called Challens, and also a 1908 photo of the old Fire Station and crew (formerly coach house of Magnolia Lodge), which was Mr. Noble's china shop in the 1960s. The Blacksmith's has been run by the Miles family for 3 generations, but it has been a blacksmith for hundreds of years. The George Hotel dates to the 1500s, and in the photo we saw it's sign was displayed across the street in the George Field, but before that, in about 1800, it's sign hung over the street from 'goal posts'.

Samuel Tobitt arrived in about 1856, and then in 1920 Fred and Charles tobitt took over. Tobitts owned several properties up and down the High Street, and we learned that in 1904 Mr. Tobitt bought Cooper's yard (with it's numerous buildings) for £800. Mr. Powell's shop (see Henfield Remembered) had the village's first petrol pump and also the first public telephone. Aley's took over the premises in 1936, and the site was subsequently re-developed in c1971.

Moving down to the White hart, we saw a photo of the Edwardian additions to the frontage of the property, and learned that cattle markets were held behind the premises until the 1920s. We completed our tour at Mr. Page's grocery shop at the corner of Furners Lane in about 1908.