Bonfire Tour Days Twenty-six to Twenty-eight:Lewes, East Sussex

Day Twenty-six, Sunday November 12, 2006
Only place for breakfast in Lewes early on Sunday morning is Caffe Nero where we have yogurt, croissants and coffee. To Saint John's Southover for Remembrance Day service. The names of four family members are read out in the Roll of Honour. The service and the vibrant church community do them proud.
Quick grocery shop at Tesco before picking up Julian at the Trevor Arms in Glynde before a drive to Brightling - home of Mad Jack Fuller. Take photos of the obelisk, pyramid and church. Pleased to see that they now have postcards of the church, one of which shows Fuller's pyramid tomb. Pop in to the Swan Inn at Woods Corner, Dallington for beverages.
Back in Lewes I meet my sister and family at Caffe Nero for coffee before going to their place for dinner. Photo: many birds perching on St John's basking shark weather vane.
Day Twenty-Seven, Monday November 13, 2006
Our last day in Lewes and there are many loose ends to tie up. I visit the library to use the internet, return a book and make photocopies. We drive out to Hamsey to look for Willmett's Farm and the Old Rectory which is now Hamsey Manor. On to the Bluebell Railway's Sheffield Park station where get platform tickets and have coffee. Quite a crowd is gathered there as this is the final day of the Terrier Gala - A gathering of five of these popular locomotives dating back as far as 1872.
Lunch at the Chalk Pit Inn on the Offham Road, just outside of Lewes. I am surprised to read about the Shiffner connection to the chalk pit and its tramway which idocumenteded on the pub's walls.
"During the early 1800s the owner of the chalk pit decided to build a tramway to transport the lime and chalk from the quarry down to the barges on the river Ouse, as the steep slope was dangerous and costly in both horse and carts and men. In 1809 William Jessop opened the tramway which had a large wheel at the top with a brake, the weight of full trucks of lime and chalk travelling down pulled the empty ones back up the 60% sloped track. This method of transport was used until 1870 when the pit was closed."
Source: http://www.hows.org.uk/personal/rail/incline/off.htm
Visited my grandmother's cousin Mabel who will be 101 year young on December 15th, 2006. She is as alert and chipper as ever. I told her that her brother Fred's name was read out on the Roll of Honour at Southover Church during the Remembrance Service and she was moved to tears.
Met up with various folk at the Brewers Arms including Kim Fuller whose branch of the family has been traced back to Waldron, Sussex and may be connected to Mad Jack's tree.
Day Twenty-Seven, Monday November 13, 2006
Sorting and packing to go home before quick breakfast. I have acquired at least 25 books on various subjects from Frida Kahlo to Michael Faraday. Many thanks to our chauffeur Michel who drove us to Gatwick airport. No problems checking in and the flight is uneventful. Landing at Pearson is the usual nightmare - no we don't have a $2 coin for a luggage trolley, how many people landing there off international flights would? We opt to take a limo and are glad to be back home after a month away.