Notes from the Past June 2022
I have looked back in time to see how the village has marked jubilees and coronations. There is no record of the village marking Queen Victoria’s Jubilee in 1887 when all the other villages did, but in May 1897 the vicar asked the parishioners to assemble after evening song to consider what they could do to mark the HM Queens Diamond Jubilee in the village. It was agreed that there would be a tea party in the vicarage garden and the choir would sing a special hymn of thanks giving to the Queen at evening song.
To mark King George V Silver Jubilee in 1935 the WI planted two beech trees outside the village hall. One is still standing. On the 12th May 1937 the brick yard fired special bricks to mark the coronation of George VI and Queen Elizabeth. A brick can still be seen in the village leisure centre, and in some very lucky houses around the village.
In 1953 the village marked the Queen’s Coronation. At 2.40pm on the 2nd of June, which was a wet day, the vicar held a short religious service on the cricket field followed by fancy dress and games for the children. At 4pm each child was given a coronation mug followed by tea. The old folks had tea in the village hall. There was a fancy dress stool ball match and, at 8.30pm, dancing in the village hall until midnight with a break at 9.30pm for the lighting of the bonfire which was taller than the village hall and could be seen for miles around. There was going to be dancing on the cricket field but this was abandoned owing to the weather so the village hall became very crowded. On Saturday the 6th June, Foxfield held their coronation event which started a 9.30am with games for the children - Len Richardson came first for the slowest bike ride around the green. The old folk were given a tea and an extra-large cake made with a crown on top for all to eat. The children of Foxfield were all given a souvenir.
On the 4th,, 5th, 6th and 7th June 1977 the village marked the Queens Silver Jubilee with stool ball on the cricket field, a church service, games on the school field, space hopper racing, a sack race and tug of war, plus entertainment for the older members of the village by the amateur dramatic society and dancing in the village.
All profit went to the Jubilee HQ for the youth of the village.
The 3rd June 2002 the village hall put on a dinner dance to mark the Queens Golden Jubilee, and on the 4th June a party was held on the green between Woodlands Way and Worthing Road plus another in Woodfield where the children were given jubilee mugs. Other roads held street parties around the village, but the parish council did not organise anything. Mrs Betty Piper was awarded the Queens Golden Medal from West Sussex County Council for all she did so the older people could mark the Queen’s Jubilee
As for 2022 I believe that both the parish council and Horsham District Council will be planting a tree on the green between Worthing Road and Collage Road to mark this important event.