Thanks to the efforts of one of its volunteers, staff at Newhaven Fort have recently discovered a wealth of information about the people once living within its walls. Trawling through the Fort’s archives, the Sussex University volunteer has analysed documents from the 19th and 20th Century and found information relating to family structures, on-site births, a mix of nationalities and some seemingly local romances!

Whilst much is known about Newhaven Fort and its role through two World Wars, surprisingly little has been recorded about the people who lived there. It now transpires that, over a period of thirty years, pre the Great War, Newhaven Fort was home to up to 110 military personnel and their families.

Living in the casemates, family units would carry out daily activities, with the male head of the family working as a soldier. Wives would carry out domestic chores like laundry and cleaning. There was a canteen steward recorded on site at one point, so presumably, no cooking was required at this time. Children were also expected to carry out tasks such as running errands, domestic services and labouring, and were referred to, rather un-affectionately, as Barrack Rats. It would also appear that some of these children were actually born on site.

Analysing surnames, patterns of behaviour, ages of children and birth towns, it has been possible to speculate certain trends, plugging important gaps in the Fort’s history. For example, very few locally born soldiers lived at Newhaven Fort, although, according to one census return, a soldier who had been recorded as a single resident was later married to a young lady from Seaford. Presumably, they met and fell in love while he was stationed there.

One of the Bombardiers (as in rank, not bitter!), originally from Scotland but stationed at the Fort in and around 1881, appeared to have started his family quite late, as at the age of 41 he and his wife had only recently had a child. However, on closer inspection it transpires that he had two step sons, each with different surnames, indicating that the Bombardier’s wife had been, rather unusually for that period, married twice before.

These initial findings only scratch the surface and Newhaven Fort is hoping to spend more time researching the person history more thoroughly, eventually leading to a brand new exhibition.

If anyone has any information relating to past residents of Newhaven Fort (when it was in commission), please do not hesitate to contact the Fort on 01273 517622, or email info@newhavenfort.org.uk

ENDS

Notes to Editor:
Newhaven Fort is an award-winning visitor attraction owned and operated by Lewes District Council.

Newhaven Fort is open to the public from March to October and offers visitors the opportunity to experience a day out with a difference, as they step into wartime Britain and follow in the footsteps of people who lived through the first and second World Wars. The massive walls, ramparts, tunnels and gun emplacements all fire the imagination, and the clifftop location offers stunning, far-reaching views across Seaford Bay, Newhaven Port and the English Channel.

Newhaven Fort is open daily from 10.30am until 6.00pm (or dusk, if earlier). http://www.newhavenfort.org.uk/

For further press information, please contact Serena Costello on 01273 484194 or email serena.costello@lewes.gov.uk