THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — www.findonvillage.com  created by Valerie Martin, contains scenes from her home village of Findon, West Sussex, U.K.

JACK LONG'S STORY

An old photograph of the site of the Findon Windmill around the time of Jack's visit. The Mill House had already been somewhat enlarged. The surrounding flint wall remained. The remnants of the windmill's structure can be seen to the left of the Mill House. c. 1900.

 

Copyright Valerie Martin 1999.

Jack Long was a real Findonian, born in the village in the year 1897, and saw the community's character change remarkably over the next one hundred years.

Jack Long 100 years old in September, 1997.

 

Jack often recounted to acquaintances that he had walked the downs on the north east of Findon while the Windmill was being dismantled. This was when he was a young boy of about 6 years of age. He also remembered seeing beer being carried up from the Gun Inn in the The Square to quench the thirst of the busy demolition workers on the windswept downs.

The above is the only photograph that I have discovered to date of the old Findon Windmill, albeit in a derelict state. Coupled with Jack Long's story, it confirms that the skeleton of the windmill was still standing on the site at the beginning of the twentieth century, around 1903. If so, it is feasible that other old photographs could have been taken of the scene and will one day be discovered.

 Site of Findon Windmill enclosed by the flint wall, top right of photograph, pre 1930. The Mill Cottages are on the slope in the centre of the photograph. Downs House in Stable Lane is the large property in the foreground.

 

In later years Jack Long became deaf and this troubled him greatly. He lived to be a centenarian, and his story of the far off days of the demolition of the last Findon windmill is now recorded.

Site of Findon Windmill from the track leading to New Cottages, 1997.

 

Jack Long died in 1997 and was the one person of our time who still remembered actually seeing the bygone Findon Windmill on the downs, albeit in a dilapidated form.

Continue if you would like to read about  Frank Gregory's Idea.

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THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — was launched by Valerie Martin in January 1999 and will grow to be a historical record of life in Findon, West Sussex, U.K.

E-mail: valeriemartin@findonvillage.com