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

YESTERDAY ON NEPCOTE GREEN

O.S. TQ 126 084

Copyright Valerie Martin 2002

Originally published in Along the Furlong in November 2002.

Nepcote Green in Findon (O.S. GR129085) has seen many Lamb Fairs and Sheep Fairs over the years.  However, I have found that there have also been other gatherings on the Green — such as those of cyclists and also the Salvation Army. 

General William Booth founded the international evangelical and charitable organisation, the Salvation Army, affectionately known as the Sally Ann, in 1865, which proved to be the largest provider of social services in the country. Before setting foot in Findon the local members of this group met with some acrimonious treatment in the Worthing area in 1884.

It all began on Saturday, 23rd February when some of Worthing's hooligans shouted rude names at the newly formed Salvation Army when they were preaching their intention to save lost souls. The many interruptions throughout that year led to gatherings being abandoned and many of the rowdies were summoned to appear at the local Magistrates' Court.

Findon villagers later heard that four miles away on Easter Monday, 14th April 1884, the Salvation Army band led by two cornets, a glittering new triangle and an extremely loud drum had led a procession through the Worthing streets. This encouraged physical violence to be unleashed against them in the months to come.

It did not take much persuasion for the troublemakers to enlist financial support from the Worthing keepers of beer houses. These believed their businesses were threatened by the Salvation Army's main aim, which was to turn citizens away from the demon drink.

News reached Findon that autumn that the Salvation Army's pleas to the people of Worthing to turn from alcohol had eventually indirectly led to the reading of the Riot Act. 

When the Salvation Army in their distinctive uniforms later started their Sabbath meetings in Findon these were, fortunately, not nearly so dramatic. The gatherings were still conducted in the open air though and this was on Nepcote Green with a group of their local loyal supporters.

The greater freedom their services brought shocked the Findon Victorian society of the day. Obviously the village's inns and beerhouse keepers were not over impressed either with the tambourine ministry.

On the other hand, Elizabeth Bull, the head teacher at the school in Findon did not expect any scornful harassment to be directed at the Salvation Army by her pupils. She read her own riot act and gave her charges a formal warning that she would be very displeased if they made fun of any member of the group.

On one particular bright Sunday afternoon, a Salvation Army meeting was in progress on Nepcote Green. The scene was watched with some amusement by a gathering of jolly gentlemen of mature years. They sat on the low flint wall in front of the cottages that still overlook the Green today. Eventually, something being preached on the Green tickled one of the old men perched in front of "Coachmans" so much so that he guffawed with laughter. This made him lose his balance and he collapsed backwards and disappeared into the flowerbed of the cottage.

It was fortunate for him that he did not topple down the well in the front garden. All that could be seen of him from the Green were his legs sticking up from behind the wall. It caused quite a disturbance. Elizabeth Bull's school children could not be blamed for the disorder on that occasion.

By the end of the 19th century, the Salvation Army had gained a considerable following in the Parish of Findon.

There is another story connected with "Coachmans" in the early 1930s. The occupier of the cottage offered home-made toffee apples and lemonade for sale from his front garden to the public visiting Nepcote Green on Sheep Fair day. He was obviously an entrepreneur of his day and an enterprising chap whose actions nearly led to his downfall, literally.

His toffee apples were somewhat hard and were, in fact, a little green. He stored his lemonade down the well in the small front garden to keep it cool on hot Sheep Fair days. One September, while retrieving the beverage, he unfortunately slipped and fell headlong down the well. He scrabbled at the sides and his efforts to save himself resulted in his sliding down the shaft to the water at the bottom — shouting for help all the while and hoping someone would come to his aid.

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This is Findon Village — www.findonvillage.com is a continually growing record created by Valerie Martin exclusively for documenting life in Findon.