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

FINDON SHEEP FAIR — 2006

Copyright Valerie Martin 2006

DOWN MEMORY LANE.... remember the good old days of the Findon Sheep Fair?    Not so long ago, 28 years in fact, there were 6,500 animals under the hammer....

 

The Findon Sheep Fair took place on Saturday 9th September 2006....  unfortunately, the traditional sheep auction did not take place and does not look like taking place in the foreseeable future.

c.1900 The Findon lads helping to drive the sheep along the Findon Road as a horse drawn carriage approaches.

 

I think this is because modern auctioneers find it less financially viable in the climate of government regulation and changed marketing practices.  

I can still present you with Findon sheep contentedly gazing on the Findon Gallops in the winter sunshine...

Sheep on the Findon downland, January 2006.

 

                                                                  Robert Harris of the fair.

 


11th May 2006

Findon Sheep Fair

I am fascinated by your web site. My sister (Janet Watson) told me about it.

When I was a teenager in the late forties or early fifties before or after the Findon sheep fair we used to help to drive the sheep either to or from Steyning Railway station. I cannot remember which way.

It was great fun for a number of my friends who lived in and around Steyning at that time.

In those days there was a market and a regular Agricultural Auction sale by Steyning Station.

Regards,
Malcolm Williams
 

 

 

12th May 2006

Hi Valerie,

As late as 1961 British Railways had a stand at Nepcote Green on Fair day where they took bookings to deliver sheep to the new destinations.

They were moved to Steyning station by road transport either British railways own transport on Strivens cattle transport of Steyning.  Rams & first class sheep travelled by passenger train to be delivered as soon as possible.

Others travelled goods class and were penned at Steyning market site until goods trains were available usually the following Monday.

Some sheep were still driven over the downs by flockmasters & helpers but after the return of the Fair to Findon in 1947 it mainly went by road.

The village was full of Lorries often queuing back to the A24 to get onto the green.

Thanks for the Salvington Mill publicity.

From John Pelling, Lower Salvington, Worthing, Sussex.
 

 

 

9th September 2006

Hello,

We stumbled across your website when we searching for hints on picking sloes for sloe gin (thanks for the tip about the freezer) and it brought back many happy memories of Findon.

We lived in Findon for many years having bought Thistledown shortly after we were married in 1970 and both our son and daughter were christened at St. John the Baptist.

As both their birthdays fell close to the date of the Sheep Fair we had a joint Birthday party and came to an annual arrangement with the fair that, on payment of a lump sum of £10 or so, the children could enjoy free rides all afternoon - a very satisfactory solution for all concerned!!

I attach a photo of the fair taken in the 1930s.

We also have a number of photos including one of our daughter presenting a bouquet to the Duchess of Norfolk when she unveiled the Findon sign on the small village green in 1977 - the Queen's silver jubilee.

Many thanks for your hard work in building up such an interesting site.
Best wishes

Bill & Rosemarie Longfield
 


What a super photograph of a bygone Sheep Fair.   Quite unrecognisable compared to today's affair.  

 

RECOGNISE ANYONE AT THE FINDON SHEEP FAIR?

 

DISMANTLING the fair after the Sheep Fair ....

The Harris brothers have been doing this for more years than they like to remember and it all fits together like a jigsaw puzzle.

 

Continue if you want to learn about the Findon Sheep Fair in 2007.........

 Back to Great Findon Sheep Fair Index
 Back to Main Index

THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — www.findonvillage.com is a continually growing record created by Valerie Martin exclusively for documenting life in Findon.

 

E-mail: valeriemartin@findonvillage.com