Welcome to the HVS Village History which we hope will be of interest to everyone living in and around Hankham.
As members of the HVS Committee, with a shared interest in local history, the launch of the HVS website provided the ideal opportunity to develop a section devoted to Hankham past and present. A number of longer-standing residents have agreed to share their knowledge and reminiscences of the village together with the history of their homes and it is planned to include these and other stories on a regular basis. If you have a home in Hankham with a history and would like to share the story, please contact us at HVS.
To kick things off, we begin with a brief look at the early years of Hankham together with the reproduction of a booklet of reminiscences by Rezen Geering who worked in the family blacksmith business located opposite Forge Cottage on Hailsham Road. Based on notes made by his daughter Marjorie Funnel, who is today Hankham’s oldest resident, the booklet also included a conversation with Betty Wenham and Meryl Glessing when Rezen was 100 years old in 1988.
Circulated widely among friends and residents some 30 years ago, the booklet will be new to many in the village – we hope you enjoy this fascinating glimpse into the past.
Paul Dalton & Ken Saxby