Lives chronicled in new book from the Warnham Society

Members of the Warnham Society have now completed the three-year project, and the launch of ‘Warnham and the Great War’ is to take place in the village hall tonight (Friday June 27) at 7.30pm.

Steve Lancaster is chairman of the project group, which also includes Elizabeth Bridges, George Elliott, Rachel Hamer and Susan Overton.

Steve said: “I am absolutely proud. It has been really well received with some good positive feedback.

“It started life as recognising that this year is the centenary commemorations of the outbreak of war.

“We, the Warnham Society, thought we would do something about it.”

The book also covers Kingsfold and Rowhook.

The project group have been sponsored by Warnham Parish Council, with all proceeds going to the council.

Steve said: “We initially thought we would look at the names on the memorial in the village and find out more about them.

“We started digging and found there were more names associated with Warnham than there are on the memorial, and it rapidly grew into a much bigger project - we have got something like 250 names.

“We have also told the story of what was going on in the village - what people were doing back at home to support the war.”

One of the more interesting biographies belongs to Warnham soldier William Spink, who ‘has one hell of a back story that involves Jack the Ripper’, Steve revealed.

He added that archive copies of the West Sussex County Times helped the group to find information that had otherwise proved elusive.

The book is available for £10 from the Warnham Society’s website: http://www.warnhamsociety.org.uk/

It is also being sold by Horsham Museum, Newbridge Nurseries and Waterstones.