Grosvenor Park celebrates golden jubilee

Grosvenor Park's energetic activities organiser Chris Cox turned the tables on herself and set herself the task of researching the history not just of the building but of the site.

Appeals to the public and to former members of the staff for their memories, much trawling through the archives and five months of diligent work have produced not only the exhibition opened in the home's Chichester Lounge on Tuesday by Town Mayor Cllr Paul Lendon but a one-off illustrated book.

For Chris, it was a labour of love.

For those old enough to remember the golf links which were once on the site and the construction of the building it brought back a bygone era.

For residents it is an eye-opener.

Chris' exhibition traces the history from 1896 when Earl De La Warr's private cycle track, now De La Warr Parade, was built through the heady era the pioneer Bexhill Motor Trials through to construction for the National Union of Printing, bookbinding and Paper Workers (later SOGAT) of what was originally the Alf Evans Memorial Home.

The convalescent home was opened in October 1958 by the Lord Mayor of London, Sir Denis Truscott.

But by 1983 and with the numbers using it then in decline, the home was closed.

It was bought by McCarthy and Stone as a retirement home, then bought by BUPA in 1991 and later sold to Boddington's, taken over by Country House and then in February 1997 bought again by BUPA.

Among guests at Tuesday's opening was near-neighbour and former printer Ken Igglesden who had arrived with his wife Elsie with a postcard showing the golf links as they appeared in 1948.

Opening the exhibition, the Town Mayor recalled as a boy seeing staff taking convalescent printers across the road to enjoy the sea air from the promenade.

Bexhill's motto, he reminded Grosvenor Park manager Jane Smith, residents and guests, was Sol Et Salubritas - Sun And Health.

He congratulated Chris Cox on her research and her interesting exhibition and illustrated book.