It began with a tree …
In 1968, developers felled the boundary oaks and a particularly fine sequoia on the site of Merton House school, now the Silverdale estate. No-one tried to stop them.
A small group of residents were so horrified that they called a meeting in the old Territorial Hall in Adastra Park and Hassocks Amenity Association was born. It held its first AGM in March 1969 and the originally self-appointed committee was formally elected. The first officers were a distinguished group, all living near The Crescent.
The Chairman, Austen Albu, was Member of Parliament for Edmonton and served as Minister of State in the Department of Economic Affairs. His wife was an eminent social psychologist. Tommy Gee, the honorary secretary, was both a County Councillor and a Parish Councillor. The manager of the Hassocks branch of the Westminster Bank, Charles Bowman, became treasurer; whilst Mrs Barry McCulloch, the widow of ‘Uncle Mac’ of Children’s Hour fame, was an indefatigable assistant secretary.
By the late 1970’s membership had rocketed to over 1,500; road wardens collected the annual subscription of two shillings and HAA became a registered charity. Our predecessors wrestled with various issues: local government reform, the Ditchling bypass, the proposed County and District boundary changes, drilling for oil on the South Downs, endless planning applications, best kept village competitions and, through Colin Wilsdon, contributed substantially to the Hassocks Village Appraisal and the later Village Action Plan.
In 2009, the restoration of Oldland Mill - begun by HAA volunteers in 1976 - was virtually complete and the Oldland Mill Trust was formed (http://www.oldlandwindmill.co.uk/). Today our membership is a modest 328, but trees are still high on our agenda, as well as village improvement generally: rail services, car parking, the restoration of Spitalford Bridge, footpaths and wild life are some of our other current concerns.
In 1968, developers felled the boundary oaks and a particularly fine sequoia on the site of Merton House school, now the Silverdale estate. No-one tried to stop them.
A small group of residents were so horrified that they called a meeting in the old Territorial Hall in Adastra Park and Hassocks Amenity Association was born. It held its first AGM in March 1969 and the originally self-appointed committee was formally elected. The first officers were a distinguished group, all living near The Crescent.
The Chairman, Austen Albu, was Member of Parliament for Edmonton and served as Minister of State in the Department of Economic Affairs. His wife was an eminent social psychologist. Tommy Gee, the honorary secretary, was both a County Councillor and a Parish Councillor. The manager of the Hassocks branch of the Westminster Bank, Charles Bowman, became treasurer; whilst Mrs Barry McCulloch, the widow of ‘Uncle Mac’ of Children’s Hour fame, was an indefatigable assistant secretary.
By the late 1970’s membership had rocketed to over 1,500; road wardens collected the annual subscription of two shillings and HAA became a registered charity. Our predecessors wrestled with various issues: local government reform, the Ditchling bypass, the proposed County and District boundary changes, drilling for oil on the South Downs, endless planning applications, best kept village competitions and, through Colin Wilsdon, contributed substantially to the Hassocks Village Appraisal and the later Village Action Plan.
In 2009, the restoration of Oldland Mill - begun by HAA volunteers in 1976 - was virtually complete and the Oldland Mill Trust was formed (http://www.oldlandwindmill.co.uk/). Today our membership is a modest 328, but trees are still high on our agenda, as well as village improvement generally: rail services, car parking, the restoration of Spitalford Bridge, footpaths and wild life are some of our other current concerns.