9 February 2012	Ian Batehup has been in contact with me.  He has identified his father, Peter Batehup, in one of the Bodiam Football team photos.  Ian's grandfather, Harry Batehup, was Bodiam Station Master until the station closed in 1954.  He lived in Hunters Lodge,halfway up the Bodiam Hill with the water pump close to the steps to reach the house.   He attended the Primary School at the top of the hill and recalls a school play that had somthing to do with Christmas. Ian's part was that of Michael, & Shaun Dolan was a Christmas pudding. What really brings this to his memory is Shaun. His line was "I'm a Christmas pudding, piping hot". Unfortunately, it came out "I'm a Christmas pudding & I want to go wee wee".
2 February 2012	Robin Quinn who is doing research into German Prisoners of War in Britain has been in touch with me.  Apparently there was an accident at Bodiam Bridge in September 1947 involving a lorry carrying hop pickers that fell into the River Rother. Full details can be found here.  Robin would like to know if anyone remembers this incident and can provide him with further information.  If you can help please get in contact with me.
23 October 2011	A new Photo Album - Catt Family Photos has been added.  Also some press cuttings on the 1986 Bodiam Hill Climb.
22 October 2011	Brian Fuller from Australia has been in touch with me.  He is looking for relations to his ancestors who emigrated to Australia from Bodiam in 1838.  Full details can be found on the Message Board.
20 October 2011	As it is taking some time to re-organise the hop picking section I have added a new page for Special Picking with a new photo from the Catt family.  Also Robert Elsam has provided me with a new link to Bodiam Hill Climb information.  This can be found at the bottom of the page.
1 September 2011	The names for the Pancake Race and Bodiam School Photo were supplied by Edward Catt and his daughter Julie.  They have also let me have several photos of hop picking from theit family album.  I will put these on shortly when I have re-arranged the hop picking section.  In the meantime I have put one photo on of Silage Making at New House Farm.
23 August 2011	Some new names and information added to Bodiam Pancake Race photos and Bodiam School Football Photo.
2 June 2011	Chris Crouch who lived at Hurst Green has been in contact with me.  Chris is now a volunteer at  Bodiam Station and they have a small demonstration hop garden there. Whilst checking this site out about hop growing he came across the section on Bodiam Scouts and Cubs.  He gave me the following commentary on what he found - "My Father, Robert Crouch, was Cub/Scout Master at Hurst Green from about 1948 until the early 1960s and I wondered, if the Bodiam and Hurst Green Packs had combined for some events. Sure enough, the photo at Batemans - Battle District Cubs, 1956 shows my Father, the last Scouter on the right and I also recognise some of the cubs from Hurst Green. The page 11 photo is also him. I can't recognise the cubs with him, but think he might well be breaking a law if this was to happen today!!!!  He is also in the photo on page 20, with Skip Taylor from Burwash Weald leading the Camp Fire sing song.   Looking at the St. Georges Day Parades, I think the location of the 1st Photo is Battle, by the Fire Station and the second location is Salehurst, marching from Salehurst Church towards where Salehurst Primary School used to be or the round-a-bout as it is now.   Photo on page 15, could that be the old West Pier, Hove? which is derelict now.   I also had a look at the Park Royal Football Photo and the player 2nd from left looks like David Catt who used to live at Silverhill, Hurst Green and the player on the extreme right looks like Michael Baldock, who also lived in Hurst Green, but I am not actually sure that they played for that team." Can anyone help in identifying the people mentioned above?
26 May 2011	Terry Brabon has provided me with a letter from the Daily Mirror.  Click here to view the letter.  Does anyone remember Lily Dowsett?
15 April 2011	Albert Soden has provided me with more memories from Udiam.  They can be found here.
11 March 2011	Robert Elsam, who now lives in Paraguay, has supplied four photos of his father, Richard, as Master of the Rother Valley Harriers.  There is a new page titled Rother Valley Harriers.
28 February 2011	Albert Soden has been in contact with me.  He used to  go hop picking at Udiam with his parents.  Some of his memories can be found here.   Stella Giles has also been in contact and has spotted her father - Ernie Mann in three of the Football Club photos.  I have put his name in the Park Royal  photo and updated the information in the other photos.
20 February 2011	At last.  Some more updates.  Two new pages for Bodiam Cub Pack Photo Album and a Cub Jubilee Scrapbook.
13 August 2010	Four more pages from the Bodiam Cub Pack Photo Album.
7 August 2010	Three more pages from the Bodiam Cub Pack Photo Album.
6 August 2010	Seven more pages from the Bodiam Cub Pack Photo Album.
5 August 2010	Five new pages from the Bodiam Cub Pack Photo Album.
4 August 2010	A revision to the entry for Bodiam Cub Pack, along with an explanation why and some new photographs..
8 July 2010	Several people have been in contact about some recent additions.  Both Jo Smith and John Brimm have added some information Photos from around Bodiam. Martyn Lawrence has identified some people in John and Maggie Burgess's Hop Picking Photos.
30 April 2010	Fifteen new photos of hop picking from John and Maggie Burgess in John and Maggie Burgess's Hop Picking Photos.  Three new photos on Winter Preparation.  Two new photos on Hand Picking - Measuring the Hops.
29 April 2010	Five new photos today. Four on Hand Picking and one from a new category Photos from around Bodiam.  I need some help on the location of these cottages.
7 April 2010	Thirteen new photos.  Eleven of them are on Assorted Harvest Supper Photographs and two on 1951 Harvest Supper.  I am sure you will recognise many of the people who are in the photographs.  I think I recognise some of them but I am a bit wary of getting some names wrong.  Any assistance gratefully received.
4 April 2010	Linda Moore has been in contact again.  She has named several people in the Guinness Employee Photos, a few footballers and added some information on her fathers involvement in hop picking.
31 March 2010	Mike Shade has recently contacted me.  He was a competitor in the 1963 Bodiam Hill Climb and he has kindly written a short article about his experience and also sent me a couple of photos.  I hope you find this interesting as it shows the more dangerous side of motor racing.  The article can be found here.  Thank you, Mike, for sharing your experience with a wider audience. I have also added another photo, supplied by Mike Armitage, on the Guinness Employee Photos page.
28 March 2010	Two new photos on Hand Picking - Collecting the hops.  Also Mike Armitage has been in contact and has spotted his father in one of the Guinness Employee Photos.
25 March 2010	Two new photos of irrigation on In the Summertime and some new photos of hop gardens around Bodiam.
24 March 2010	Nine new photos on a new page Guinness Employee Photos.  I need some help identifying some of the people.
22 March 2010	Four new photos all supplied by John Brimm.  The first is a Bodiam School photo from about 1920.  John has identified his relations but there are many more.  Can anyone help identify people?  There is also another Bodiam Hill Climb photo and two of Bodiam Scouts.
19 March 2010	Five new photos on the Bodiam Football Club page.
11 March 2010	Two new photos of Bodiam Hill Climb and some comments on two photos of unknown groups, all supplied by John Brimm.
13 February 2010	A leaflet advertising the Castle Inn supplied by John Brimm on the Castle Inn page.
20 January 2010	Several new additions today, all supplied by Mike Armitage.  A new picture on the construction of Levetts Lane, a new Guinness Time cover along with an article on Hop Growers Diary, photo of Bodiam Football Club and a photo from the Castle Inn all from the Christmas 1960 edition.  There is also a new photo of Ockham Oast.
11 January 2010	An update on a couple of photos.  Linda Moore (nee Lawrence) has been in contact and has spotted herself in the group photo in Levetts Lane.  She has also identified most of the people in the photo.  Linda also thinks that one of the unknown groups photos may well be a party for the Coronation held in a small hall in the castle car park.  Did they have a bar in this hall as I spot a hand pump in the foreground of the photo?
8 November 2009	Four new photos, one of Hop Picking, one a group in Levetts Lane and two unknown groups.  Any help in identifying people and occasions greatly appreciated.
6 November 2009	New photos of Harvest Suppers on Harvest Supper Photographs and 1950 Harvest Supper.  Also Anthony Breeds has shown the photograph of Bodiam Ladies to his mother, Edna.  She has identified herself and clarified some other names.
17 September 2009	Two new photos which I need help in identifying people.  The first is Bodiam Ladies and the second is a new photo at the bottom of the Castle Inn page.
16 September 2009	A new section on Bodiam Hill Climb.  Does anyone have any more photos, programmes or memories?
15 September 2009	Two more people have contacted me with some names for photos.  Firstly, John Burgess has identified his uncle, Raymond (Bunny) Lawrence, in the First Aid on Guinness Hop Farms  page.  Secondly, Rosemary Weddle has identified two people in the birthday party photos on the People page.  She also tells me that Nina on the Pancake Race page is married to Frank Blanch. Martyn Lawrence recently sent some documents the family found and thought would be useful for the site.  One item was programme from the dedication of the Bodiam Church Bells by the Bishop of Chichester.  The programme can be found on the  Bodiam Church page.
8 September 2009	Another Bodiam Memory added.  This is from Pat Doyle who now resides in Canada.  He e-mailed me a few days ago giving me brief details of his time as a measurer in 1955.  He very kindly put down his memories and also sent a couple of photos.  These can all be found here.  On the back of one of the photos it says "Barnfield 1955" which I think is now known as Ockham. What I find very interesting about Pat's memories are that they are from an "outsider" who had not previously been involved in hop picking and did not know any of the Guinness staff.  My reading of Pat's memories are that it was an enjoyable bur testing time, especially for a young 21 year old. I would like to thank Pat for providing this interesting insight into the work of a measurer.
5 September 2009	A new section on First Aid on Guinness Hop Farms.  Is anyone able to help with identifying people or occasions?
3 September 2009	Four new birthday party photos in People.
2 September 2009	A new section added - Bodiam Memories.  My thanks to Mike Armitage and Martyn Lawrence for the first two.  Does anyone have any more I can add?
9 August 2009	At last!  I have finally got around to updating the site.  Today I will concentrate on some of the people who have contacted me with information.  Anthony Trussler has been looking at the Pancake Race photos and has identified the District Nurse who lived next door to them at 20 Levetts Lane.  He remembers her name as Nina but cannot remember her second name.  His mother is also on the case and is trying to jog her memory. John Brimm contacted me and somewhat "tongue in cheek" complained of not having any photos of him on the site.  He did, however, identify his brother, Richard Brimm, in the 1957 Bodiam Cubs photo on the Bodiam Scouts and Cubs page.
5 March 2009	Two new photos on a new page for Bodiam Church.  Can anyone help with identification of people, occasions or dates?
22 February 2009	Four new photos of the Pancake Race added today.  I need some help with some of the participants.
19 February 2009	Michael and Rosemary Weddle have just sent me some photos from the Weddle family album.  As a starter today, there are five new pictures of Bodiam Scouts and Cubs.
31 December 2008	Four new photos of Levetts Lane, three of them featuring me can be found here.  Also amended names in Bodiam Primary School Play 1956 courtesy of Nick Collins who has identified his mother, Marie Trussler.
13 December 2008	Further details of camp life and in the hop garden for Visiting Hop Pickers added here. Also new photos of Ada Catt hop picking here and New House Oast here.
11 December 2008	New page about Visiting Hop Pickers added here.
7 December 2008	Keith Matthews has been in contact and has spotted himself in one of the scout photos.  He has also identified a couple of other people in the photos and given me some background information.  Thank you Keith.  The photo is on the Scouts and Cubs page.
28 February 2008	New front page
22 February 2007	An article from the National Trust Spring 2007 South East News on Bodiam Home Guard and Tom Weeks.
24 December 2006	Three new photos on the Scouts and Cubs page.  Can you help identify some of the people?
17 November 2006	A few more Guinness Time Articles added.  Stephen Foster has also contacted me.  He lives in Colorado in the USA and has confirmed that he is in the Cubs photo.
5 November 2006	Nothing new added to the site but I came across a site about the "Guinness Clocks" in the 1950's.  This may bring back some memories for those old enough to remember them.  Click here to go to the site.
3 November 2006	Another article from Guinness Time Articles which is also a Harvest Supper 1972.
25 October 2006	Some new articles added from Guinness Time Articles and Guinness Time Covers renamed.
16 October 2006	Some early front covers of Guinness Time Covers added.
15 October 2006	Some new Press Cuttings for March to June 1929 added.
8 October 2006	At Last.  I've final got around to putting the links to the hand picking pages.  These can be found at Filming in the hop garden, Around the bin, Measuring the hops and Press articles.  I've lots more to put on and tell you about connections to the site.  Now the darker evenings are here I will try and update more regularly.
30 November 2005	A further four photos showing work In the Oast and three new photos in To the Brewery.
29 November 2005	Seven new photos showing work In the Oast
27 November 2005	Nine new photos in Machine Picking - At the Picking Machine
24 November 2005	Two new photos in Machine Picking - In the Hop Garden
22 November 2005	A new photo of Ockham Oast here.
19 November 2005	Two new photos of a Bodiam Primary School Play on Bodiam Primary School page.  One new photo of Bodiam Cubs on Bodiam Scouts and Cubs.
15 November 2005	A new photo of Carol Singers in the late 1950s supplied by Anthony Breeds on People Photos
13 November 2005	Two new photos on renamed Bodiam Scouts and Cubs
9 November 2005	Several more photos on "In the summertime"
7 November 2005	Two new photos on Winter Preparation of manure spreading and string winding. One new photo of Johnny Hook Stringing. One picture in the section "In the summertime"
6 November 2005	Sorry for the lack of recent postings. Today there is a series of photos on erecting a hop garden.  These can be found at Erecting a Hop Garden under Winter Preparation. These photos along, with many more, came from Mick Breeds who collected them as part of his studies in the early 1960s.  I would like to thank him for his efforts in copying them and sending them to me as well as letting me have descriptions and the text of his studies.  Hopefully I will be able to put them on the site soon. His brother, John, has also told me their father (Denis) is in the back row of the 1956-57 photo of Bodiam Football Club.
25 August 2005	A collection of photos of Bodiam Primary School in the 1960s.  These can be found on Bodiam Primary School.
4 July 2005	Firstly, an apology for not posting any additions for so long. Secondly, a big thank you to all of you who have been in contact with me in recent months.  In particular, I would like to thank Mick, John and Julian Breeds for their support and assistance (and their mother for spreading the word about this site). In this update there is: A new photo of Ploughing Match Winners on The Arable Farm page A new photo of a birthday party in Levetts Lane on People Photos page
11 March 2005	New page with Guinness Commemorative Letter
5 March 2005	New photo of the Junction Inn submitted by Terry Brabon New Introduction page Old Introduction page now called Archives New page with a Message Board