Society of Bexhill Museums

Scattered Squalor - Aspects Of Urban Development was his subject, a study of housing which sprang up in the inter-war period.

Mr Mead explained that until the early 20th Century, 95% of housing was rented. In towns such as Brighton this was often sub-standard and of the slum variety and tenants aspired to move to slightly superior streets when they could afford to do so.

With the advent of transport, both public and personal, suburbs spread into the surrounding countryside and by the 1920s ownership of these newly-built properties became popular, reaching a peak in the late 1930s.

Following the 1914-1918 war when "homes fit for heroes" was the slogan, the need for urgent housing gave rise to such easily-constructed dwellings as army huts, sold as "cottages" which allowed the proud owner to build where he liked, with the proviso of six months notice to quit.

Mr Mead illustrated his talk with interesting archive photographs showing how redundant railway carriages, price 25, were placed along beaches, marshland and the edge of Downland, which was known as marginal landscape.

Such developments can be seen at Shoreham Beach and Pagham Beach, which has the largest collection of railway carriage houses.

The modern view of Patcham showing how the area was gradually built up from the 1920s to the 1940s was in great contrast to the 1900s photograph of this scene, the expense of untouched Downs being the only recognisable feature.

An appropriate date of November 5 for the next Museum lecture, 2.30pm at St Augustine's Hall. Brion Purdey will take an historical look at the gunpowder industry and bonfire societies in Sussex.

Visitors are very welcome.