A Photographic Mystery

An intriguing photograph reached Steyning Museum recently – and we are hoping that someone, somewhere might be able to tell us what is going on.

The photograph is of a group of 68 men – all of whom look to be of working age – (and one baby) posed outside the Norfolk Arms. Painted below the window which juts out over the back bar, is a sign from which we can just make out that the licencee of the pub at the time was called Bateman. Henry Bateman ran the pub during the 1890’s and, when he died at the fairly young age of 40 in 1897, his wife Emily took over. Then in 1906 she moved to the Railway Hotel. So the name of Bateman on the sign tells us that the photograph was taken between 1890 and 1906. And there is a further clue which narrows the dates a bit more. The sign over the entrance to the pub is advertising Steyning Brewery Ales and Stouts, the Steyning Brewery having been formed by the amalgamation of Gates Brewery and Michells Brewery in 1898.

It does seem to be a relaxed occasion, though the men with their brass instruments sitting on the ground in front do not look terribly comfortable. Whether they were members of the Steyning Town Band is unclear. For formal concerts the Steyning bandsmen wore uniforms.

The fact that every person in the group is wearing a hat suggests that they have not just been dragged out of the bars of the Norfolk for the photograph. We would also guess that they are all in their Sunday clothes rather than their working gear at a time when they would have been unlikely to have owned any leisure clothes, as we know them.

A group of 68 working men would have constituted between a fifth and a sixth of Steyning’s working male population at the beginning of the 20th century and as Steyning had eleven pubs at that time it is unlikely though, I suppose, not impossible that all of this group were regular drinkers at the Norfolk Arms. In any event, if it had been a pub outing, they would have needed 4 or 5 horse drawn charabancs (and the most we’ve ever seen in other photos is one) or a train – which is something Steyning could provide.

So what was the occasion? What happened next? Why would they need the band with them? Why was the policeman in attendance – in uniform? Why were so many of them wearing buttonholes? There is no sign of any flags or bunting to indicate a royal occasion.

The Museum would welcome suggestions and can show the original photograph to anyone who’s interested.

The Museum, Church Street, Steyning, West Sussex BN44 3YB, www.steyningmuseum.org.ukTel: 01903 813 333

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