I was so pleased to find your website on “Memories of Lancing”. Indeed it did bring back a lot of memories and I am so glad you set it up.
I wonder if you remember Horace Duke, a flamboyant and eccentric character, who donned Edwardian dress and who used to cycle along the Lower Brighton Road in the 1960s? I found an old newspaper cutting of him, in a collection of photographs belonging to my late aunt. Unfortunately, I do not have an actual date on the newspaper cutting, but there is mention of “Mods and Rockers” in the article, and having looked up the Lancing Rep productions mentioned in the article alongside, I deduce the date to be around June 1967.
I understand from searching on the internet that he sadly died in 1995. But I have discovered no photographs of him online, which is a shame.
I wonder if anyone knows anything about him? The article mentions he lived in Brighton Road, Lancing. He certainly was an enigma!
I wondered if the article about him might be of interest to you for your website.
Our extended family moved to the Sompting/Lancing area between 1958 and 1965, but I now live in Norfolk, although my mother is still in Sompting.
5 comments:
a bit late but..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJi7OtrMC5M&fbclid=IwAR1jRRIyfLHd0ILZlMxaP9_FtVMyMvtoYeGJ7eDGW29tyPFzLx-IhchjXB8
I remember Horace very well from the 1960's. Weekdays he was employed at the Carriage Works and then went on to other jobs after it closed. He often entertained us on Saturday mornings by the Railway Station, with his wind-up gramophone and various period costumes. He clearly had a love of the 1920's and often rode his bicycle up North Road and back again, doffing his boater and smiling at the ladies as he went.
The Norfolk Bridge and Offington roundabout were two other locations he could be seen, sometimes riding one of his vintage motorbikes. I'm sure, looking back, he would love to have been born 40 years earlier. He apparently enjoyed a drink a bit too much and thus lost his license to drive his motorbikes for a while.
I remember Horace well from the 1960's when he used to entertain passers-by outside the pub, opposite Lancing railway station, where he could be sure of a good audience on Saturdays. Complete with period costumes and wind-up gramophone. He would often cycle up and down North Road, doffing his boater and smiling at the ladies as he went.
He was employed at the Carriage Works until that closed in 1965, then I think later on the Churchill Ind Estate. The Norfolk Bridge was another of his favourite locations, sometimes riding one of his vintage motorbikes. He enjoyed a drink (Sometimes a bit too much) and was very well liked by all. RIP Horace.
I remember him very well. A wonderful character. Would love to have known more about him.
ann-marie desmond
I remember Horace very well. The first I remember of him was seeing him riding along Shoreham high street on a penny farthing bicycle in about 1965, I used to go to school at Shoreham grammar school at the time. That photo you posted was taken in Shoreham high street outside the crown and anchor public house in 1967, which is still there by the way. Those clothes he had on in your picture were what he wore on the penny farthing with a grey top hat. He also rode a small motorcycle an upright bicycle and stand on street corners especially roundabouts prance around so as to make people hoot at him, he loved the attention. He also would were a straw boater a bowler hat or a fancy cap. My father and I used to drive to storrington every Saturday afternoon Horace would be standing on the corner of the roundabout at offington corner we always hooted and waved at him and he would wave back, he would still be there when we came back about four hours later. A friend of mine who worked for the maralabone optic company in browham road east Worthing ,no longer there said Horace also worked there, he was the cleaner. Well I hope you found this of interest to you.
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