Milton Hide by Elizabeth Doak

Your Stories In Song

During 2024 Milton Hide organised events, on behalf of Summer Trifle Group, across the Wealden area for people to share their stories, be they personal recollections, tales of local people, family history or legends associated with places. In true folk tradition, Milton Hide wrote and performed songs inspired by the stories gathered and invited audiences to participate. The aim was to encourage social engagement across the generations, especially for those feeling isolated and to help ensure your stories don’t disappear into the momentary ether of ‘social media’.
‘Your Stories In Song’ was funded by the National Lottery.

In 1929, Eastbourne was pretty much the last seaside resort to incur charges on the beach for bathing as it tried to hang on to its “elite” resort status. many other resorts had relaxed charges by this time, but Eastbourne’s Corporation insisted that towels, deckchairs and bathing machines had

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bb/60_pounder_gun_advancing_in_Flanders_22-09-1918_IWM_Q_6996.jpg/149px-60_pounder_gun_advancing_in_Flanders_22-09-1918_IWM_Q_6996.jpg

My Grandfather, Clem, was an artilleryman in the 1st World War. Haunted by memories of riding a gun carriage (horse drawn) over the bodies of men and horses in the Somme. In the 2nd World War he served in the ARP in London. The first V1 attack killed many

Lane

“According to local legend, the ghost of Nan Tuck, a woman from Rotherfield who allegedly poisoned a man in the 17th century, is said to haunt Nan Tuck’s Lane in Buxted…” quote from Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buxted#Legends ‘Nan Tuckett of Buxted. suggested by JS – Crowborough U3A, 15/2/24 Further reading, moonmausoleum.com Ghost of Nan Tuck Haunting the

writing hand

[As a young Mum, I wrote this poem from my heart. – Debbie Milner]  Do I regret, having my children very young? Playing, Laughing, running in the sun. Feeling full of energy, hair blowing in the wind. Holding their happy faces with arms stretched to the sky. Do I

road

Onwards out of Polegate is where I paid my fare, Sitting in my window seat, the driver departs with care. Past tall green trees and hills etched with chalk, Where my thoughts went to my weekend walk. At a gentle speed, we continue on, A stranger nods, we stop,

tree lined lane

I drove under the arched trees, Sheltered by their golden and red canopy. I missed the bumps as I climbed the hills, To look down for miles and miles. The beauty of a carpet of gold and green, lay before me like a film scene. The twisting roads of

Man in top hat

Suggestion from Crowborough U3A, 15/2/24 Mad Jack Fuller. Builder of follies, philanthropist, patron of the arts, very wealthy man. Said to be buried in the pyramid shaped folly in Brightling, sitting up holding a glass of port.   Further reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mad_Jack_Fuller http://www.madjackfuller.net/IRONMASTERS.html

Nutley_Windmill WKP

'Nutley Windmill is a grade II* listed[1] open trestle post mill at Nutley, East Sussex, England which has been restored to working order.' Quote from WIkipedia Suggested at Crowborough U3A 15/2/24 Further reading: https://www.bridgecottageuckfield.co.uk/about-udps/nutley-windmill/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nutley_Windmill https://www.sussexmillsgroup.org.uk/open1.htm#Nutley  

Arthur_Conan_Doyle_by_Walter_Benington,_1914

Arthur Conan Doyle lived in Crowborough at Windlesham Manor. His statue was dressed as an elf last Christmas. JW – Crowborough U3A, 15/2/24   Further reading: http://www.crowborough.info/conandoyle.htm and http://www.crowborough.info/conandoyleestablishment.htm  

stream

The ghost of Alice Bright Lane, Crowborough JS – Crowborough U3A, 15/2/24 ——— Quote from ParanormalDatabase.com “Dashing Lady Location: Crowborough (Sussex) – Alice Bright Lane Type: Haunting Manifestation Date / Time: Weather Dependent: Stormy weather Further Comments: A young woman was found drowned in a stream along this lane early in the

Past Your Stories In Song events (2024)

  • 7 FEB FRONTIER BAR, EASTBOURNE  – public event co-ordinated by Compass Community Arts. 7pm
  • 15 FEB CROWBOROUGH U3A  private event for U3A members – contact for details
  • 13 MARCH  – LIVESTREAM 8.30pm. Watch on Facebook or Youtube
  • 15 JUNE PICKHAMS, Arlington  2.30pm. In the gardens. BYO: chair/drinks/nibbles. BOOK
  • 18 JULY. Hailsham Library. 1pm
  • 8 AUGUST. DUNN HALL, RUSHLAKE GREEN. Rushlake Green Little Arts Festival TICKETS
  • 11 SEPT.  GROVELANDS SCHOOL. HAILSHAM. 6pm. Hailsham Festival
  • 7 OCTOBER.  HAMPDEN PARK LIBRARY.
  • 11 OCTOBER.  BATTLE LIBRARY. 11am
  • 25 NOVEMBER.  THE GROVE, EASTBOURNE. An event for women in partnership with WayfinderWoman Trust. 6pm BOOK
  • ADDITIONAL EVENT –
    30 NOVEMBER.  HILLCREST CENTRE, NEWHAVEN. An evening of song with Tide Mills Choir. Ticketed event in aid of MIND. BOOK 7.30PM.

Check out www.miltonhide.com for all Milton Hide performances

Story Archive

If you didn’t get to one of the events you can send your suggestions and stories using the form below to be added to the online archive.

We are adding more stories all of the time so check back for new entries.

Thanks go to everyone who has submitted a story. We hope you find inspiration here for your own creative project, be it songwriting, poetry, prose, visual art, dance or drama.

Please read our Ts & Cs HERE

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Lewes Snowdrop

Lewes Snowdrop

The Snowdrop Inn in Lewes commemorates a deadly avalanche that hit the town in 1836. On Christmas...

Defying the rules

Defying the rules

Name: Helen Peckham Story / suggestion: My Husband "Nick" suffered a Stroke in October 2021.  He...

Not All In The Mind

Not All In The Mind

We met Barbara at one of our Your Stories In Song events at Hampden Park Library. She told us this...

Mary Fildes

Mary Fildes

At Battle library we met a descendant of Mary Fildes who told us about her. Mary was president of...

Tom Hendrix’s Wall

Tom Hendrix’s Wall

Te-lah-nay's Wall - Wichahpi Commemorative Stone Wall We, Milton Hide (Jim and Jo) were lucky...

Paddling Along

Paddling Along

We (Milton Hide) were pleased to work with the children of Grovelands School as part of Hailsham...

Boy from the Estate

Boy from the Estate

A boy from the council estate got to the top of the corporate tree. My gosh it wasn't for me!...

Accident Annie

Accident Annie

Accident Annie She spilt her drink down her skirt And found it was because she was a flirt Never...

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Milton Hide are singer-songwriters Jim Tipler and Jo Church.

Their songs are story based and they have been touring the UK with their Audience Book to gather new song inspirations. They worked on “Your Stories In Song” with the Summer Trifle Group gathering stories in Wealden – a project funded by the National Lottery and wrote 11 songs inspired by those stories..

The project continues in the form of this website. Local legends, characters, landscape features – any story you have to share and that might be immortalised as a story in song is welcome.

The hope is that artists, musicians and writers will also create new works based on the stories stored in the archive below.

Join the Milton Hide mailing list

Be the first to find out news of where Milton Hide are playing and when they are releasing new music or videos, or what’s happening with the Your Stories In Song Project, by subscribing to their mailing list.
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