A NEWLY discovered newspaper report from 1924 has shed light on the founding of the Hailsham Chamber of Commerce, an initiative that brought local businesses together and continues to this day.
The historic meeting took place on Tuesday, 14 October 1924, and was reported in the Sussex Express, where around 50 business owners and professionals from Hailsham and surrounding villages gathered at the Parish Room.
It reported that the meeting, organised by Mr P. W. Kempton and chaired by Mr A. K. Burtenshaw, J.P., attracted interest from traders in Herstmonceux, Polegate, Bodle Street Green and beyond.
The Eastbourne Chamber of Commerce’s president, Mr S. A. Chartres, and secretary, Mr W. S. Gardiner, were invited to outline how their organisation operated and how Hailsham might benefit from a similar model.
Topics ranged from local representation to debt collection, with a proposal that Hailsham handle public matters independently while partnering with Eastbourne for more specialised services.
Mr T. Rich formally proposed the formation of the Hailsham Chamber of Commerce, stating that if other towns could benefit from such an organisation, Hailsham should too. He pointed to the town’s limited influence in local government and argued that a united business voice could help shape decisions at district and county level.
A five-member committee was appointed to draft rules, suggest membership subscriptions, and recommend officers. The founding committee included Mr Rich, Mr E. U. Jenner, Mr Kempton, Mr S. A. Honeysett (Herstmonceux) and Mr G. W. Barned (Bodle Street Green), with Mr R. Wells volunteering as secretary.
Several attendees pledged their support immediately, while others awaited the committee’s recommendations. The Chamber was to represent a broad area including Hellingly, Chiddingly, The Dicker, Gardner Street and Boreham Street.
One of the strongest endorsements came from Mr Wilfrid Burtenshaw, who said the idea had been in his mind for years but had previously struggled to gain traction. The 1924 meeting marked the moment that Hailsham’s business community came together and the start of the town’s Chamber officially began.
Since then, the Hailsham Chamber has continued to use local newspapers as its tool to update members of the public and potential new members about its work and to publish news and information about its current members.
Today, the Hailsham Chamber of Commerce is chaired by Sam Beale, who was elected in March 2025. The Chamber now has around 140 members and continues to organise monthly breakfast meetings and other activities to encourage networking.
More information can be found at https://hailshamchamber.co.uk/.
