West Sussex County Council: What's new at the Record Office

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Sussex Tales of the Unexpected: Five Centuries of Country Life is a new book written by Kim Leslie.

Rural superstitions and the black arts; when 'grinding the wind' in prison meant hard labour on the dreaded treadwheel; smells filth and flies in the streets; of fleas and smugglers; the whistling pigeons of Dangstein; the first convicts transported to Australia; the evils of tea drinking; troubles in the workhouse; emigration to Canada; the campaign against street lighting; the mouse-trap capital of England; when Britain's first motorway might have been built to run through Sussex a century ago- in 1906.

These are just a few of the fascinating stories in this new book chronicling life in the past from original documents, old newspapers, books and maps from the Tudor period to the last century, sumptuously illustrated by over 350 colour pictures.

This hardback book is priced at £25, plus £6.50 postage and packing to UK addresses.

To order please phone 01243 753602 or email records.office@westsussex.gov.uk or shop on-line.