Stories - Bevendean History Project
JOHN FUNNELL (1946 - 2025)
The Bevendean History Group is sad to
report the death of John Funnell. He was a great supporter of the
work of the group helping to arrange the geophysical survey on Farm
Green at Bevendean in October 2019. This led to the
Archaeological Dig on Farm Green in June 2025. John participated
in some of the group’s Annual General Meetings.
He was a very active field archaeologist in Sussex, especially in the Brighton area. John was a member, trustee, and former President (1994-1996), of the Brighton and Hove Archaeological Society for whom he directed excavations at Downsview, Coldean and at Rocky Clump, Stanmer along with a number of other places in the local area.
John was born on 13 January 1946 in Brighton. His parents moved to Bevendean in 1951 or 1952 to a house in Walmer Crescent. The houses on the estate were still in the process of being built.
Then after 43 years, and 18 months before John was due to retire, he was made redundant.
John then took a job at Partridge House as a carer which he said was wonderful. He was forced to give up this job when his arthritis became a problem.
When he was looking for a house, the estate agent said there was a house in Coldean where the sale had just fallen through. When he and his wife viewed the house, they looked out of the window and had a beautiful view over to Stanmer Woods and felt it was perfect.
John remembers Bevendean and Coldean as being happy times in his life.
John Funnels memories of Bevendean
He was a very active field archaeologist in Sussex, especially in the Brighton area. John was a member, trustee, and former President (1994-1996), of the Brighton and Hove Archaeological Society for whom he directed excavations at Downsview, Coldean and at Rocky Clump, Stanmer along with a number of other places in the local area.
John Funnell at Plumpton Roman Villa in 2017
John was born on 13 January 1946 in Brighton. His parents moved to Bevendean in 1951 or 1952 to a house in Walmer Crescent. The houses on the estate were still in the process of being built.
Johns’ childhood was a time
when he used to wander. He was in the infant school to start with
and then when he went up to the juniors he remembers Mrs Baker a
teacher there. She used to buy eggs from his father who kept
chickens.
He started work at 16 at a company called Hatchards, a toolmaking company along old Shoreham Road opposite what used to be Hanningtons which is where PC World is now. John had to cycle from Lower Bevendean all the way to Hove Cemetery and cycle back in all weathers.
A neighbour's son had got a job at Brighton Sheet Metal and said they are looking for a youngster as a trainee toolmaker. He had an interview and got the job for £1.10p an hour. It was only a 10 minute walk from home.
In 1966, just after the World Cup, when he was getting married, he was
asked if he would like to go into the drawing office, which was
upstairs and he moved into the drawing office in 1966. In about 1972 or
74 the drawing office and the tool room move to Moulsecoomb Way.He started work at 16 at a company called Hatchards, a toolmaking company along old Shoreham Road opposite what used to be Hanningtons which is where PC World is now. John had to cycle from Lower Bevendean all the way to Hove Cemetery and cycle back in all weathers.
A neighbour's son had got a job at Brighton Sheet Metal and said they are looking for a youngster as a trainee toolmaker. He had an interview and got the job for £1.10p an hour. It was only a 10 minute walk from home.
Then after 43 years, and 18 months before John was due to retire, he was made redundant.
John then took a job at Partridge House as a carer which he said was wonderful. He was forced to give up this job when his arthritis became a problem.
When he was looking for a house, the estate agent said there was a house in Coldean where the sale had just fallen through. When he and his wife viewed the house, they looked out of the window and had a beautiful view over to Stanmer Woods and felt it was perfect.
John remembers Bevendean and Coldean as being happy times in his life.
John Funnels memories of Bevendean
