Carol Brinson, née Hawkins
How did Carol come to be editing a book for the Chichester Women’s History Group, and helping with the Group’s management?
Through Francesca Tambling’s enthusiasm, of course, but also by way of osmosis from her life and interests.
It all began in 2024 when a mutual friend introduced Carol and Francesca. A meeting in the café at the Weald & Downland Museum ensured that Carol was hooked on the idea of the Group.
Attendance at the Group’s talk by Kate Mosse in September 2024 strengthened the interest. However, what really sealed the commitment was a combination of a life-long association with Chichester, a new-found interest in local history research, a career spent in event organising and charity management, and a tendency to take on something new.
The Chichester connection began when she arrived as a very small child because her father, Derek Hawkins, a veterinary surgeon, came to start his own practice at 32 Broyle Road. The family lived in a lovely big flat in Brandy Hole Lane.
Carol in 1952, Chichester
She attended “Mrs Shoesmith’s” school in Summersdale for a while but then, sadly, her parents’ marriage didn’t survive. Her mother, brother, and Carol moved to Surrey then back to Sussex – to Rustington followed by Littlehampton and Arundel.
Her father stayed in Chichester and had built for himself the veterinary surgery with a flat above, where he lived, in Parklands Road. So Carol often visited Chichester, and travelled around with him on his calls to local farms. Also, his parents moved to Boxgrove and then Selsey.
Driving lessons at Millers in Chichester, including on Goodwood motor racing track, and practising around the lanes with her father on his calls in his surgery car, a “Beetle”, were entertaining. Taking her test in it caused consternation to the examiner because of the veterinary equipment in the back.
Not knowing what career she wanted to follow, she attended Chichester College of Further Education’s “Advanced” one-year secretarial course and then, after a couple of years in London, worked as a secretary to the Works Director at Beanstalk Shelving, on Chichester’s Terminus Road industrial estate.
She shared a cottage in East Ashling with two others and a parrot. One of these (not the parrot) was the one who many years later introduced her to Francesca.
A pivotal moment came when she became a volunteer at the Weald & Downland Museum. This wasn’t because of a love of history but for something to do when her boyfriend at the time was busy playing cricket and hockey at the weekend.
The Museum led to employment at West Dean College as PA to the Director and as organiser of their short courses. From this, after six months travelling in Australia, came a one-year Diploma in Arts & Leisure Administration course at the Polytechnic of Central London.
Despite thereafter for many years living in Farnham in Surrey, working at the Farnham Maltings Arts & Community Centre, she stayed involved with the Weald & Downland Museum as much as possible including joining the Museum’s staff part-time as “Duty Warden” and Events Co-ordinator.
Then the pull to Sussex increased and she moved to Midhurst. A sort of late gap year included taking part in and helping with Midhurst’s Community play “Playing with Fire”, working part-time as PA to novelist Philippa Gregory, when Philippa lived in Easebourne, and as a temporary secretary for ICI Fernhurst, and being a volunteer at Petworth House – behind the scenes. This led to employment as the National Trust’s Southern Region Centenary Co-ordinator for a couple of years.
All the while she continued working and volunteering at the Weald & Downland Museum, and still does, now mainly in the Library.
In 1997 she married Malcolm, at Chichester Registry Office, and moved to Petworth where he was church organist. She became a Petworth Festival volunteer and helped organise the Petworth Millennium party in the Square.
Then she and Malcolm spent a year in Kuwait, where he was teaching at an international primary school and Carol ran the school’s library.
Back in Petworth, she became a part-time Library Assistant with West Sussex County Council, mainly at Midhurst Library. Malcolm and Carol then moved back to Railway Terrace in Midhurst, where Carol joined Midhurst u3a, became its Treasurer, and a member of its Local History group because she wanted to explore the history of Railway Terrace. The interest in local history stuck. There followed research into Graylingwell Farmhouse, the Angel Hotel and its adjoining buildings (after they caught fire), and the life of Mrs Shoesmith. The production of the associated documents was as interesting as the research. She also joined the West Sussex Archives Society Committee, and …
… drum roll … we’ve got there at last …
the Chichester Women’s History Group. She became a member of their volunteer Research Group and took on the task of editing Chichester Women Discovered after helping with their first book Madge Turner: Chichester Suffragist. Undoubtedly, experience of writing and proofreading various documents and publications throughout her working life has helped with this new venture. Similarly, an understanding of charity management has enabled her to contribute to the running of the Group.
Book cover: “Chichester Women Discovered”
We’ll be sharing more stories from our brilliant team, please do keep following and supporting our mission.
