About the Project

I have been navigating the River Arun since 1968 in a variety of small craft, as well as walking in the valley with a succession of dogs, and have always had an interest in archaeology and local history. Since retiring early in 1996 I have steadily expanded my collection of postcards. I have also volunteered with the Wey & Arun Canal Trust in various roles and am a member of their speaker panel for talks. I occasionally skipper the trip boats from Loxwood.

Much of the information about the postcard publishers comes from the website Sussex Postcards by Rendel Williams, an excellent resource for local collectors. Technical information has been gathered from many sources; it is included for interest only, and accuracy cannot be guaranteed. However, I am indebted to the publication Closing Down Sail, by W. Martin Benn (available from the author), for much of the sailing vessel information; an absorbing read for any lover of merchant sailing schooners. 

My partner has done much of the research for this project which has greatly expanded the information base. She has also been instrumental in developing the individual themes, and in keeping me on the right track.

Videos

I first worked with Jerry Laurence in 2002, on a film he directed for the Wey & Arun Canal Trust, The Lost Wey to the Sea. This was the first time I acted as presenter in a film but, despite the trauma of undertaking such as role, it was not to be the last. During the intervening years, I had harboured the idea for a documentary video about Arun Valley postcards, and when I heard that Jerry had become a licensed drone pilot I became very excited about the prospect of enhancing the stories with aerial footage. The Arun Valley Postcard Trail video series began in 2016, with Houghton as the first episode.