HISTORY
Lewes Chamber of Commerce was inaugurated in 1935, to be the voice of Lewes’s business community.
From a time when there were weekly livestock auctions, and almost every shop and firm was independently owned, to a high street with several chain stores, the Chamber has always had a high profile, and in many years well known business owners took on the role of President. Below are our Past Presidents, and those who have lived in Lewes for some time will surely recognise some of these names.
Rowland Gorringe, our first President in 1935, and whose estate agency and auctioneers business that bears his name, and which commenced in 1926, is still a major business in the town today, with his grandson, Edward, as Group Chairman.
(Photo provided by Edward Gorringe.)
1935 – ROWLAND GORRINGE
1936 – S. J. STEVENSON
1937 – C. J. RUGG
1938 – W. E. WITCHER
1939-1946 – H. E. PARRISH
1947-1948 – W. R. S. JOHNSTON
1949-1951 – B. SANGER
1952-1954 – J. G. STACEY HENDERSON
1955 – N. J. MARTIN
1956-1958 – R. W. BROWN
1959 – J. PICKERILL
1960-1961 – J. K. HEDGECOCK
1962-1963 – CLIFFORD DANN
1964-1966 – F. E. WILLIS
1966-1976 – JOHN HOUGHTON
1976-1978 – N. V. RASHLEIGH
1978-1980 – B. W. COOLEY
1980-1982 – P. BELLAMY
1982-1985 – M. E. SQUIRE
1985-1987 – J. G. A. CLARK
1987-1988 – JANET WILMSHURST
1989-1991 – R. G. E. HILL
1991-1993 – R. SIMMONDS
1993-1996 – ANDREW CLARKE
1996-1998 – R. PATTEN
1998-2000 – GRAHAM S. MIDMER
2000-2001 – MALCOLM J. HEAVEN
2001-2005 – JOANNA YATES
2005-2012 – DAVID J. QUINN
2012-2016 – DAVID CLARK
2016-2023 – CLARE CROUCH (Immediate Past President)
Current President – ASHLEY PRICE
Membership Rates
Starting from- 1-4 employees £60.00
- 5-10 employees £80.00
- 11+ employees £100.00
- Registered Charity/Not-for-profit £25.00