Roadside Cross, Jevington, East Sussex

Wayside Cross in memory of Thomas Reuben Whittington

This cross is set into the garden wall of Thorpe's Cottage, now named ‘Kings Farthing’. It is on the sloping bend of the road through Jevington village, what was then known as School Hill. Thomas Rueben Whittington was born at Wannock, the son of Harry and Ann. His father was an agricultural labourer. The registers show that Thomas was baptised at Jevington Church on 14 November 1886 and as a boy he attended the village school. The family later moved to Polegate and Thomas aged 14 years worked for Messrs J Wood and Sons of Polegate, carters and suppliers of building materials and coals. On Monday 22 October 1900 Thomas was placing drag-brakes under the back wheels of a cart loaded with flints destined for road mending. This section of the road is quite steep. The brakes slipped and the cart rolled right over him, killing him instantly. His body was taken to the ‘Eight Bells' and lay in the cellars until an inquest there on 25 October recorded a verdict of Accidental Death, exonerating anyone from blame. He was buried at Hailsham cemetery on 27 October but this cross was erected at Jevington as a memorial to a young boy who had been born and had grown up in this parish. The cross bears his initials and the date of the accident.