Wreath laid in memory of town founder

Town dignitaries joined members of the Bognor Regis Local History Society to pay respects to Richard Hotham, the 18th century politician and landlord who is widely credited with founding the town.

In a ceremony intended to memorialise the laying of Bognor’s foundation stone, Local History Society chairman Greg Burt, alongside students from South Bersted Church of England Primary School, and Arun District Council chair Alison Cooper, laid wreaths near Sir Richard Hotham’s grave on Thursday, January 18).

Richard Hotham died on March 14, 1799, aged 7 7 , and his remains were originally interred inside South Bersted Church. When the church was restored in 1879, the remains were moved to a vault in the churchyard, which can still be seen today. The wreath laying is a long-standing tradition for the Local History Society, and chairman Greg Burt said it helps preserve Bognor’s connection to its past.

"Our role is to remind people and educate people about the history of the town,” he explained. “And this helps us do that. It’s a nice tradition to have."

Noel Goodwin, headteacher at South Bersted Cofe Primary School, said: “He’s someone our students learn about. I think for the children to learn about the significance of this event to the town is a really powerful thing.”

“Doing something like this gives students the opportunity to ask questions about the history of their community,” added Cllr Allison Cooper.

“They think ‘well what did he do?’ and they have access to a trusted source of information.”