Hi Clare,

I knew Chris at ringmer school and for a few years after before I moved to London for uni.

When my parents divorced my dad moved to malling and Chris we really welcoming and made me feel at home in a new community. I remember the day he told me they were building the flyover and you guys would need to move home. He always seemed so positive about things despite the obvious upheaval.

We eventually lost contact somehow along the way but I always recall our good times and Chris laughing and being so knowledgeable about music. Great and find memories.

I was sad to read the news and I hope you’re ok. Chris was such a good person

All the best

Ben

Hello,
So very sad and sorry to hear the news about Chris.
Although we had not been in contact probably since after school properly, we had bumped into him in Lewes a few times over the years, usually around Christmas. Although we grew apart, my memories of Chris are still so strong and some of my fondest. Me, Mike, Chris and Dave Lupton were pretty inseparable when we were younger, we all did paper rounds together, hung out at every opportunity together, played computer games, listened to records, played in bands, made horror films, threw Cadbury's Creme Eggs at the big wall outside your house on St. Michaels Terrace together, just everything!
I had so many many firsts with Chris even though i was Mike's younger brother and probably quite annoying, Chris played me Nirvana Nevermind for the first time, i've never forgotten it amongst so many others.
Anyway, i could talk about his sharp wit and curly hair and Metallica T-Shirt all day.
We're all going to have an online screening of the daft horror films we made back then and we'll all raise a drink to Chris.
I hope he knew that even though we weren't all still close that we always thought of him and he was always part of our fondest memories that we still talk about to this day.
So sorry again
joe
x

Dear Clare
I am so sorry to hear about Chris' passing. My mum saw the report in the Eastbourne Herald last week.
I was at Ringmer with Chris and in his form from the 1-5th year, moreover my mum has lived in Malling/Lewes since I was 13 - just around the corner from your old house. We were close friends throughout those 5 years at Ringmer school.

We drifted soon after school and lost contact. But somehow I assumed I'd bump into him around Lewes. I never really heard what happened to him and I'm really sad that no there's no chance I'll ever have the opportunity to see him again.

I originally wrote a much longer message but this is a public board so I decided not to share everything with the whole world. The funeral director can give you my email if you want me to send my memories of him. I'm sure I have a few photos too and there's a video of him playing guitar at a school concert. Once the pandemic is over I could get access to them.

Chris was an important part of my early life and he won't be forgotten.

With my deepest sympathies.

I hadn't seen Chris for many years but was really shocked and saddened to hear of his death and wanted to pass on my condolences. I have a lot of amazing memories with him growing up in Malling. Meeting at primary school and us all playing down the old railway and in the park and generally adventuring. Going onto Ringmer school and playing in our first ever band together (he was a great guitarist). Playing our first ever gig at the school guitar concert and at my mum's 40th birthday party. Making horror films together on mine and Joe's Super 8mm camera up on the downs, in Dave Lupton's garden and out at Corin Hardy's house in Chiddingly. Going to the 1990 Monsters of Rock festival at Donnington and staying in the dining room at his house when we got home on the coach at about 4am. Getting into music all together - he played me 'Alice in Chains' for the first time and he always loved Run DMC and Public Enemy, so we listened to rap as well as all the heavy metal and it was so much fun to do that in our little gang. We were definitely a gang of really close friends with our long hair and tight jeans and he will always be in that gang and forever young in my mind (as we all will be one day I suppose). I have so many stories and memories from those times that involve him and they feel even more precious now that I can't share them with him again one day. I hope he knew how much he meant to me and all those friends from that time. He always had the quickest wit and many of us could only ever try in vain to match him. I wouldn't be the person I am today without having known him and I wish I could tell him that. He won't ever be forgotten by us and he will always be in those old films we made and we plan to watch them and raise a glass to our old friend. I'm sorry you won't be there too Chris. Love you man. Mike xx

So sorry to hear of Chris' passing. We were childhood friends and neighbours and although we lost touch throughout the years, that friendship always remained very special to me. To quote a line from Stand By Me 'I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was 12. Jesus, does anyone?' Rest in Peace Chris.