Lewes local historian wins prestigious accolade

May 18 was a notable date for Lewes History Group’s Dr John Kay. As programme secretary and editor of the monthly Bulletin, he was given the Outstanding Individual Contributor Award for 2023 from the British Association for Local History (BALH).

This prestigious honour is awarded to a local historian who has made a significant voluntary contribution to the subject in their locality and John certainly fulfils the criterion.

John Kay has unstinting enthusiasm and wide local knowledge, past and present, of both Lewes and the environs. He was especially singled out for his 40 years of producing monthly bulletins for first Ringmer History Group, then Lewes History Group too; the co-founding of both societies; his responding usefully to other researchers’ enquiries from around the world; as well as his many other voluntary roles in the community.

Prior to his retirement, Dr Kay was a Reader in Biochemistry at the University of Sussex, Associate Dean of the Brighton and Sussex Medical School, and previously the Director of the Centre for Medical Research. Living in Ringmer with wife Anna, he is also a published author in both history and biomedical journals.

For more information: leweshistory.org and ringmer.info/ringmer-history-study-group.html