I noted with interest on the website you state the Ovingdean Village Estate was bought from Steyning Beard’s estate and that he was a colourful cove with significant gambling debts and other interests too risque to go into on a general access website!
I am wondering if you are mixing up the generations. My grandmother married his son Charles Steyning Beard (his second wife) and CSB was certainly a racey sort – and fond of gambling, chasing women – the lot! But I had always understood the father Steyning Beard died 1909 was a more sober sort. I’d be really interested to find out more. Please email me at acorbettn@mac.com with any juicy details you might have! Thanks. The guilty are all long gone now (as has all the cash ….)
