Closure of the Rustington Recorded Music Society

In November 1945, the inaugural meeting of the Littlehampton Gramophone Society was held at a private residence in Littlehampton. Ownership of a gramophone was rare 78 years ago and regular music recitals continued at the house for nearly a year.

The society then purchased its own gramophone, raising funds with dinner dances and bring and buy sales. As membership increased to over 30, the twice-monthly recitals moved to local cafés and eventually, in the 1950s, to the Masonic Hall in Littlehampton for many years, before moving to Rustington.

As it was now affiliated to the National Federation of Gramophone Societies, a constitution was adopted and occasional visiting lecturers added to the programme of regular music evenings presented by members.

Social events were popular among the rapidly-increasing membership, which in the 1970s had risen to 97, and visits were also organised to live concerts in London and locally.

The society was well known in the community and was invited to play background music at local events, Christmas markets, church flower festivals and during the intervals at the amateur dramatic society performances. Musical Evenings were held to raise money for Zachary Merton Hospital.

Over its lifetime, the society had several changes of name to reflect its current location, finally becoming the Rustington Recorded Music Society.

From the late 1980s, membership began to dwindle. As personal record-playing equipment became widely available, interest in the society waned, numbers fell and the average age of members increased.

In March 2023, at an extraordinary general meeting, the decision was taken to close Rustington Recorded Music Society.

In the 78 years of music and friendship, the society has given much pleasure to many people.