NATIONAL AWARD FOR JOHN KAY

On 18 May Dr John Kay, Chairman of Ringmer History Study Group (RHSG), won the Outstanding Individual Contributor Award for 2023 from the British Association for Local History. This prestigious honour is given to a local historian who has made a significant voluntary contribution in the subject in their locality.

John’s award recognises the major contribution he has made in both Ringmer and Lewes to the study of local history. He was a co-founder of RHSG in 1981 and has been its chairman for 42 years and in 2009co-founded the Lewes History Group (LHG).

With his unstinting enthusiasm and wide local knowledge, past and present, John was especially singled out for his four decades of producing monthly newsletters for first RHSG (number 371 with eight pages of information has just been published for May), then LHG too. John has dealt with researchers’ enquiries from around the world for both groups whilst carrying out many other voluntary roles in the community including Chairmanship of Ringmer Parish Council from 2010 to 2016.

Prior to retiring John 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. He is also a published author in both history and biomedical journals.

To people in Ringmer John has been Mr History for more than 40 years. His research has been immaculate and immense, his developed knowledge has become encyclopaedic and his energy seems boundless.

Congratulations to John on being presented with this major award.