Sweet Caroline singalong for 'electrifying heroine' Haslett entertains Three Bridges

Members of a group seeking to commemorate Crawley’s ‘electrifying heroine’ Caroline Haslett have had a singalong to commemorate 126th anniversary of her birth.
By Mark Dunford
Published 24th Aug 2021, 07:24 BST
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Three Bridges Forum were delighted by the enthusiasm of about 20 people including Three Bridges Councillors and Crawley MP Henry Smith, who responded to a local poster campaign and turned out to sing under the electricity pylon near Three Bridges Station last Tuesday evening.

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The occasion was the 126th anniversary of the birth in Three Bridges of Dame Caroline Haslett (1895-1957), suffragette and campaigner for women’s equality who championed the role of women in mainstream employment – particularly engineering.

Three Bridges Forum members sing with Henry Smith MP and Crawley Songbirds Choir member Julie AscombeThree Bridges Forum members sing with Henry Smith MP and Crawley Songbirds Choir member Julie Ascombe
Three Bridges Forum members sing with Henry Smith MP and Crawley Songbirds Choir member Julie Ascombe

Crawley Songbirds Choir member Julie Ascombe led the assembled songsters in a practice rendition of Neil Diamond’s well known good-time anthem ‘Sweet Caroline’.

The event was rounded off with a verse of ‘Happy Birthday To You (Dear Caroline)’ and another rousing finale of ‘Sweet Caroline’ with all the actions and chorus chants popularised during recent sporting events and the Euros football tournament.

It may not have been the singing alone that stopped the Haslett Avenue traffic at the Hazelwick Avenue lights, but some drivers were sufficiently intrigued by what was going on next to banners bearing images of Caroline Haslett and a singing pylon that they called in to find out.

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The Caroline Haslett anniversary event was part of Three Bridges Forum’s project aimed at the creation of a public realm memorial at the pylon site, close to her birthplace.

Forum vice-chairman John Cooban thanked all those for taking part and keeping alive the prospect of a memorial - the idea for which was supported by a 2018 public consultation and has been endorsed in principle by UK Power networks as pylon owner, West Sussex County Council as site owner and Crawley Borough Council through its community engagement role.

Three Bridges Forum can be contacted via [email protected]

Related topics:Henry Smith