It would be fair to say that Jack Turner quite likes his home village of Newick, East Sussex. In the 100 years of his life he has hardly left the pretty settlement of 2,000 people for more than a week. Andy Chiles reports.

For the past 25 years, 100- year-old Jack Turner has been enjoying his retirement from the comfort of a bungalow in Badens Close, Newick, one of four homes he has spent his life in – all within 200ft of each other.

Even when the Second World War broke out when he was 31, Jack did not leave the village, which is sandwiched between Haywards Heath and Uckfield.

Instead, he joined the Home Guard.

The only times he has strayed from the confines of the village have been for day trips and the occasional week’s holiday – but never further than Cornwall.

He said: “I’ve never really wanted to leave and I haven’t needed to. I stayed in Newick because my job was here and my family was here.”

Jack was born in 1908 at his parents’ home at 100 Allington Road. He attended the now-closed Newick School.

At 14 he took up a job as a postman, based at Newick Post Office, before leaving to join a local building firm. He eventually joined another builders, DD Wilkins, and worked there for the remaining 54 years of his career. His job made him exempt from going to the frontline in the war and he became a skilled plumber and carpenter.

His son David followed him into the business, working alongside his father for decades.

When he left the family home as a teenager, Jack did not go far, moving yards away to 2 Allington Crescent. As his family grew he shifted to a larger house but only as far as 27 Allington Crescent.

The retired builder has made a significant contribution to the 2,300 population of the village, which sits on the A272 between Haywards Heath and Uckfield.

He and his wife Dorothy, who died in 1980 but had also lived her whole life in Newick, raised a son and five daughters, three of whom still live in the area.

Between them they have given Jack 29 grandchildren, nine greatgrandchildren and, so far, two great-great-grandchildren. The whole family recently gathered for a celebration of his 100th birthday.

David Turner, 73, said: “He’s been happy here all of his life, and he still is.” He said his father was a keen gardener and skilled at woodwork. He had built most of the furniture in his home.

It is no surprise to learn Jack has become one of Newick’s best-known residents. Alan Morton, honorary secretary of the Newick Village Society, said: “He’s a lovely guy and he’s very popular. He knows just about everyone in the area.

“I’m not surprised he has never left, a lot of people stay in Newick for a long time, the place has that kind of draw about it.

“I think you need to be here for about 25 years before people start to really consider you a local.”

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