The Coom Family: The Living Bedrock of Old Portslade

In the shadow of the grand estates lived the "ordinary" families whose names are synonymous with Portslade’s endurance. The Coom family is perhaps the most striking example—a lineage of local labourers, mariners, and villagers whose presence is recorded as far back as the 1700s.

🪦 A Century of Records

If you walk through the St Nicolas churchyard, you will find the sturdy tombstone of George and Fanney Coom, who passed away in the 1770s. Their longevity in the parish is staggering:

• The Burial Register: Between 1813 and 1841, no fewer than eleven members of the Coom family were laid to rest at St Nicolas.

• The Struggle of Life: These records tell a poignant story; many of those buried were babies and children, a stark reminder of the hardships faced by the working class in early 19th-century Portslade.

🌊 Mariners and Mischief

The Cooms weren't just tied to the land; they were tied to the sea that defined the "Gap":

• Tragedy at Sea: In 1833, the village mourned Charles Coom, aged just 21, who was lost at sea. This suggests the family were active in the local maritime and fishing trades.

• A Glimpse of Daily Life: A newspaper account from 1865 mentions a John Coom, described as a "cripple," in connection with a local incident. These small snippets of news give us a rare, authentic look at the "everyday" people of the village—their struggles, their injuries, and their resilience.

Why the Cooms Matter

While the Brackenburys gave the town its school and the Mews gave it its industry, the Coom family provided the labour and the community spirit that made those things possible. They are the "silent" history of Portslade, and their descendants likely still walk our streets today.