...189618971898...
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec
Man Shoots ex-Wife
From the Hastings News of 01/01/1897
James Playford on 28 December 1896 was committed for trial for the attempted murder of his former wife on the day she married another man. He gave himself up after shooting her on 13 December at her flat, 24 Scrivens ...
(more...)
Light Problems
From the Hastings News of 08/01/1897
The Electric Light Company was not properly fulfilling its three-year contract to light the seafront. Many lamps had failed, and the service was often switched on late (if at all) or switched off early. At a Council meeting on 1 ...
(more...)
Czar Visitor
From the Hastings News of 08/01/1897
Prince Alexander Scherbertoff, an official in the Czar's Court, was now occupying Allegria, Quarry Hill, St Leonards, for 3-4 months.
An editorial piece expressed support for the tramcar system against omnibuses, which blocked nearly half the roadway, impeded carriage traffic and were noisy and uncomfortable for passengers. They were also destructive to public roads and a noisy nuisance to Front ...
(more...)
Councillor Slade was worried that if the Harbour District Railway was not opposed, the East Hill cliffs would be woefully disfigured. The News of 22 January said that there were two rival schemes for the construction of a railway from ...
(more...)
An advert for the tramway on page three said that only two feet of the present roadway, plus 4 feet of the parade, was needed for a single line.This was substituted for the earlier proposed double line of rails in ...
(more...)
Sudden death of fish hawker George Page of 26 St Mary's Terrace.
There was an opposition meeting at Silverhill on 22 January to the borough extension scheme.
Snowstorms of Friday 22nd and Saturday 23rd give work to the unemployed in clearing the snow.
Clive Vale Problem
From the Hastings News of 12/02/1897
At a public meeting at Clive Vale to consider the proposed harbour railway schemes as affecting the interest of Clive Vale and Ore, the chairman said the area needed an adequate approach to development. The journey through the High Street ...
(more...)
Tram Committee
From the Hastings News of 12/02/1897
The Council set up a new Tramway Committee to collect information on the various trams in use in other areas.
Bills Read
From the Hastings News of 19/02/1897
The Hastings Tramways Bill and the Harbour District Railway Bill were read for the first time in the House of Lords. The News of 21 May said the Harbour Bill had passed the Lords Select Committee.
A new steamboat company was registered on 19 January: the Brighton, Shanklin, Eastbourne and Hastings Belle Passenger Steamboat Company Ltd.
A Local Government Board public inquiry into an application by Hastings Council for the proposed extension of the borough boundaries opened on Thursday 18 February. At a meeting of Hollington parishoners on 16 Februrary they opposed the plan.
A Silverhill public meeting was unanimously in favour of the Harbour District Railway.
A Council inquiry into the Brede works water scheme heard evidence that estimated that a supply of two million gallons could be yielded, which would be sufficient for an extended municipal area of Hastings. The Council adopted the report on ...
(more...)
The tram scheme had been abandoned. The promoters had just told the House of Lords they no longer intended to proceed with their parliamentary bill. The News editorial of 5 March said that the town could now sort out the ...
(more...)
Gale Damage
From the Hastings News of 05/03/1897
In a terrific gale on Wednesday 3 March, Ebenezer Trimming of 46 St Mary's Terrace was killed by a falling wall as he walked up Wallingers Walk on the West Hill. There was considerable damage to harbour works, with 150 ...
(more...)
Bad Braybrooke
From the Hastings News of 05/03/1897
Alderman Bray called attention to the disgraceful state of Braybrooke Road, with no proper footway and the highway a mass of mud in dirty weather.
Wooden Street
From the Hastings News of 12/03/1897
Alderman Bradnam proposed carrying out experiments with wood paving in Robertson Street and the Front Line. The News of 30 July reported that much of Robertson Street was being lifted up and carted away in sections in preparation for new ...
(more...)
There was a town meeting on 16 March to discuss the forthcoming Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria, and celebration proposals.
A Board of Trade Inquiry took place in the town hall Council Chamber on 13 March about the construction of a northern sea wall at the harbour. The chamber was filled with fishermen who opposed the building of a north ...
(more...)
Store Damage
From the Hastings News of 19/03/1897
A pony, attached to a cart, on 18 March bolted from Wellington Square and ran into the front of the big grocery store Lipton's, at 8 Wellington Place [where MacDonalds is today]. The pony smashed much of the glasswork and ...
(more...)
Old Town Road
From the Hastings News of 26/03/1897
The Council postponed consideration of a new thoroughfare in the Old Town until the borough boundary question was settled.
Pier Landing Stage
From the Hastings News of 26/03/1897
The construction of the landing stage on St Leonards Pier was in progress.
Salvation Army
From the Hastings News of 02/04/1897
Mrs Bramwell Booth was at Hastings to discuss Salvation Army rescue work.
St Leonards Church
From the Hastings News of 02/04/1897
The restoration of the interior of St Leonards Parish Church was completed.
Mail Driver Killed
From the Hastings News of 02/04/1897
The Hastings-to-Hawkhurst horse-drawn mail cart overturned at Johns Cross, near Robertsbridge, on Tuesday 30 March and its driver Mr Lavender died underneath it.
Woman’s Suicide
From the Hastings News of 16/04/1897
Annie Hartley, a 60-year old widow of 11 Gladstone Terrace, West Hill, was found drowned in the reservoir by Ore railway station. She had committed suicide. Her daughter told the inquest that Annie had been very depressed and contemplating suicide ...
(more...)
Brassey Lecture
From the Hastings News of 16/04/1897
Thomas Brassey gave a benefit lecture at the Public Hall in Robertson Street on 12 April describing his tour round the world.
The Local Government Board gave the go-ahead for the extension of the Hastings Borough boundaries, as requested by Hastings Council. This had been under debate for many months, with many people opposed to it. Ore and Hollington would be now ...
(more...)
Jubliee Programme
From the Hastings News of 07/05/1897
The Jubilee programme was outlined. There would be music, processions, feasting the poor, entertaining the children, dancing on the Greens and bonfires on the hills. The estimated cost was £900.
Railway Home Opens
From the Hastings News of 07/05/1897
The new Railway Mission Convalescent Home for railwaymen, at 111 West Hill Road, St Leonards (above Grosvenor Gardens), was opened by Lady Chichester. This was a magnificent new building, far better than its predecessor next to the church in Portland ...
(more...)
Light Company Deal
From the Hastings News of 14/05/1897
The Council on 7 May agreed to purchase all the plant, stock in trade and premises of the Electric Light Company for £58,000 when the contract ran out in June 1897. This was the amount wanted by the company, although ...
(more...)
Seafront Condemned
From the Hastings News of 14/05/1897
The Front Line was castigated in the St Pauls parochial magazine. The roads were rarely swept and the slightest downpour left hundreds of puddles, revealing the shocking state of the highways. The roads were in villainous disrepair .
Dead Babies Found
From the Hastings News of 14/05/1897
A newly born female child's body had been found in a brown paper bundle in Alexandra Park, in the bushes by the lodge close to the railway line. The News of 21 May reported that on 30 April a dead ...
(more...)
The Hastings Harbour District Railway Bill had passed the Select Committee of the House of Lords.
Brassey Injured
From the Hastings News of 28/05/1897
Thomas Brassey fell from his horse in Maidstone on 26 May and was injured.
Keyworth Dies
From the Hastings News of 04/06/1897
Death of Mr GA Keyworth, a popular chemist with premises at Wellington Place.
More Angling
From the Hastings News of 04/06/1897
The Hastings Angling Association, with a membership of over 80, hired two ponds, at Sandrock, St Helens, and water at Franchise Farm, Burwash.
The widespread unease at the purchase by Hastings Council of the Electric Light Company's assets started becoming public. The well-known and respected Mr CF Botley, an electrical engineer, said the purchase price was excessive and the Council was paying too ...
(more...)
Harbour Ceremony
From the Hastings News of 18/06/1897
Lord Dufferin, the former Lord Warden of' the Cinque Ports, laid the foundation stone of the harbour works on Wednesday 16 June. In a ceremony he lightly touched the stone with a silver trowel. Large crowds had watched Lord ...
(more...)
A woman who was to become one of Adolf Hitler's closest friends was born in Hastings. Winifred Williams was the daughter of Welsh theatre critic John Williams and his German wife Emily Karop. Both died before Winifred was two, and ...
(more...)
Queen Victoria's jubilee celebrations took place on Tuesday 22 June. Crowds assembled at North's Seat, the town's highest point, and on the West Hill, and at the appointed hour of ten pm 80 bonfires were lit on the Sussex hill ...
(more...)
Ben Tree Bent
From the Hastings News of 02/07/1897
Benjamin Tree, the Council's rate collector in St Mary Magdalen parish, was sentenced to 12 months hard labour at Lewes Assizes on 29 June. He pleaded guilty to stealing £600 of the rates he had collected, plus embezzlement, forgery and ...
(more...)
Harbour in Court
From the Hastings News of 16/07/1897
There was a high court hearing, Barber vs Hastings Harbour Commissioners, on 15 July. Mr Barber claimed £1,200 commission from the Commissioners for introducing a loan to them. Barber had heard that construction of the harbour was delayed through lack ...
(more...)
Old Town New Road
From the Hastings News of 23/07/1897
An Old Town improvement meeting took place at Clive Vale school on 20 July. A new street was wanted through the Old Town. A second meeting took place in Clive Vale on 3 August.
A new road was being built at West St Leonards. It would be a short cut from Filsham Road to the West St Leonards railway station. on the Tunbridge Wells line. It would open up that area for development
Railwaymen Killed
From the Hastings News of 27/08/1897
There was a fatal accident at St Andrews Archway on Wednesday 25 August. Mr William Sidney Cozens, an inspector of works for SER, fell down a shaft being sunk by the side of the railway over St Andrews Archway. On ...
(more...)
Gale Damage
From the Hastings News of 03/09/1897
In a heavy gale on Wednesday 1 September, a wooden groyne was damaged and two bathing machines destroyed. But the new 'bull nose' coping at West Marina prevented usual disfigurement.
Old Town Engineers
From the Hastings News of 03/09/1897
The News ran a profile of Messrs Blackman and Hobbs, owners of 23 High Street, where their family business, Upfield and Sons, had been for four years. Their firm, also called the Hastings Engineering Works, were respected engineers, millwrights and ...
(more...)
Piece of Shipwreck
From the Hastings News of 10/09/1897
A long piece of timber was washed ashore at Grosvenor Gardens on 9 September, part of the hull of a wrecked ship.
A sale of fishing boats, net shops and fishing gear had taken place. 250 lots were sold by Mr Oldham, auctioneer of Havelock Road .
Harry Coghill Dies
From the Hastings News of 24/09/1897
Harry Coghill of Coghurst died suddenly at Ilfracombe on Saturday 18 September.
No Mixed Bathing
From the Hastings News of 08/10/1897
A Council meeting on 1 October turned down a proposal to permit mixed bathing. Alderman Macer Wright said the time had come to allow it at certain stations along the seafront. But: "Alderman Tree thought it would be a great ...
(more...)
Harbour Fire
From the Hastings News of 08/10/1897
There was an outbreak of fire at the harbour sheds on Sunday night 3 October. It was restricted to the corrugated iron building used as an enginehouse, which contained oil barrels and other inflammable material. It was completely wrecked.
The Corporation was now the actual freeholder of a considerable portion of Brede Valley, giving control of the watershed from the level to the top of the hill. This had been a long and difficult process, at last giving Hastings ...
(more...)
Strickland Death
From the Hastings News of 22/10/1897
Death of Edmund Strickland, at his Prospect Place residence. He was head of the long-established Strickland family of corn merchants in George Street.
New Tram Proposal
From the Hastings News of 29/10/1897
The wealthy Irishman William Martin Murphy, with a great reputation in the electric tramcar world, promoted another opportunity for Hastings to construct a thoroughly equipped and well managed system of tramcars.
The first elections of the new, extended Hastings Council took place on Monday 1 November. The Tories won 13 seats, the Liberals 10 and the Independents 7. Following the Council's successful request to make the town bigger by taking in ...
(more...)
Typhoid Parade
From the Hastings News of 05/11/1897
There was a Sunday parade on 31 October by friendly societies and trades unions of Hastings to aid the Maidstone Relief Fund following the serious typhoid outbreak.
The new sanatorium was approaching completion in Cackle Street [Frederick Road]. There was a large attendance on Saturday 30 October on the laying of a memorial stone. The building and land had cost about £12,000, and other accessories about another ...
(more...)
Anon Circulars
From the Hastings News of 05/11/1897
Anonymous circulars attacking the purchase of the Electric Light Company by Hastings Council were widely distributed.
Railwayman Dies
From the Hastings News of 12/11/1897
An inquiry took place on Tuesday 9 November into the death of William Tutt, aged 62, an outside porter at Hastings railway station. He was found dead by drowning, on the rocks at Rock a Nore. It was an open ...
(more...)
Labourer Killed
From the Hastings News of 12/11/1897
There was a fatal injury to Francis W Burgess, aged 28, a labourer at the timber merchants Brimmell & Miller in Devonshire Road. A large stack of wood fell on him.
Following the extension of the borough boundary, the Hastings police force was re-organised. The borough was split into three divisions: 'A', or Central, from Ecclesbourne to Church Road, north to Beaconsfield Road, policed from the Central and Bourne Street Stations; ...
(more...)
The old and respected architect Henry Carpenter died on Saturday 13 November at his residence, 133 Marina. He first came to Hastings in 1850 and practised for many years in Robertson Street, designing many of the principal buildings erected around ...
(more...)
Harbour Dries Up
From the Hastings News of 03/12/1897
The harbour funds had dried up. It was thought it may have been possible to secure finance from the trustees or the ratepayers to complete the harbour. Proposals of this sort were in the air. The News suggested having a ...
(more...)
There was a fatal accident in the BoPeep railway tunnel. The body of Henry Davis, a platelayer of SER, was found by the track, headless.
Ship Sinks
From the Hastings News of 03/12/1897
There was a collision on 28 November in a terriric gale off the Sovereign Lightship between the steamer Noel, of Dunkirk, and a four-masted sailing vessel that sank almost immediately. The Noel ran ashore and grounded off Dungeness.
Hastings Council agreed that the houses then being erected under the West Hill at St Leonards should be called Grosvenor Crescent.
Corrupt Teacher
From the Hastings News of 17/12/1897
Dr Gregory, of Manor House College, appeared at Hastings Bankruptcy Court. He also faced criminal charges of obtaining money by false pretences.
Young Drinkers
From the Hastings News of 17/12/1897
The Council's Watch Committee requested publicans to no longer serve liquor to children of a tender age.
Trams Opposed
From the Hastings News of 17/12/1897
There was a small private meeting of tradesmen to consider the various tramcar schemes then before the public. They strongly opposed all the schemes, as each intended to lay lines along the Front Line.
A letter described the current distress amongst fishermen and their families. It said this was the worst year ever been known. In the News of 31 December, the Rev HJ Sanders, Chaplain of the Fishermen's Church, appealed for donations to ...
(more...)