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New Year’s Eve was “very lively, and there was a spirit abroad which promoted fraternity”. The Gaiety, Pier and Hippodrome were well patronised. There was a heavy snowstorm around 11pm, with the snow soon melting and leaving slush. “The Memorial ...
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Christmas Ball
From the Hastings Mail of 07/01/1905
A Christmas Ball was held at the Royal Concert Hall, Warrior Gardens, last night, Friday 6th. It was cancelled last year because of lack of support. This was a great success, with over 200 people there.
The Salvation Army a few days ago gave a large number of the aged poor a good dinner in the iron fort, St Andrews Square. So great was the success that 270 poor children were entertained to tea on January ...
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The tramway work was proceeding rapidly at Ore and Hollington. At Ore the construction was rapidly approaching the centre of Hastings, having reached Mount Road. All through Baldslow the work had been finished and the roads had resumed their natural ...
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Bankruptcy adjudication of William Grant, 48 George Street, eating house keeper and bird dealer.
Ore’s Poor Dinners
From the Hastings Mail of 07/01/1905
The Mail said: At Ore “the poorer classes have lately – as every winter – been at their wit’s end to provide an ample meal for their children”. A reporter saw that the children gathered daily, numbering over 200, at ...
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The inaugural meeting of the Hastings and St Leonards branch of the Typographical Association was held successfully this evening in the Clarence Hotel, Middle Street. Robert Lafarelle was the president. J Lamb (secretary of the Hastings Trades and Labour Council) ...
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There was a biting blizzard all along the south coast, with very strong winds. It turned to sleety rain in the evening, which froze on the ground.
An aged widow Mrs Ann Noakes, of 80 Norman Road, was suffocated to death by gas in her house.
The Council debated Front Line tramways again on 20 January. Anti-tram hostility was shown. At the next Council meeting, on 3 February, it was decided to petition against the Tramway Bill, thereby losing the opportunity to compromise re the Front ...
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Poor Show
From the Hastings Mail of 21/01/1905
On January 18, from 10am onwards, Mr and Mrs Chatterton, of Chatterton & Co, The Louvre, Royal Victoria Buildings (opposite Royal Victoria Hotel), gave out free garments to children on the stage of the Hippodrome, followed by a music show. ...
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Tramway progress: A double track had been laid right through Ore village to Mount Road. Loops on the track at Hollington were nearly finished. Large numbers of men had been used to regulate the traffic.
The Alaska Minstrels put on a concert at the Workhouse.
Two thousand children were given teas by Mr and Mrs Delevanti in the Market Hall in George Street, this being the fifth year in which Mrs Delevantl had organised this treat for the poor children “to provide a few hours ...
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Laudanum Kills
From the Hastings Mail of 28/01/1905
Laudanum poisoning was the cause of the death of Mrs Harriett Foster of Percy Road, Ore.
A company was formed with the intention of completing Hastings harbour. The new company had a capital of £10,000 in £I shares to “enter into an indenture of confirmation and assignment” with one of the directors JR Watson, a timber ...
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A grand Free Trade demonstration took place round the town. Hundreds were turned away from the Public Hall in Robertson Street, where a masterly speech was given by Lord Brassey.
Fifty men on the Hollington section of the tramway came out on strike on Wednesday 1 February. They were employees of Messrs Dick, Kerr and Co, discontented with their terms of employment, being paid by piece rate. But because of ...
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Steamboat Rivalry
From the Hastings Mail of 04/02/1905
The St Leonards Pier Co held a meeting on January 28 in their Pavilion to discuss forming a company to run a steamship in the coming season. Mr FG Langham presided, plus RD Heckels, T Maltby, F James, W Lee, ...
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The AGM of the Queens Hotel Co was held on Wednesday 1 February. Directors: Ald Langham, Mr Agar, C Hayles, A Knight, FJ Mann. AD Thorpe was secretary and large shareholder. Shareholders present: Mrs J Macer Wright, H Mann, TL ...
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The Liberals held a big public meeting on Free Trade at the Public Hall, Robertson Street, on January 30. Lord Brassey made a “masterly speech” to the 1,300 people filling the hall (hundreds were turned away). The Mail devoted a ...
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The 14th annual report of the Hastings and St Leonards Association for Organising Charitable Relief was published. There were 2,963 applications for assistance in 1904, up 1,203 (68%) on the 1,760 in 1903. Of these, 2,296 could be assisted, up ...
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Mysterious disappearance of Mr SE Davis of 19 Alexandra Road. He was very depressed after recently selling his ironmongery business in Kings Road. His body was found on Sunday 12 February in the Forewood, Crowhurst. It was suicide, using laudanum.
The monthly meeting of the Trades and Labour Council in the Clarence Hotel, Middle Street, decided to organise a demonstration of all trades and labour organisations on the advantages of trade unionism. Labour MPs would be invited. Among those present ...
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Charles Weller, the verger of Christ Church St Leonards, was killed in a cycling accident. He was cycling along Robertson Street with his hands in his pocket, a growing fashion amongst cyclists. He fell off and fractured his skull.
The body of Edward Richardson, aged about 40, was found washed ashore at Rock-a-Nore. He shared a room in the Beehive common lodging house in Pelham Street. He did odd jobs, being by trade a shoemaker. There was an open ...
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It now seemed there could be two steamboats, in rivalry, “a kind of marine civil war”. There could be a heavy financial loss for everyone concerned at the end of the season”.
The Tramway Company, taking into account the vote on February 3 in the Council, decided not to proceed in the meantime with the proposal to construct tramways along the Front Line, and Clause 39 of the Tramways Bill was to ...
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The Kursaal popular orchestral concerts on St Leonards Pier of the last few months were to end on Sunday February 12 because they had not been a financial success.
The annual meeting of the Hastings and East Sussex Hospital was held at the hospital, White Rock, on Tuesday 14th. A large expenditure and reduced subscriptions meant it was now over £1,000 in the red: £5,299 against £4,227. The 65th ...
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The Dentist Rapist
From the Hastings Mail of 18/02/1905
Dr Louis Rhein, the ex-Hastings dentist, was sentenced to two years hard labour on 12 February for attempted rape and indecent assault under anaesthetic, involving several of his patients.
Rates Reduced
From the Hastings Mail of 18/02/1905
The new Liberal Council at the annual rate-fixing Council meeting on 17 February reduced the rates from 7/6 to 7/- in the pound.
The AGM of the Eversfield Hotel Company on February 14 heard there had been “a falling off in the average business of the company … as the hotel had simply suffered from the prevailing depression in hotel business in general”. ...
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There was an informal meeting of the Tramway Opposition Committee. Tramway work was creeping steadily up Cambridge and Bohemia Roads to meet the lines from the Harrow to St Matthews Church, Silverhill. Lines were also being laid through Laton Road, ...
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The Workhouse had 349 inmates this week, compared with 314 in the same week in 1904. There were 204 vagrants compared with 150.
Teachers’ Union
From the Hastings Mail of 18/02/1905
The AGM of the Hastings and District Branch of the NUT was held recently in West St Leonards School. There were now 138 members, and increased interest. The president was James E Quaife of that school.
The Amalgamated Friendly Societies held their AGM at the Town Hall on February 14. The chairman was WT Stanley. They had held one parade last year, on Whit Sunday, raising £17 16s for local charities, including £8 given to the ...
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Five hundred tramway workers sat down to a hearty meat tea in the Drill Hall, Middle Street, organised by the Central Wesleyan Church congregationists. It was an amiable gathering, though there was naturally considerable bitterness between the natives and the ...
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William Davis, Hollington gamekeeper, died in a wood while earth stopping for the East Sussex Hunt.
Death of Robert Snowdon at his residence in St Helens Road. He had been a chemist at White Rock and during the previous ten years keeper of the Hastings Museum.
The AGM of the Grand Hotel Company on 2 February heard that there had been “depressing times” and for the second time in 20 years no dividend was to be paid. Shareholder Miss Marriott said that “out of £900 invested ...
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The H&SL Amusements Association had a committee meeting on 20 February. It was said to be in a bad way, due to lack of support from the public, for whom it organised amusements benefiting the town.
The AGM of the H&SL Central Assembly Room and Arcade Co was held on 21 February at the office 23 Havelock Road. It had been a very satisfactory year, and a 9% dividend was to be paid. Chairman: J Huggett ...
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Councillor Felton Smith at the Council meeting on 3 March proposed to invite the Prince of Wales, as Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, to open the new Brede Valley water works. The probable cost was the great consideration. The ...
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A week ago the Mail reported the Hastings Workhouse Guardians had decided not to accept any more cigar ends. Since then the Master had said that people had been donating them since the Workhouse’s earliest days. They were not from ...
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The Gas Company had held it’s half-yearly meeting. Successful again. Preliminary trials had been made at Glyne Gap. They hoped to transfer the bulk of manufacturing in the autumn of 1905. Profit of £11,613.
Borough Museum: The Council at last took possession of the Museum on 1 March, in an elaborate ceremony led by the mayor, before a large and influential gathering. Collecting exhibits had started in 1889, and the Museum Association was formed ...
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Shop assistants had decided to join the Hastings branch of the Trades and Labour Council, its monthly meeting at the Clarence Hotel, Middle Street, was told.
Investors fought shy of buying shares in several Hastings companies at an auction at 12 Claremont. There were no bids for Albany Hotel Co, Hastings Pier Co, Plummer Rodis, Southern Counties Vacuum Cleaner Co, Skinner & Co, the Grand Hotel ...
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Cycling Club AGM
From the Hastings Mail of 11/03/1905
The annual meeting of the H&SL Cycling Club was held at the Castle Hotel on Tuesday 7th evening, after being postponed several times. The president was Mr LF St John. The 28th report said the club was in a “very ...
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A letter from Charity Organisation Society chairman George Randell, of St Pauls School, made “an appeal for funds to enable our relief work to be continued for a few weeks longer”. The unification of the agencies under the COS meant ...
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A letter from WT Stanley, chairman of the Amalgamated Friendly Societies, of 269 Harold Road, said “Honest working men are standing idle by the score at different parts of the borough, hungry and cold, with wives and children at home ...
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St Helens Road was turned over to the tramway navvies, with buses taking the circuit of Park Road for the coming week.
The St Leonards Steamboat Company was preparing to run at Easter. The steamboat Cynthia had been purchased. She was 30 years younger than the Alexandra, and slightly shorter. She could carry enough coal for a week, so would not have ...
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Rechabites AGM
From the Hastings Mail of 11/03/1905
The Sussex Rechabites held their annual meeting, in Shoreham. It was a benefit temperance society, with 394,000 members nationally, 767 in Sussex. District officers included W Austin Hubbard (St Leonards), B Crouch (Silverhill) and CR Jeffery (Ore).
Death of Henry Cope Caulfield, of Clone House, Upper Maze Hill, the town’s oldest borough magistrate.
Old fishermen's death: Mr James Page, better known as Jimper Page, died at the Hastings Workhouse, aged 88.
A meeting was held in Christ Church parish room, Ore, on March 15 to establish a creche and children's cottage hospital for Ore and Clive Vale. The proposal gained warm support. The meeting was convened by neighbourhood practitioner Dr AH ...
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The annual report of chief constable Baker for 1904 said there had been 154 crimes (189 in 1903) and 100 arrests (115 in 1903). The total value of stolen property was £365, of which £163 17s was recovered. There were ...
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Depressed Shopping
From the Hastings Mail of 18/03/1905
The AGM of Plummer Roddis Ltd was held in London on March 14. The chairman said that 12 months ago he had hoped that “the depressed condition of trade had almost entirely passé away, and that the company would enter ...
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Opening of the new Fire Station at West Marina, the No 8 section of the local volunteer brigade.
James Fenning Torr was sworn in as Recorder for Hastings at the Police Court, succeeding the late Robert H Hurst, who had been it for 43 years.
The Weekly Mail and Times announced it was changing hands on this day. The new principals of “this organ of public opinion” were Messrs Burfield and Pennells, printers and publishers, of Priory Street. The newspaper was in need of financial ...
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The Mail said: The Hastings tramway works move nearer and nearer to the heart of the town. Work in Cambridge Road was commenced at the Memorial end, and continued up the hill. The wood paving of Bohemia Road was proceeding ...
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At the weekly meeting of the local Mutual Improvement Society in Wellington Square, Canadian John Welsh gave a lecture on Canada, using 64 beautiful slides from the Canadian Emigration Department.
The Workhouse Guardians meeting on the 23rd agreed the contract for most of the meat supply should go to Messrs Hickman Bros (£248 for all in-house; outdoor relief supplies mostly to them as well); grocery – EW Rubie £167; flour ...
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The auctioneers Messrs St John & Kent held a property auction at Castle Hotel. Nearly 30 lots were offered in Clive Vale and St Leonards, but not one was sold, all being withdrawn before the reserve was reached. The Mail ...
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The annual meeting of the Clive Vale Mutual Improvement Society was held. President William Ransom (ex-News editor/owner) said there had been very poor attendances at meetings, with only a few interested people. It was agreed to keep the Society running, ...
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George Talbot, an ex-bookmaker of St Leonards, attempted suicide by cutting his throat while standing in the saloon of the Gaiety Restaurant, Queens Road.
Child Prodigy
From the Hastings Mail of 01/04/1905
The Mail reported on Max Darewski, the 9 year old composer, conductor and pianist prodigy at St Leonards.
The Hastings Baths Company held its AGM on 30th at the Queens Hotel. Directors: H Northey (chairman), Ald Langham, JH Pearch, WE Brown. Shareholders: Mr & Mrs Ginner, T Boucher, J Hallaway, J Hartley, S Turner, C Hayles. Lord Brassey ...
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The Hastings, St Leonards & Eastbourne Steamboat Co Ltd had been registered as owners of the steamboat Cynthia. Subscribers: RD Heckels, F James, H Groome, WP Glazebrook, J Martin, LD Rees, TF Maltby. The first board meeting was on March ...
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Frank Thomas, fruiterer at 55 Cambridge Road and 46 Robertson Street, appeared in the bankruptcy Court, £826 in debt. During the last five years neither shop had been paying – three successive bad seasons.
An attempt to have an international balloon race across the Channel failed. Three balloons - from Sevenoaks, Crystal Palace and West Ham Gas Works – came down at Robertsbridge, Westfield and Hollington because the wind dropped.
At the Magistrates Court, William Ford was sentenced to Lewes Prison for seven days hard labour for begging for food in Maze Hill the day before (Thursday 6th). He had walked from Eastbourne and had had nothing to eat.
Messrs Dick Russell & Co Ltd was formed in 1904 to purchase the old established business of Dick Russell as jobmaster and livery stable keeper. He started the business as just a jobmaster, being an unknown man in the town, ...
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The steamboat Cynthia was to start shortly. She had been purchased from the sheriff at Herne Bay for £2,300 by the Hastings, St Leonards and Eastbourne Steamboat Company. “The boat was previously owned by Mr Jones, the Holborn town clerk, ...
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The new Corporation Band began the summer season on Monday 3rd, playing at the Corporation Bandstand on the White Rock Baths. There were 16 players, increasing to 20 later in the season. A Mail editorial said: “Hopes run high in ...
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At the magistrates on Monday 3rd, Charles Martin was seen begging in Mount Pleasant Road on Sunday morning. He admitted the offence. “He said he was very hungry at the time. He was 18 years of age, and as he ...
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New Bank Hours
From the Hastings Mail of 08/04/1905
The Mail had a notice saying all banks in the town would close at 1pm on Saturdays from April 15 instead of Wednesdays, and remain open until 4pm on Wednesdays from 12th.
Canada Emigrant
From the Hastings Mail of 08/04/1905
“Lt HC Duke, one of the officers of the Christ Church, Ore, Lads Brigade is leaving the Mother country for Canada.” The Mail had an advert for “GW Pinks Fellows” – emigration to all colonies etc, tickets, clothing etc. 13 ...
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The bi-monthly meeting of the Hastings and St Leonards Ratepayers’ Association was held at 1 Eversfield Place on the 6th. Major Vipan presided. He called on the Council to make the Borough Abstract of Accounts simpler. Expert Prof J Holt ...
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The first big catch of mackerel of the season was made by the Hastings smack Dick and Jack, owned by Messrs Richard and Jack Gallop.
Death of Dr T Trollope at his residence, 9 Maze Hill, on 21 April. He was a highly rated physician, aged almost 80, who came to Hastings in the early 1860s and was lately the chief honorary surgeon at Hastings ...
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Poor Man’s Hotel
From the Hastings Mail of 22/04/1905
The AGM of the Hastings Mendicity Society was held at the Town Hall on 18 April. This was the 50th birthday. Mayor Cllr Charles Eaton was president. The MS was first suggested in letters in the Hastings News by the ...
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Trams: Queens Road
From the Hastings Mail of 22/04/1905
The Mail said: Queens Road was in the hands of the tramway men, who were proceeding speedily with the laying of lines and loop lines in the northern part of this busy thoroughfare. St Helens Road was almost completed with ...
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Today, Easter Sunday, the Amalgamated Friendly Societies of Hastings held their money-raising parade . The town was full of visitors. Left Wellington Square at 3pm, going via Castle Street, High Street, All Saints Street, the seafront, Warrior Square, Kings Road, ...
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Dublin-born Harvey du Cros held the St Patrick’s Ball on the first birthday of his daughter Patricia. There were nearly 400 people in the Royal Concert Hall, Warrior Gardens, for this brilliant function, which cost much money. The hall was ...
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The Clive Vale Children’s Hospital and Creche opening ceremony was performed by Mrs Harvey du Cros. The ceremony took place in the All Souls Parish Room, Athelstan Road. There was room for 20 creche children. They were taking healthy children ...
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The Hastings Omnibus Company held it’s AGM at the Queens Hotel. Shareholders heard there had been a good turnover, and a 12% dividend was paid. The president was Ald E Bradnam. Also there were Ald LO Glenister, Major S Weston ...
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The special committee’s report on the salaries of town officials was presented to the Town Council. Economies were suggested by reductions and abolition of offices. The Council meeting on 7 April had agreed not to give any council officer or ...
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New Gaiety Manager
From the Hastings Mail of 06/05/1905
The Gaiety Theatre, Queens Road, manager resigned; Mr George Gaze was being replaced by Mr HW Rowland of the Pleasure Gardens Theatre, Folkestone. On 31 May, a farewell benefit event was held at the Theatre for Mr Gaze. He had ...
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At the magistrates on Wednesday 3 May Ed and Martha Millington were charged with stealing a blouse worth 8s 11d, owned by Polly Bassett of Norman Road. Polly took it into the Warriors Gate Hotel, London Road, the previous afternoon ...
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The Hastings and St Leonards Natural History Society met at the Museum. There was an exhibition of microscopes, plus specimens, pond life etc.
Hard Labour
From the Hastings Mail of 13/05/1905
The magistrates on Monday 8th jailed Thomas Kelly for 14 days, with hard labour, for begging in Old London Road on Sunday. On Thursday, Thomas Sells was jailed for 14 days, with hard labour, for refusing to work with a ...
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The Ore Working Men’s Institute held it’s AGM on the 10th. It had 68 members, up 20.
The AGM of the Hastings Pier Company was held on the Pier on 8 May. The annual report for 1904/5, published a week before, showed a profit of £1,944 (£1,595 last year) on a turnover of £9,814. It claimed it ...
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Paine Rogers & Co, the leading wholesale greengrocer and fruiter, held it’s AGM on the 12th in the Queens Hotel. There had been a “good year’s working”. President was Major ST Weston JP; other directors were J Reeves, WE Brown, ...
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The Tramway Company had withdrawn Clause 39 from the Bill, and the other demands made by the opposition committee had been met, so they got what they wanted without going to the House of Lords. The Mail said: The Hastings ...
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A shark was caught in the nets of the boat Never Can Tell RX 79, skipper G Pomphrey. It was exhibited in a barrow along the Front Line.
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