Lighthouses
From the Hastings News of 11/05/1849
Hastings Council decided that the Lower Lighthouse, close to the Cutter pub, which was nearly burnt through, should be rebuilt like the Upper Lighthouse, which was near the Caves entrance.
Hastings Council decided to heighten and lengthen the easternmost groyne, at Rockanore.
Upper Lighthouse
From the Hastings News of 24/10/1851
The old lighthouse (the Upper Light) in Hill Street had been superseded by a new structure on the West Hill close to the Caves entrance.
Sea Walls
From the Hastings News of 14/06/1852
Repairs of the sea wall were to be undertaken, as well as purchase of the Esplanade between the two towns of Hastings and St Leonards.
Cliff Fall
From the Hastings News of 10/12/1852
Cliff fall at East Hill.
Proposed Harbour
From the Hastings News of 04/05/1860
A harbour was proposed to be laid in Hastings, off the Castle. A bill was now before the Board of Trade on the question of levying tolls on vessels using the harbour. A public meeting was held on 31 August ...
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A Hastings Council meeting discussed a plan for a pier, forming a harbour, at a cost of no more than £100,000.
Pier and Harbour
From the Hastings News of 22/11/1861
A further meeting on the proposed pier and harbour was held on 20 November. The News of 29 November said that it was against the harbour development.
Hastings Council held a heated discussion on the harbour project. The mayor called a public meeting on January 17, where the majority of people were for the harbour. There were still serious disagreements between the promoters and the Council on ...
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A memorial (petition) against the Harbour scheme with 300 signatures was presented to the Board of Trade.
Harbour Report
From the Hastings News of 28/02/1862
A report on the harbour scheme from the Board of Admiralty was published.
Harbour Bill
From the Hastings News of 25/07/1862
The Harbour Bill was passed in Parliament. It was given royal assent on 21 July 1863.
A Council meeting discussed the plans for the new railway or tramway for the proposed harbour and pier. They discussed it again on 6 March, with talk of building a bridge at St Andrews Terrace and other bridges necessary over ...
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The contract for the harbour railway had been taken and work should start next spring.
Harbour Plans
From the Hastings News of 27/05/1864
Details were published of the harbour scheme that was soon to be started.
What Harbour?
From the Hastings News of 12/05/1865
Doubts were being expressed over the harbour and pier scheme which had failed to materialise in 3 years.
Harbour and Pier
From the Hastings News of 11/08/1865
The Harbour Bill was criticised again after its virtual demise, but the Pleasure Pier was more promising.
St Leonards Pier
From the Hastings News of 01/12/1865
The harbour promoters had deposited a plan at the Custom House for the Alexandra Pier which they hope to be built in the centre of Warrior Square. Another pier scheme was planned for White Rock.
Harbour and Pier?
From the Hastings News of 26/01/1866
A council meeting on 19 January decided against the harbour and pier projects. But special council meetings on 12 and 16 February discussed a letter received from the promoters of the projects, and then approved the plans.
Better Harbour
From the Hastings News of 14/03/1884
Sir Thomas Brassey presented a petition from the fishermen of Hastings to House of Commons, seeking improved harbour accommodation.
There was a ceremony of laying the corner stone of the major new sea defences to be built at Rock-a-Nore, following the serious damage to the Old Town in storms which could have been avoided if the Council had built ...
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New Harbour Idea
From the Hastings News of 14/08/1885
A meeting was held on 13 August to consider a proposal to make a harbour for Hastings.
Harbour Proposals
From the Hastings Observer of 27/02/1886
New proposals for a Hastings harbour were put forward.
Proposed Harbour
From the Hastings News of 22/03/1889
The mayor called a public meeting on 15 March to consider the scheme to build a harbour. There was general approval, and a committee was appointed.
A report by the consultant engineer on the proposed new harbour said the 18 acre site would cost £150,000. On 21 October a public meeting was held in the town hall and the scheme was adopted by an overwhelming majority.
The Hastings harbour scheme was receiving the support of the South Eastern Railway Company. But on 30 January the News reported that the application to the LB&SCR for a grant had been refused.
Possible Harbour
From the Hastings News of 14/10/1892
A Town Council meeting on 7 October discussed the harbour question and railway accommodation. It was agreed that a deputation be sent to the directors of the London and North Western, the Midland and the Great Northern Railway Companies about ...
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A Town Council meeting on 3 March discussed a memorial in opposition to the proposed traffic scheme on the seafront; the matter was to be referred to the Council in committee. The proposed electric tramway from the west end of ...
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Harbour Poll
From the Hastings News of 12/05/1893
A Council meeting on 5 May adopted a report on the proposed harbour poll. A poll should be taken so the ratepayers could decide whether they wanted the Corporation to give financial assistance to the Harbour Commisioners in carrying out ...
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Harbour Syndicate
From the Hastings News of 06/10/1893
After the refusal of aid by the ratepayers for the proposed Hastings harbour, a syndicate in London was considering the contract.
A Local Government Board inspector held an inquiry at the town hall on 16 October into the application by Hastings Corporation to borrow £400 to purchase the estate and interest of the Crown in certain parts of the foreshore. "The ...
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The Council in committee unanimously adopted plans for the proposed Hastings harbour.
Harbour Approved
From the Hastings News of 10/01/1896
The Hastings Harbour Commissioners had approved the construction of the harbour works. The harbour was going to cost £120,000 for building and equipment, reported the News of 17 January. On 31 January it said the prospectus had been issued by ...
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Initiatory work on the proposed Hastings Harbour was now in progress. Stumps driven into the beach indicate the line of possession the Commissioners intended to enclose. Obtrusive stumps, railway lines and many yards of fencing were necessary, plus the ...
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The fishing fraternity had objected to their gear being interfered with by the Harbour Commissioners, and to the removal of capstans and net shops. The Town Council on 5 June discussed a report about the harbour works. The Corporation had ...
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Harbour Piles
From the Hastings News of 26/06/1896
A gantry had been erected for pile-driving work for the new harbour. It was surrounded by crowds of people.
Harbour Testimony
From the Hastings News of 31/07/1896
Richard Idenden was to have a public testimonial in recognition of his promotion and services in the Hastings harbour scheme.
The extension of the Harbour Works area restricts the space for fishing boats. A large tract of shingly beach was now fenced in with hoarding and tenterhook wire lines, reducing the numbers of fishing boats considerably. A locomotive would haul ...
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A presentation was made to Councillor Idenden, chairman of the Hastings Harbour Commissioners for his endeavours. On 16 March, 12 gentlemen were formed into a Board of Commissioners, composed of four representatives from the fishing industry, four from the Chamber ...
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There was a disturbance at the Harbour Works on Thursday 22 October. The removal of beach to the west of the western breakwater caused a large hole that upset the fishermen. A conference took place at the harbour office, but ...
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Parliament Bills
From the Hastings News of 20/11/1896
Two notices appeared in the News re bills to be published in the next session of parliament. One was the Harbour Bill to obtain sanction for the construction of a sea wall or embankment. The other was for the construction ...
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Harbour Inquiry
From the Hastings News of 04/12/1896
An inquiry was held on 27 November at the Palace Hotel, White Rock, over the difference between the fishermen and the harbour contractors about the movement of beach from the foreshore.
Storm Damage
From the Hastings News of 11/12/1896
There was a storm on Saturday 5 December which slightly damaged the harbour work. The sea ran into West Street and reached underground cellars in George Street. The fishing boat William, belonging to William Fullager, sustained serious damage.
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 ...
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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 ...
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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 Silverhill public meeting was unanimously in favour of the Harbour District Railway.
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 ...
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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 ...
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The Hastings Harbour District Railway Bill had passed the Select Committee of the House of Lords.
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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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.
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 ...
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The Harbour Commissioners had formally asked the Corporation for financial aid. The work had been in abeyance for the past few weeks, and operations at the southern portion had been entirely suspended. The subscribed capital had been entirely spent, and ...
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Harbour Deferred
From the Hastings News of 14/01/1898
The Council on 7 January considered the application of Harbour Commissioners for rate aid. The total cost would be £226,000, and the contractors were willing to bind themselves to complete and maintain for 6 months. The matter was referred to ...
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At Central Hall, Bank Buildings, there was an opposition meeting to the proposal to put the Harbour costs on the rates in the form of a yearly subsidy to pay interest. The meeting looked for the best means of frustrating ...
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A deputation from the Ratepayers Committee, formed to oppose the subsidising of Hastings harbour, was received by the Council's General Purposes Committee on 7 March. The use of the unfinished harbour works as a coaling station was to be abandoned, ...
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The News questioned how far the Corporation had waived its rights over the Rock-a-Nore foreshore by giving permission for harbour construction. A petition from women ratepayers to the council protested against municipal revenue going to the harbour. The ratepayers should ...
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Harbour Criticised
From the Hastings News of 13/05/1898
Sir Douglas Fox's report on the harbour works said the foundations were of insufficient depth to be left unprotected on the seaward side. The thickness of the breakwater was considerably less than generally held to be desirable. The News on ...
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Harbour Poll
From the Hastings News of 03/06/1898
The Council held a special meeting on 27 May to consider suggestions from the Harbour Commissioners that £3,000 a year should be granted from the borough rates. It was decided that the ratepayers should be called on to give their ...
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Harbour Finances
From the Hastings News of 24/06/1898
On the financial aspect of the harbour question, Mr J Chas Burrell gave details to the News. The total amount raised by the Harbour Commissioners was £118,000; of that £76,000 had been paid to the contractors for work done and ...
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A series of public meetings was held throughout Hastings and St Leonards by the Harbour Commissioners to test public opinion concerning the proposed rate-aided Corporation guarantee. They held an 'educational meeting at Central Hall on 29 June. There were few ...
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The Harbour poll by postcard was a victory for the harbourites, by a majority of 1,077 (for: 3,422, against: 2,345). Seven out of ten wards supported the proposal. The News said the harbourites had spent a lot of money ...
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Bathing at Rock-a-Nore had become more perilous after fishermen had been compelled by the Harbour works to move their fishing boats to a spot where the 'free bathing place' had long held its name and habitation.
Harbour Hitch
From the Hastings News of 09/09/1898
There was a hitch for the harbour works: The Corporation could not see its way to grant the £3,000 pa in payment of interest on the suggested loan. No statutory power conferred on the Corporation the duty of granting municipal ...
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Harbour End?
From the Hastings News of 28/10/1898
The Harbour contractors had been busy over the past few days clearing away their tackle. The Town Council meeting on 21 October delayed giving the proposed guarantee to the Harbour Commissioners.
Harbour supporters secured the appointment of Henry Wake as an engineering expert to report upon the present condition of the structure and to apply to Parliament for powers to authorize the Corporation to guarantee an annual sum towards the completion ...
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There was rejoicing at the harbour office and by the Tramites on Wednesday 25 January. The results of the combined polls of property owners and ratepayers were released, showing they supported both a rate-sustained harbour and a municipally-worked tramcar service. ...
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The Financial Times made a ferocious attack upon the financial aspects of Hastings harbour. "Hastings, if we are not mistaken, has furnished some remarkable specimens of this kind [being in the hands of complete amateurs] in the past, and now ...
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Mr Frank Stileman, the engineering expert of Barrow-in-Furness hired by the Council to look into the harbour, said in his report published on 21 February that extra work would cost an estimated £68,000. He found it impossible to verify the ...
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The Hastings Harbour Bill had gone before Parliament unopposed, because the councillors opposing it could not afford to take action. On 28 March the Council in committee discussed a guarantee of the harbour prior to passing a final Council resolution ...
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The Harbour Commissioners were about to go to Parliament for additional powers to increase capital for the harbour works. Under the previous Act, ratepayers were under no liability until the structure was finished to the satisfaction of the borough engineer ...
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The Hastings Harbour Bill had passed the committee stage of the House of Commons. It aimed to extend the periods limited by former acts for the compulsory purchase of lands and for the completion of the harbour works etc.
Harbour ‘Progress’
From the Hastings News of 25/05/1900
The Harbour completion movement had made “distinct progress”. It only remained for the Commissioners to enter into a necessary guarantee with the Corporation and raise the cash. Then Messrs Punchard, Mc Taggart and Co could proceed with the work, which ...
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Harbour Delayed
From the Hastings News of 06/07/1900
Harbour completion still hung fire, because the necessary cash at fair terms stood in the way.
Some £80,000 stood between those who were willing to finance the Harbour completion and the Commissioners. The News of 17 August said that completion of the harbour had been suspended. If the Corporation guarantee had been for £180,000 instead of ...
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Harbour Engineer
From the Hastings News of 12/10/1900
Mr Kidd, the contractor's resident engineer during the Harbour works, was in Hastings on Saturday 6 October. His presence caused a revival of the electioneering representation that Freeman-Thomas's victory could mean Lord Brassey would finish the work.
Harbour Finances
From the Hastings News of 09/11/1900
At a Council meeting, Alderman Hutchings was re-appointed Harbour Commissioner, hinting that the Public Works Loan Commissioner would support the raising of the necessary finances for the completion of the enterprise.
Harbour Scouring
From the Hastings News of 14/12/1900
There were more difficulties for the harbour completion, with the fishermen saying they were being gradually “washed out” by the scour caused by the western breakwater. If the arm of the harbour was run out to the projected distance this ...
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Lift Work Soon
From the Hastings News of 14/02/1901
Alderman Idenden had said that preliminary work on the lift to the East Hill should commence, and that he believed that with the improved state of the money market the necessary finance to complete the Harbour would be forthcoming.
March 5 Mr Freeman-Thomas MP introduced a deputation representing the Hastings Harbour Commissioners and the contractors (Messrs Punchard, McTaggart, Lowther & Co) to the Public Works Loans Board on 5 March to obtain a loan to complete the works. A ...
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The Harbour Commissioners were to ask the Council to remove the 25 year time-limit it had put on the town’s guarantee for the £100,000 required to complete the Harbour works. The Council’s limit stood in the way of raising the ...
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The Council on 8 July discussed the Harbour question in detail. Its history was outlined by the News. The Commissioners had failed to raise the money needed to complete it, despite their most extraordinary exertions with financiers and the Public ...
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Trams via Harbour?
From the Hastings News of 30/08/1901
A few days earlier, an engineering official was surveying the harbour to make possible provision for the landing of some thousands of tons of material for building the trams system. The News was glad the Council could be allowing the ...
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Sand in Harbour
From the Hastings News of 27/09/1901
The accumulation of some 8,000 loads of sand in the harbour was the subject of much East End comment and was alluded to as Mount Palmer, after the borough engineer, Mr PH Palmer. The Harbour Commissioners had given the Corporation ...
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Harbour Future?
From the Hastings News of 29/11/1901
The News stated that annual visitors were asking how much longer the unfinished harbour works were to remain a monument to want of enterprise and cash.
Harbour Dilemma
From the Hastings Mail of 04/01/1902
The Harbour Consultative Committee met on 3 January and was troubled over clause 3 of the 1897 Harbour Act. It referred the matter to eminent counsel for their opinion. The Mail of 11 January said that the contractors Punchard, McTaggart, ...
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Harbour Sand to Go
From the Hastings Mail of 18/01/1902
Jan 18 WM The Parks and Gardens Committee recommended acceptance of the offer by Messrs Jackson and Holdoway to remove the heap of sand deposited on the harbour works foreshore by 1st July and the remainder deposited at Rock-a-Nore within ...
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Harbour Bonds
From the Hastings Mail of 22/02/1902
The Harbour Question: At a meeting of the Harbour Commissioners held on 17 February, financier Mr T Aplin Taylor was present. He had undertaken to raise £100,000 in 3% bonds, the interest being guaranteed by the Corporation for 25 years ...
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The town clerk wrote on behalf of the Harbour Consultative Committee asking upon what terms the Commissioners would be prepared to dispose of the whole undertaking to the Corporation. The Commissioners did not seem to enjoy the idea of parting ...
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The Town Council was informed that a firm of financiers was willing to raise a loan to complete the Harbour, provided that the interpretation of a clause in the Act was made clear by another Act which would have to ...
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Harbour Hitch
From the Hastings Mail of 16/08/1902
Another hitch for the Harbour: The agreement between the Commissioners and the contractors was still unsigned.
Harbour Drags On
From the Hastings Mail of 30/08/1902
A contractor in negotiations with the Harbour Commissioners over completing the works provisionally signed an agreement if Clause3 was confirmed as the parties had agreed it should be. The Mail of 6 September reported that the mayor had indignantly denied ...
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The Council approved the new clause of the Harbour Act but the final negotiations had been delayed during the long legal vacation.
The Financial Times commented on the Harbour project. It said the works had about as much chance of developing into a respectable harbour as the few people who had already subscribed for bonds had of getting their money back. Even ...
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The Harbour: A special meeting of the Harbour Commissioners this week agreed to lodge the new Harbour Bill in the Commons in a few days. But the Mail of 27 December contended that ratepayers had not been given their opportunity ...
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Harbour Failure
From the Hastings Mail of 31/01/1903
The Harbour Consultative Committee decided on 26 January that they could not recommend to the Council to give their consent to the Harbour Bill No 2. During the proceedings Alderman Idenden, the key figure, resigned as chairman of the Harbour ...
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A Council meeting on 20 February decided to make spitting - ‘expectorating’ - in public an offence. The Council also refused further concessions on the latest Harbour proposal.
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