Hastings & St Leonards Heritage

Old Hastings Preservation Society was founded in 1952 to promote the permanent preservation of buildings of beauty/historic interest, especially in Hastings & St. Leonards and foster an appreciation of the history of Hastings. We encourage and record research which supports our objectives. Good architecture, design and town planning is encouraged. In 1956 we founded the Hastings Fishermen’s Museum open daily in Rock-a-Nore Road and more recently Hastings History House.

Sunday, 1 March 2015

Friends of Hastings Cemetery Update

The recording of memorials in the older section of the Cemetery has been completed and there are now 8,030 entries to be sorted into alphabetical order so that they are easily searchable for researchers.

Guided Cemetery Walks: 2 PM, meet in the Cemetery Car Park

26th April
31st May

New -

Beck, Elizabeth, Moses & Family - lived locally
Pickrell, Leslie John - remembered on aunt's grave. Died WW1 1918Polis, Jospeh - Belgian, died locally; WW1 1916
Welch Family - Lived mostly in London. Moved here sometime after 1911.
Redman, Adelia, Robert and son Herbert - Robert licensee of The Globe and The Highlands hotel.

Recent -

Wells, Eudo, Sir Mordaunt and his wives - Eudo was in the navy and died in south east Asia, Sir Mordaunt was a somewhat controversial judge in Calcutta
Polis, Jospeh - Belgian, died of wounds received on the Belgian Front, WW1 1916

Saturday, 14 February 2015

Fairlight – Highdays & Holidays : 21st February 5.30 PM

Haydon Luke, author of book below, is giving this talk.
Tickets : £2.50
Hastings History House
21 Courthouse Street

The Alexandra Park Story – SOLD OUT

Apologies to those who didn’t get tickets, this talk, scheduled for the 14th March, is now fully booked.

Friday, 13 February 2015

Inspector’s Preliminary Findings on HBC Development Management Plan As part of the examination of the Hastings Development Management Plan

Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended) The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 Statement of Representation Procedure Hastings Development Management Plan

Following this the independent Planning Inspector appointed to examine the Development Management Plan has now issued his Preliminary Findings which include his proposed ‘Main Modifications’ - Consultation Period • begins at 9am Friday 13 February 2014 until 4:30pm Friday 27 March 2015 September 2014. All representations must be submitted within this period.

Consultation document • is available online at www.hastings.gov.uk/inspectorsprelimfindings • deals with :
Upper Wilting Farm
Former Convent of Holy Child Jesus, Magdalen Road
Robsack A, Church Wood Drive
Cornwallis Street Car Park
Rear of Old London Road,

All representations should be • emailed to fplanning@hastings.gov.uk or • posted to The Planning Policy Team, Hastings Borough Council, Aquila House, Breeds Place, Hastings, TN34 3UY

Friday, 6 February 2015

A New Home for Albert? Talk by Brian Lawes

Hastings Local History Group and other interested persons are hoping to rehouse Albert (of Memorial fame). As part of the fundraising, Brian Lawes will be giving a talk on Albert and his sculptor, Edwin Stirling, at the Town Hal on 19th February at 6 p.m.

Friday, 16 January 2015

Ecclesbourne Glen footpath reopens – Um, no, if only!

Monday, December 29, 2014

Vegetation has been cleared all along the coastal path from the East Hill down to the stream, the steps have been replaced and new fencing has been installed at the boundaries.

People can now resume walking along the coastal path from the East Hill to the rest of the country park.

15 Robertson Street

Path in Ecclesbourne Glen closed off due to landslip

Published on the13 January 2015

A path in Hastings Country Park has been closed off due to a landslip, just weeks after it reopened.

Friday, 9 January 2015

THE BAYSWATER TRAGEDY – a tale of murder – with local connections

The trial of Hannah. Newington, alias Flora Davey,for the manslaughter -of Frederick Graves Moon, at 23, Newton-road, Westborne Grove, on the night of May 24 1871….

Talk at the History House, 21 Courthouse Street by Judie Wycherley and Christopher Langdon
Saturday, 17th January, 2015
5.30 P.M.
Tickets - £2.50

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

A linked list of the people so far recorded who gave their lives as a result of World War One (the Great War), who are recorded in the common wield, not in the CWG areas, (apart from a few exceptions) can be found here

Deaths in 1915:

Arbuthnott, Hugh Hamilton - killed in action, buried in what is now Iraq, WW1- 1915
Balcombe - Edward John William - KIA, WW1, 1917
Breeds, Edgar - WW1 naval, lost with ship - 1915, aged 18
Bridgeland Carrots - killed in WW1- Hubert – 1915
Evans, Kingsley Alan - a private in the 48th Battalion Canadian Infantry; uncle lived locally; died WW1, pneumonia 1915
Farrier, - killed in WW1, - Thomas – 1915
Felton-Smith, William - Local; Chief Petty Officer, in the Royal Naval Volunteers and died 20 February 1915 of Cerebro Spinal Meningitis at Stockwell Hospital
Galloway, Cecil Hinds Arthur - Corporal, WW1 wounded, died in Military Hospital, 1915
Garnier, Captain John Warren - lived locally for some years; casualty WW1, 1915
Howell, Herbert Edgar - local family; died in WW1, 1915
Lake, Frank Gilbert - died at Ypres, WW1 1915
Ross, Percy T - Sergeant - author, artist, sportsman. KIA, WW1, 1915
Stevens, George - KIA WW1, 1915 - local
Stroud, George Edward Bracey - local; serving with the Royal Navy on HMS Albemarle when he was accidentally drowned 1915. WW1
Sutton, John, - local; WW1 KIA, 1915, aged 20 - remembered on his parents' grave - John and Phoebe
Toogood, Charles Frank - lived locally; KIA WW1, 1915
Ventris, Alan Favell - from a Services family - killed in Action, WW1, 1915, aged 18

Friday, 2 January 2015

1066 Centre – A Public consultation

[email heather@grief64.fsnet.co.uk for more information or print form below and return to address listed]

A 1066 Centre would give Hastings a major new heritage attraction, and help boost the town’s economy. It is proposed that it will be home to a replica Bayeux tapestry, and also for the Hastings Embroidery.

It is envisaged that a 1066 Centre would give Hastings a major year-round attraction, appealing especially to visitors interested in culture and history.

It could also provide:

· a specialist library and research centre for Anglo-Norman studies, which could develop to become a specialist institution of Higher Education.
· Facilities for School parties
· A lecture theatre; hosting of conferences
· A specialist book and souvenir shop, and an outlet for handmade local crafts.
· The centre could be hired out for special events.

Possible sites, owned by HBC:

· Summerfields Estate, near HMAG, John’s Place, Bohemia Road
· White Rock Gardens – disused bowling greens
· Site of Bohemia Mansion, currently occupied by Registrat of BDM etc. due to move shortly
· West Hill, near Ladies’ Parlour