Presentations
In the month of May, the Rev. Henry Blagden, senior curate of Christ Church was presented with a testimonial by members of the congregation, as a memento of their appreciation of his ministerial labours. The testimony consisted of a massive silver inkstand, elegantly designed, together with a gold pen and holder.
Presentation to Mr. Warr. During a concert in the Shepherd street schoolroom on the 7th of june, by the Tonic Solfa Class, a presentation of a purse of money was made to Mr. Warr by Mr.S. Putland, sen, on behalf of a few friends who had noticed the good results of the recipients musical teaching the Sol-fa method of singing.
Penny Readings
The first of a series of popular readings was given in the Working-men's Institute at St. Leonards on the 27th of April, under the presidency of the Rev. Andrew Reed who, after some appropriate remarks, called on Mr. T. Brett, who, in a humorous strain read the "Meditations of a lady who wished she were a man', and 'Were I the Queen of England'. These were followed by "Nine hours excursion to the seaside", by Mr. Skinner, and "King John and the Abbot of Canterbury" by the chairman.
Another Series of Readings was given in the same hall on the 2nd of June to a crowded audience, the chair being taken by Dr. Hale, and the readers being Messrs Raisdale, Beaney, Skinner, Britter and Stevens.
Some further readings took place on the 13th of July, and, as suggested by T. Brett, were interspersed with vocal music. The plan succeeded admirably, the readers and singers being the Mesrs. Burr, Tichbon, Quaife, Tree, Burg, Saunders and Russell, and the Misses Tichbon, Baker, Chenning and Bashford.
The Penny Readings - so called were continued on the 13th of August, with equal success in every way. The performers were Messrs. Booth, Welton, Brown, Finley, Skinner, and Ticehurst, the last name an excellent player on the concertina.
Powder Mill Explosion
On the 6th of July a report and the shaking of windows were experienced in St. Leonards, which some persons ascribed to thunder and by others to an earthquake, but which was afterwards ascertained to have been caused by a dreadful explosion of Curtis and Harvey's powder-miles at Tonbridge, which resulted in the blowing to pieces [of] three of the workmen and the drowning of another.
Royal Visits
Throughout the entire week which closed on the 13th of February a pleasurable excitement pervaded all classes in both towns in consequence of an intimation that St Leonards was to receive a visit from the Prince and Princess of Wales. This intimation was at first communicated to Mr. Starkey of the Victoria Hotel, who was honoured with the commands of his Royal Highness through Gen. Knollys, to prepare a suite of rooms. With an understanding that the visit was to be as private as possible, the very few who were first apprised of the intention were studiously reticent. It was not to be supposed, however, that so auspicious an event -
