The Albert Memorial Proposal
A Mayor’s meeting was held at the Market Hall in George street on the 12th of February to consider what steps should be taken in connection with a proposed memorial to the late Prince Consort. The place of meeting was thought by many persons not to have been wisely selected, and as having the effect of the non-attendance of wealthy and influential inhabitants of the borough; more particularly those of the western districts. A report of the meeting will be found in the next chapter, under the heading of Hastings, but it may be here stated that there was a want of unanimity among the speakers as to whether a proposed collection of funds should be for a local or a national object. Lord Harry Vane (M.P. for Hastings) said the intention was to take the Queen’s pleasure as soon as a certain amount had been raised, and that £40,000 had been already received at the Mansion House. Mr. Winter was in favour of a local memorial, Mr. Howell would be sorry if Hastings were unrepresented in a national one; Mr. Putland was in favour of both; and Mr. Meadows, as well as Mr. Howell, regretted that at such a meeting there should be such an absence of wealthy and influential people. These were a few ideas then and there expressed, but a more ample description of the movement was to be found in the following editorial copied from the St. Leonards Gazette of March 1st.
From the moment that a national memorial to the late Prince Consort was proposed it became a matter of earnest discussion what form it should assume. Some voices were given in favour of a monument which should at once perpetuate the Prince’s memory and serve some useful purpose in the country to whose happiness his life had been dedicated. Others proposed statues, obelisks and other works of art. Some were for a national tribute and some for local mementos. And amongst the conflict of ideas it is not to be wondered that at the recent meeting at Hastings, when the subject was brought under discussion, no definite understanding was arrived at, except that the memorial should be of a local character. At the Hastings meeting a committee was formed to collect subscriptions; and now, after dividing the borough into districts and the committee into corresponding sections, an active canvass has commenced to raise a fund for carrying out the object. How far the labours of the committee are likely to be successful we have not at this moment the means of knowing; but sufficient has transpired to assure us that there does not exist a unanimity of feeling sufficient to justify an overgood augury. People want to know upon what object the money is to be expended; and all that the collectors can say with any certainty is, that when the subscriptions have been got in, a meeting of subscribers will be convened to decide the question. The most prevalent idea, however, is to erect a clock-tower at the end of Robertson street. But against this, numerous arguments are advanced with which are associated the following schemes:- The removal -
