their interests became, as it were, identical, and they both shared in the general rejoicing as well as in the expense of the same in some sort of proportion to the means and numbers of their inhabitants. That the 19th of July—a day so memorable in local History-was a day of hearty feasting may be easily imagined by such of my readers as had neither taste nor sight of its bountiful provisions; and that it was a day in all respects as different as could be from the 6th of February preceding, when there was a general fast on account of the cholera, can be pictured with equal facility. The town of St. Leonards was then but four years old, yet its people contributed, as already intimated, to the dinner fund; and thére are still living a few of the goodly number of its inhabitants who helped to make up that monster dinner party of six thousand. The writer is one of these, and he will now describe, as sufficiently as he can, a demonstration which for magnitude and completeness of arrangement as has never since been surpassed in this locality. A few days previously a younger brother of mine had been run over and killed through the careless driving of a carter, and it is probable that my spirits were not quite so jubilant as those of many other persons who took part in the day's proceedings. It may also be that in commencing work at three o'clock on one of the coldest July mornings I ever remember, the almost frigid temperature was in my case intensified by the anticipation of pleasure being subdued by a feeling of depression. If the reader wonders why I was at work at the early hour of cock-crowing, his wonderment will be satisfied when he gets a little further into the narrative. For a month previous to the 19th of July, or say, between that day and the 18th of June, when the sum of £400 was promised at a public meeting, the necessary funds were collected, the Priory Brooks fixed upon as the site, the stewards and subcommittees chosen and all arrangements perfected. Priory Brooks consisted of all that space which is now occupied by Bank buildings, Priory street, Havelock road, Middle street, Station road, the Recreation ground, St. Andrew's square and portions of St. Andrew's road and Queen's road. This large open area was provided with intersecting ditches, which drained into an open channel of longer and wider dimensions through which the water from the adjacent hills and slopes found its way under the arch of the Priory bridge into the sea. I may mention, for the information of Young Hastings, who imagines that the "St. Andrew's Floods" are a modern "institution," that it was quite a common thing, from 50 to 60 years ago, to see all the space alluded to covered over with a flood of water, either from the clouds or from the sea. I may also say, in passing, that I have known the same extensive plain frozen over for weeks together, and bearing upwards of a thousand skaters, sliders, and spectators, among the first of whom were the Hon. John Ashburnham, Mr. Major Vidler, and others, competing for the mastery of pedal movements in the formation of incised words and sentences.
But I must to my subject, lest my early recollections of Hastings lead me into uncalled for digressions. Let me say, then, that although the greater portion of that large area was more or less monopolized by the publican’s booths, the post-prandial amusements, and the fifteen or sixteen thousand persons who were present, a more circumscribed area sufficed for the al fresco dinner itself. This extended from south to north nearly the length of Meadow (now Queen's) road, and from east to west between the old post-and-rail fence of that road and the main ditch which ran parallel therewith through what would now be nearly the centre of the Cricket Ground. For a day or two previously, wagons and carts were employed in depositing deals, stumps, poles, evergreens and other materials on the ground, but not very much was fixed until the auspicious morning, when all doubt appeared to have vanished as to the suitability of the weather.
There were 80 tables, each capable of accommodating 64 persons, in addition to the one or two tables in the centre for the Mayor and other personages. These tables were to be covered with new white calico, supplied by Messrs. Clement and Inskipp, of Manchester House, near the Fish-market. To them also was intrusted(sic) the work of cutting, fitting and fixing the calico, the total quantity of which must have been near upon 4,000 yards. I was one of the persons engaged in this, and it was thus that I commenced work at three o'clock in the morning. At first the carpenters and labourers were too slow for the drapers, but the northerly wind was so and so strong as to numb the fingers of the latter, and to defy their attempts by tacking and tying to keep the cloths upon the tables. Much of the work, therefore, had to be done over again, and this gave the table-makers time to get ahead. With unusual dexterity, however, and with the stimulus of a few rounds of gin (Fie, fie! says the teetotaller) the cloth-layers accomplished their work within the stipulated time. Category:America_Ground#Eviction The constructing and covering of tables was, of course, but one feature in the grand scale of preparation; for, whilst that operation was going on, the work of erecting booths, flagstaffs, triumphal arches, etc., was proceeding with the utmost celerity. A grand entrance, with a span of sufficient width and height to admit several vehicles abreast, and adorned with evergreens, flowers, banners, and mottoes, was placed at the south end, not far from where the Police Office now stands; and this led to the central space between the two immense rows of tables, as well as to the Mayor's table, close to which was a pole 50 feet in height, bearing a trophy of laurel, and a St. George's ensign. At the opposite end was a booth, 60 or 70 feet long, which served the double purpose of a rendezvous for the committee by day and a dancing saloon at night. Close to this a stage was also erected for bobbing at treacle rolls, horse-collar grinning, and other amusements. The whole of the dinner space was encircled with ropes, and to this enclosure no one but the officials, managers, and working-men's families living in the borough was admitted until after dinner. But I ought to say something of the other festive preparations which the spontaneity of the inhabitants caused them to make, for it must not be supposed that the whole efforts of the town were monopolized by the dinner field. I have already stated that the work there commenced at three o'clock, but it was thought that at six o'clock everyone was astir except those who were absolutely indolent or out of health. At that early hour a salute was fired from the Castle, and answered by another from the Gas Works, the bells of St. Clement's and All Saints’ at the same time ringing out their sonorous chimes. Then it was that the women vied with the men in putting out flags, handkerchiefs, garlands, green boughs, etc., from their windows, whilst in Castle street and on the Priory bridge handsome arches were erected to form, as it were, the eastern and western entrances to a region in which was placed for the nonce the temple of Reform and in which was to be seen, as with a prophetic eye, the future grand centre of the borough. That in Castle street was close to the "Foreign Depot" of Mr. J. Murray, and was mottoed with "Enter in Triumph" and "Depart in Peace." The one on the Priory bridge marked the western boundary of the old town and the eastern limit of "America," so nicknamed in consequence of some of the inhabitants forming a settlement in No-man’s-land over the (Priory) water. It was here where the formal proceedings of the day may be said to have begun. At about half-past ten in the forenoon, the town band—augmented for the occasion—headed by a very large procession of "Americans," who, setting out from the parish of Holy Trinity, passed over the arch of masonry, and under the arch of foliage at the Priory bridge with a very large and handsome banner which they had arranged to present to the Mayor for the use of the town, These Trinitarians being not strictly under the jurisdiction of the town authorities, had expressed their willingness to join in the celebration upon the condition that they should be allowed to preserve their "nationality" by carrying an American Ensign in the procession.
This condition was not acceptable, it being contended that it would be unpatriotic, if not indeed illegal, to parade the Stars and Stripes without the Union Jack above them. As a compromise, the Union Jack was inserted in one of the corners, and a shield with the Hastings Arms in another. There were also other devices and an inscription — "Presented to the Town and Port of Hastings, by its junior inhabitants, July 19th, 1832, to commemorate the passing of the Reform Bill." The loyalty thus displayed was appreciated by the authorities, and the flag was formally received by the Mayor at the Town Hall. It was afterwards carried, with a number of other flags and banners, in procession round the old town, and finally to the dinner field, where the band took up position on a raised platform, and the flags were fixed in the places assigned them. It was then about mid-day and notwithstanding that the air was comparatively cool in the shade, and the wind still a little fitful, the heat was very considerable in the sunshine, and the bandsmen and bannermen were seen to be throwing off perspiration rather copiously. Thousands of people followed in the wake of the procession, and thousands more came in from other towns and villages, so that by one o'clock it was computed that the approaches and boundaries were occupied by at least ten or twelve thousand, old and young of both sexes. The order and decorum of that great assemblage was remarkable; yet as may be imagined, the vans bearing the viands made but slow progress through so vast a crowd.
The organisation, however, was such that in a comparatively brief period the tables were laden with eatables, each table having had previously a cask of beer placed in close proximity. At about half-past one, everything being in readiness, the signal for admission was given by lowering a flag and firing a gun. The phalanx of ticket-holders then walked in and took their seats at the tables according to their numbers. At each table there was a chairman, deputy-chairman, carvers, waiters, and a butler. The waiters were chiefly tradesmen’s assistants and other young men of the borough, who volunteered their services for the occasion, and wore distinctive dresses at each table according to the fancy of the chairman, or his money means to equip them. The number of waiters was intended to be three to each table, but that number was rather too limited, and as if with a fore-knowledge of such a fact, some few of the tables were found to have more waiters at the end of the feast than at the beginning. I was, myself, a supernumerary, having obtained the greatly coveted honour somewhat clandestinely. Feeling that I had borne the cold of the early morning when laying the cloths with sufficient endurance to entitle me to not to be "left out in the cold" at dinner time, I donned a rosette, a cap, and -
