The Lushington Divorce - Hollond's Grand Banquet
Then asked Mr. Planta "What will be our position in the event of a war with Russia or the United States?" This question was fully answered by the effects of the war with Russia in 1854-5. But the honourable gentleman was less happy in his denunciation of the postal changes when he said no one but a few bankers and merchants desired it. If the history of the Penny Post (See chap XXIII) by the present writer had been then published, our worthy Member of that day would have received considerable enlightenment. True, there was a loss to the Revenue for the first two or three years, but since then the profit, as well as the development of the reformed system in postal management has been enormous.
On the 17th of August a grand banquet was given by Mr. Hollond to commemorate his second return as one of the representatives of this borough. Several spacious marquees were hired of Mr. Taylor, of Cranbrook, and these were so erected in the Priory Meadow (near where the new Town Hall now stands) as to form an immense pavilion, within which covers were laid for 550 persons. The interior was gorgeously decorated with banners, bunting, flowers and foliage. At 3 p.m. nearly the full number for which provision had been made stood around the tables while the Messrs. Weller and other vocalists from Cranbrook sang Non Nobis Domine. A superb dinner was then partaken of, prepared conjointly by Mrs. Johnson, of the Conqueror Hotel, St. Leonards and Mr. Yates, of the Royal Oak Hotel, Hastings. The Hastings Band played during the repast. and toasts, accompanied by speeches, were given by Mr. Hollond (chairman), Mr. Austin (deputy-chairman), Dr. MacCabe, Col. Williams, Mr. Duke, Mr. H. Thwaites, and other gentlemen. Tickets had been issued to ladies, and at the conclusion of the speeches, these were admitted to the number of 500, and the centre of the united marquees cleared for dancing. As one of the diners and dancers, it fell to my lot before the closing time of an hour after midnight to assist two of the ladies to their homes at St. Leonards, which the giddy waltz or the something else would have made difficult to reach without some such assistance.
This great banquet was admirably arranged by the committee of management, and the event was one to be long remembered.
As the new Parliament, with a Conservative majority of 76, met on the 19th of August, it is clear that Mr. Hollond’s banquet was given two days before.
Two other public (but non-political) dinners were reported during the year. The first was on the first day of February to celebrate the re-opening of the Swan Hotel by Mr. and Mrs. W. Carswell. There were present no fewer than 140 of the principle inhabitants and the cuisine was of the excellence for which that hostelry (now no longer existing) was for centuries famous.
The other was an annual Tradesman's dinner, which took place at the Marine Hotel on the 28th of April. The company on this occasion were fewer by 100 than those who dined at the Swan, but they were not less jovial nor less loyal, as evinced by the fervour with which the toasts, sentiments and songs were received. The viands and the wines were also praised by the whole company, who separated with a wish that they might all meet in the same way, and at the same house a year hence. It was the fate of this hotel also to become non-existent, the year of its demolition being 1898.
One of the much talked of events in 1841 was the dissolution of marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Lushington. The latter, whose maiden name was Sarah Brisco, was first married to William Camac, Esq., a man considerably older than herself, and after his death, she became the wife of C. A. Lushington, who was considerably younger than herself. This second marriage proved to be a very unfortunate one, the husband's conduct being simply disgraceful. It is not too much to say that he turned out to be a drunken and obscene bully, a fact that could be attested by myself and many others. It therefore gave rise to much gossip, but no surprise when on the 22nd of April, the case of Lushington versus -
