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fireworks by night. For several years Sir Godfrey's yacht made the Hastings ​road​stead a place of embarcation and debarkation, and its presence was hailed with as much delight or regarded with as much interest as in later times has been Sir Thomas Brassey’s. There is much that I could say in connection: with Sir Godfrey’s yacht and yachting, but I must here tack about, lest my own little barque ”History” get too far on a lee way.

Sir Godfrey Webster - Prince William - Longevity

I erroneously stated the yacht which Sir Godfrey Webster purchased of Mr. Smith in the Spring of 1824 was of 140 tons measurement. I ought to have said 64 tons. The one of greater burthen was a second cutter-rigged yacht which Mr. Smith had built for him, two years later. It was named the Menai, and was launched from Messrs. Ransom and Ridley’s yard at the so-called Priory, on Saturday, July 5th, 1826, and on the following Monday its sailing capabilities were tested against the Government cutter Arrow, when the new yacht proved herself to be much the faster sailer.

Having been led into a reminiscence of this train of events by the Duke of Wellington’s visit to Hastings in 1845 and by a previous visit in 1816, when he was sumptuously entertained by Sir Godfrey Webster while passing through Battle, I feel myself almost involuntarily drawn into a narrative of some other associations of a like import. On the 28th of June, 1818, there was 8 further great stir in Battle consequent upon - the Prince and Princess of Homburg going from Hastings to visit the noble proprietors of Battle Abbey. It was only on the day immediately preceding such event that Sir Godfrey and his lady made a triumphant entry into Battle, after the election of the former as a representative in Parliament for the eastern division of the county. Bells, guns, music and flags were all brought into requisition as aids to the general rejoicing. The election took place at Chichester, where the votes recorded from Hastings were 9 for Sir Godfrey Webster, 4 for Mr. Burrell, and 0 for Mr, Sugden. The first-named received 85 plumpers, and was at the head of the poll, the totals from all the rapes of the said Eastern Division being 267 for Webster, 170 for Burrell, and 122 for Sugden. Two years later (1820), at the General Election consequent upon the accession of George IV., Sir Godfrey was less fortunate, he having felt it prudent to withdraw from the contest because, as he said, of the ruinous expense. He was, however, quite the most popular candidate at Hastings, where the people took the horses from his carriage at the top of the town and drew him, with his lady and their little son, by hand, preceded by a band of music and a large number of freeholders on horseback, under the management of Messrs, Boykett and William Breeds. About 2,000 persons kept up an incessant volley of hurrahs, while les garcons, with a combination of compliment and malignity, shouted :

”Sir Godfrey for ever!
Put Curteis in the river,
With a knife in,his heart,
And a fork in his liver.”

The same battle-cry was shouted by the boys and the same feelings were evinced by the men in 1826 as were expressed and shown towards Sir Godfrey in 1820, he having once more contested a seat for the county with Mr. Curteis and others. He was a second time unsuccessful, although he received the unusual number of eleven hundred plumpers, among whom were about twenty from Hastings, who had to journey, some by land, and some by sea, to record their votes at Chichester.

From over the entrance of the Swan Hotel Sir Godfrey delivered an animated address on the principles of free and unbiassed attachment to King and country, in which he proclaimed himself an enemy to irreligion, blasphemy and rebellion. He afterwards canvassed the town and was well received, whilst Sir William Ashburnham, bearing Mr. Curteis’s colors(sic), was molested and his carriage impeded. The subsequent declaration of the poll was 2,420 for Burrell, 2,258 for Curteis, and 1,867 for Cavendish; Sir Godfrey, as before stated, having declined going to the poll. The redoubtable knight of Battle Abbey was at that time 31 years of age; and, whether regarded for his stature, his strength of limb or his fearless temperament, was every inch a man. He had a boulder thrown at his carriage while passing through Laughton on his way to Chichester to the Election above alluded to, when, turning upon his assailant—a sturdy carpenter — he got out of his carriage and gave the thrower of the missile such a specimen of his skill in the “Fancy” as did not make it probable that the fellow would soon forget the chastisement. Some of my readers will remember a similar punishment inflicted on a Mr. Stubberfield by the valiant knight when, on going over the old White-rock ​road​, the former, without provocation, set his dog to attack Sir Godfrey’s dog. But even that was not the first time that Sir Godfrey retaliated upon his assailant when a deliberate insult was offered him. Eleven years before he purchased Mr. Smith’s yacht — that is to say, on the 13th of September, 1813, a cutter-yacht of about 60 tons was launched from Ransom and Ridley’s yard, at what is now known as Wellington place, and to which Sir Godfrey gave the name of Nancy. Some time afterwards, while driving through Hastings his tilbury, his tandem or his four-in-band. — I know not which — Edward Tebay shouted out derisively “Hang up (or Bang up) your Nancy!” Quick as thought the stalwart baronet alighted and played 39 well with his whip as to make poor Tebay dance to the tune of Nancy-prancy.

An intimate friend of Sir Godfrey Webster was a Captain Bailey, who had a great penchant for dogs, and who was known to have no fewer than nine of the canine species at one time, When residing at Cobourg place, the Captain was struck with the disparity of size in the nasal organs of the two beadles, who were then the only guardians of the peace. Chatfield, nick-named calf's-nose, had an unusually large proboscis, whilst his brother officer might have complained that Nature had dealt very niggardly with him in that particular. With a view to equalise their condition, Capt. Bayley told them he was in want of an expert carpenter and joiner, and if they wouid seek for one and bring him to his residence he.would pay them for their trouble. With much alacrity the two beadles wended their way to Mr. John Eaton, at 39 High street, as he had the reputation of being very efficient in his calling. Thus summoned, away went the Knight of the Shavings, in company with the two beadles, and on reaching the residence of the gentleman from whom he hoped o obtain a good order, he was desired to at once commence operations on the two beadles by sawing off the superabundance of nose which the one possessed and joining it to the one which in the other was so palpably deficient. The joke was adjudged too practical, and a chorus of indignation ensued; soon to be subdued, however, with the solatium of half-a-crown each, which had the effect of reducing the fortissimo trio to a dulcet duet.

But, to return to Battle Abbey and its festal associations in connection with Hastings and pre-urban St, Leonards, it may be stated that as did the Duke of Wellington in 1845, so did Prince William of Gloucester, in 1798, travel from Hastings to Battle, en route to London, His Royal Highness had probably paid a visit to the camp at Bopeep and Bulverhythe, whence he journeyed to Battle, with General Forbes and other military attendants, to chose a site for the erection of cavalry barracks in or near the Abbey town, where troops were already temporarily encamped. Sir Godfrey Vassal Webster — father of the baronet of whom I have here given some account — had enrolled himself as a private in the Cinque Ports Volunteer Cavalry, and was credited with being unremitting in his attendance at drill. He was also a member of Parliament and a Justice of the Peace. With all these associations, and as the owner of Battle Abbey, it was but a suitable manifestation of loyal etiquette for Sir Godfrey to invite Prince William to become his guest during his Royal Highness’ brief stay in the neighborhood(sic). The occasion is the more noteworthy in consequence of the Prince’s visit to a very old man who had seen more service in the Webster family and more stirring events in and about Battle than any other person then in existence. His name was Isaac Ingall, and he had lived at Battle Abbey upwards of 90 years, chiefly as butler. At the time here referred to (March 24th, 1798), Mr. Ingall had more than completed his 120th year, and was visited by Prince William and Gen. Forbes at his lodgings near the Chequers Inn. He received from the Prince a £1 note and a pound of snuff, and it was afterwards thought that the excitement consequent upon the honour thus paid him did not add anything to Ingall’s extraordinary longevity. Anyhow, he died nine days later, and was buried on the east side of Battle church, where a monumental slab may be seen in excellent preservation at the present time.

That was a period when a span of human life beyond the proverbial three-score-and-ten was by no means uncommon, notwithstanding the cry of hard times, when the air was laden with war's alarms and when people lived in unsanitary dwellings, ate rye bread, and drank unfiltered water. Within two years of Ingall’s death, his late master, Sir Godfrey Vassall Webster, the fourth baronet, also quitted his earthly existence; and within about the same period of time from the death of the veteran of six-score years there died in this part of the county a Mrs. Frewen, in her 89th year; a Mr. Carman, in his 90th; Thomas Wigmore, in his 103rd; Mrs. Woolgar, in her 90th; Sir William Ashburnham, in his 88th; Mr. John Russell, at 98 (68 of which he was employed as parish clerk); Mrs. Howes, in her 99th; Mr. Weston, at 94; Mrs. Preston, in her 92nd; a carpenter named Masters, at 96; Mrs. Dunn, at 102; Mr. Minshall, at 90; Mr. North, at 85; two women, at 97 and 100 respectively; Elizabeth Chatterton, at 92; John Thatcher, at 87; Sarah Cole, at 87; Mary Aylesbury, at 88; and Frances Bayley, at 92. The five last-named being Hastings people were buried in the ground attached to All Saints’ Church, and were of the number of octogenarians, nonogenarians(sic) and centenarians who, as I before stated, terminated life within about two years of the duodenarian Ingall. Fuller details of these and other matters alluded to are intended to be given at some subsequent period in a collective and revised form, for which purpose — to use a stereotyped phrase — all rights are reserved. I may mention, ere I close the present instalment, that in 1810 a Lady Webster died at Battle Abbey at the age of ’ 84. She was, I believe, the great aunt of Sir Godfrey Webster whom I knew, and whose coming of age was celebrated two months before his aunt's demise with many tokens of festivity. These included a sumptuous banquet at the George Hotel, on which occasion a fine turtle was presented by Mr. John Fuller, of Catsfield place, and was partaken of by several influential persons from Hastings, who were among the invited guests.

As before intimated, I have much more to relate of the Webster family in connection with Hastings, but as it would carry me back over a period of two or three generations, It may be well to re-introduce this personal narrative at a later stage.

Among the minor events of 1845 not hitherto noticed were the following:— On the 25th of March Mr, William Chamberlin (a good friend to education) lectured to the members of the Mechanics’ Institution on Phrenology. On Whit-Monday (May 12th) the Friendly Society celebrated its 30th anniversary with the customary procession, church-service, dinner at the Swan, and amusements on the East hill, Eight days later, the first annual dinner took place at the Hastings Arms among the members of the Hastings and St. Leonards Philanthropic Society and the Prince-Albert Lodge of Oddfellows, On the 10th of July, two of the Hastings fishing boats netted 6,000 mackerel, for which they obtained a good sum of money; and on the 2nd of November, no fewer than 60 lasts (700,000) herrings were landed by 26 boats, the fish realising from £9 to £12 per last. On the 7th of Jul, the death was announced of the veteran reformer Earl Grey, and on the day of his funeral, many tradesmen of both towns showed their respect by partly closing their places of business. On the 24th of September, the second of the year’s Horticultural Exhibitions was(sic) held in the Swan Assembly-room, the first show having been held in the St. Leonards Assembly Rooms. For several years, these indoor exhibitions were invariably successful, the elements of success being a keen competition for fairly good prizes, an economical management of the expenses, an appreciated band of music which cost only two guineas, and a ​building​ in which the visitors were sheltered in case of wet weather. All this — not even excepting the success — is now changed.