suryeyor (formerly of Hastings, and originally of Battle) expressed his fears that if the pole-groyne, already going to decay, was suffered to go down entirely, the wall at the west end would be in danger of serious injury. He knew from his own experience that it was an endless expense to keep such groynes in repair, and had found it both better and cheaper to flank them with thin planks, adding a few stronger piles here-and-there. The committee’s recommendation was, however, adopted, Mr. Winter accepting a bond of £100 in part payment, and Mr. Adams also lending £100 on bond to assist the project. But, as will be shown further on, the Commissioners. were not even then relieved, of their money difficulties — their burrowing powers, being limited — nor of their anxieties in respect to the sea defences. They had paid during the quarter £44 to Hughes and Hunter for repairs of wall, had contracted for other repairs and defences to the extent of £489, and now proposed to spend £134 for a new groyne, to be designated No. 5.
At the same December meeting the first batch of fly-proprietors were licensed under the provisions of the new bye-laws. These were John Broadhurst (father of the present fly-proprietors of that name), Stephen Goodwin (who still plies his honest calling on the St. Leonards stand), Charles Gain (who still follows his (illegible text) occupation) James Goodsell (who died some years ago), Stephen Eldridge (ditt), Thomas Burgess (a builder and a Wesleyan, who stood by while a “brother” accused a tradesman of breaking the fourth commandment by sweeping the front of his house,on a Sunday morning, and then went straight to his stables to execute any orders that might have come in for his flys), William Chamberlin (the respected lessee of the Royal Victoria Hotel, who, at the age of 84, died in Brighton, October 2nd, 1868), William Smith (the man who excavated, and during many years lived in, the St. Leonards’ Caves), Edward Pierce (the first linen draper in St. Leonards, and afterwards a lodging house keeper, fly-proprietor and money-lender, and who died on February 6th, 1855, at the age of 64), and James, Emary (the son of James Emary, sen., who was Mayor of Hastings in 1840-51). As here shown, all of the above persons, excepting-Goodwin and Gain, have long since passed over to the silent majority. It has been stated that a flyman whose name is not included in the above enumeration came to what is now St. Leonards in the autumn of 1827, when there was a considerable quantity of snow on the ground, and as there is a fall of snow whilst I am writing, on the present 17th of March, it reminds me that I was appealed to a few days ago to corroborate or deny the accuracy of the said flyman’s reminiscence. The following extract from my diary will serve me for a reply.— ”October 13th [1827]. Very snowy at Hastings, and along the south coast generally.”
Parochial Officers - Poor Law Guardians - Rival Bill Stickers
In pursuance of the heretofore practice, I turn from the transactions of the St. Leonards Commissioners to the doings of the St. Leonards and St. Mary Magdalen parochial officials. The former held their first vestry at the Railway Terminus Inn on the 27th of March, and passed a resolution that in consequence of the roads on the front line being in such an unsatisfactory condition with the use of beach, the surveyors for the ensuing year were to repair only with broken stone. They also gave instructions to the vestry-clerk to enter an appeal at the next quarter-sessions against the assessment of the borough rate; also that in all future assessments for the several rates, twenty per cent. and insurances were to be deducted for houses, and ten per cent. for lands. What was the decision in the appeal against the borough rate I have no record to show, but in accounts presented at the meeting there were items of £18 4s. and. £23 9s. 11d. paid to Shorter and Philips as law expenses.
The parochial officers of St. Mary Magdalen convened no fewer than eight vestry meetings during 1848, and those meetings were attended, collectively, by as many as 111 parishioners. These meetings were separately held at the Saxon Hotel, the Warrior’s Gate Inn and the Horse and Groom, and were generally of an animated character. The officials for that year were James Beck and Nelson Andrews, overseers; Charles Neve and George Voysey, surveyors; William Noon and Newton Parks, assessors; and James Everett, collector. The officials nominated for the ensuing year were John Painter, Charles M. Thorpe, John Peerless, Richard Lamb and William Chamberlin, as overseers; Edward Farncomb and Richard Lamb as surveyors; John Phillips, vestry-clerk; William Noon and Newton Parks, inbound assessors; and Messrs. Farncomb and Lamb, outbound assessors. At the second vestry, held at the same place on the 12th of October, the only business transacted was that of passing a borough-rate of 34d in the £, and a highway-rate at 3d. Of the officials then present “not one is left to tell the tale,“ and the same may be said of those who attended the meeting as unofficial parishioners, namely, W. M. Eldridge, Henry Went Tree and others. As another instance of the inroads which death makes in a local community during a period of forty years, it may be stated that of the persons who made up the 111 attendances, only five in 1881 are now known to the writer as being still in the flesh. These are Newton Parks, George Voysey, Frederick Tree, James Beck and T. B. Brett. The rates figured for that year were two for the poor (6d, and 5d.), two for the highways at 3d., and one for the borough at 8d. Among the more special business was a resolution for an application to be made to the Poor-law Board to appoint at the next election a second guardian for the parish, in consequence of the increase of population. Another special feature was the appointment of committee, consisting of Walter Inskipp, Stephen Putland, Nelson Andrews and the surveyors, to superintend the formation and repairs proposed to be done by Mr. Eversfield in the whole of the roads, preparatory to dedication.
I now touch on a few matters in connection with the Board of Guardians and the Union Workhouse. At one of their April meetings, surgeon Fry, of St. Leonards, with exellent(sic) testimonials. was elected as Medical Officer for the the(sic) western district at a salary of £15 — a somewhat more liberal stipend than the five pounds given by the St. Leonards overseers to Mr. Ticehurst in 1834, the same to include medicine as well as attendance. Even this would be a liberal salary for young St. Leonards to give in 1834 when compared with what old Hastings gave in 1757. It was in the latter named year that Mr. Samuel Munn, surgeon and apothecary, contracted with the overseers of All Saints to supply the poor of the parish with medicine and attendance at three guineas per annum. But small as was this pittance, it appears that Mr. Munn did not starve upon it; or if he did it took him 27 years to do it, seeing that his death was not announced until the last week in July, 1784. Albeit the £14 offered to Mr. Fry in 1848 was a goodly advance on the three guineas to Mr. Munn in 1757 and the five pounds to Mr, Ticehurst in 1834. And if my readers are at all solicitous to know the names of the Guardians who were so liberal on the last occasion, they were T. Arkcoll (chairman), A. Harvey, jun., M. Kelland, Hi. Polhill, I. Arkcoll, J. Smith, R. Deudney, Earl Waldegrave, H. Beck, T. Ross, S. Putland and H. Foster. There were imbeciles in those days as there are now — not the Guardians, please! but the lunatics — and these pitiable creatures were confined in the Asylum at Bethnal Green. As the Guardians too often sat with closed doors it was not always possible to know what were their transactions. We got to know, however, a good many of them, and if we did not guess the rest with mathematical precision the fault was not ours. But on St. Leonardensis will devolve the task of giving either originally or by reproduction such accounts only as are reliable. It was known that on the 11th of May Mr. John Peerless took his seat as the newly elected Guardian for St. Leonards, and that plans for a new fever ward were to be sent to the Poor-Law Board. Two months later — the Government officials having in the meantime travelled the circle of red-tape — a letter was received authorising the borrowing of £390 for the erection of the proposed fever ward, and with that permission a resolution was passed for Mr. Walter Inskipp to prepare specifications. This being done, and contracts taken by Mr. George Winter for masonry and Mr. Richard Cramp for bricklaying, the Guardians complained at their first meeting in October that the work was progressing very slowly. They, however, on the representation of the architect, drew cheques for £20 and £50 to the two builders respectively.
To the demented persons already chargeable to the Union was added an idiot named Beny, who on Sunday the 28th of May, had attempted to destroy himself. He was living in a cottage at Rocklands with his relatives who, in time to save his life, discovered him hanging by his neck. He was afterwards removed to the Workhouse.
Some little amusement was afforded the poor-law Guardians at their sitting on Sept. 7th, notwithstanding that they affected to be as demure as any grave and reverend seniors, Mr. Lettine complained that Mr. Cox had torn down the notices which he (Mr. Lettine) had posted by instructions of Mr. Inskipp, Clerk to the Guardians, Mr. Lettine had no hesitation in saying that Mr. Cox was a very greedy character, and they all knew that a coveteous man was never satisfied. He hoped that the Guardians would administer to Cox a gentle reproof. Whether the Guardians complied with Mr. Lettine’s request I do not now remember, but L know that Cox jealously guarded what he considered to be his exclusive right as a public crier and bill-sticker. His appointment to the former avocation was of course a settled matter, but to his monopoly of the latter employment there were frequent challenges and disputations. The sympathy of the public was mostly on behalf of Lettine, who was a quiet inoffensive man, one of the “lightweights“ of humanity, and of respectable exterior.
He was also the parish-clerk of All Saints, His rival,James Cox, was parish-clerk of St. Clement's, and besides being a crier and bill-poster he followed the trade of a cooper, and was the owner of property. Poor Johnny Lettine, as he was sympathetically called, seemed therefore to have good grounds fer describing his rival “as a greedy character.” Cox continued in existence 13 years after Lettine’s appeal, and at his death his body was placed side that of his wife at Halton. When Lettine terminated his earthly career I have at present no ready means of knowing. I turn me now from the rival claims of Cox and Lettine to other personal matters of a less contentious character.
# In the month of January, Mr, Sutton, to the regret of the St. Leonards people, was removed from the Bopeep (now West Marina) railway station to be station-master at Portsmouth. His place was taken by Mr. Cane, whose wife was a daughter of Mr. F. Emary.
On the 10th of March Lord John Russell left St. Leonards for London, to return next day, with Lady Russell and two children, to the Victoria Hotel.
On the 5th of May was announced the death, at Battle, of Edward Crowhurst, more familiarly known as ”Old Ned.” He was formerly a gamekeeper to Sir Godfrey Webster’s estate, and during many later years he was porter at Battle Abbey. Some elderly Hastings people may remember the aged man who, with his silvery locks seemed to be a part of that ancient building. I do not know his age, but he was certainly not so old as Isaac Ingall, who died at the age of 120, and was more than 90 years in the service of the Websters at Battle Abbey. Several of Crowhurst’s relatives were buried at Bexhill, and a descendent named Jesse Crowhurst has since (May or June, 1888), died at Battle, aged 76. A Richard de Croherste was one of those in the 13th century who feoffed the estate to the Abbey. Coeval with the death of Jesse Crowhurst in 1858 was that of Mrs. Taylor, late of Telham Farm, Battle, who at the age of 90 could read and sew without spectacles, and who had always lived in Battle parish.
On his 32nd birthday anniversary May 30th, T. B. Brett went with his band to Rye to play at the anniversary celebration of the Prince of Wales Independent Order of Oddfellows, who marched in procession to church, where a sermon was preached by the Rev. H. Cooper, and afterwards to their club-room to dinner. The scene was again visited by this one of the two surviving bandsmen on the 9th of Jan., 1889, after a period of 40½ years, and at the end of a 20 miles’ walk.
On Friday, June 9th, Mr. Joseph Avery, one of Mr. Carey’s workmen, had his right hand frightfully crushed while assisting to drive for a groyne on the beach near the South Colonnade, St. Leonards. He was taken to a surgery in the Marina where Messrs, Gilbert and Fry amputated three fingers, leaving him with only his thumb and fourth finger, thus making it doubtful if he would ever to able to again work at his trade as a carpenter. A subscription list, headed by a donation from the Rev. G. D. St. Quintin, was started on his behalf, and being a member of the Adelaide Lodge of Odd fellows, he and his wife were kept from want during his incapacity. He was, however, a man of strong constitution, and lost no unnecessary time in getting to work at his trade, which he followed to within year or two of his death, which October, 1883, at the age of 86.
At mid-day on the 23rd of July a lady named Robertson was preparing to ride out with her husband and sister from 6 Verulam place (now the Grand Hotel) when the horse on which she was mounted started off suddenly towards St. Leonards. When near the Archway a waggoner attempted to stop the animal with his whip, which caused the horse to swerve and throw the lady to the ground. She was taken up with a severe injury to her head and conveyed to a surgery on the Marina, thus making the fifth serious accident there attended to during the portion of the year to that date, But there were others yet to come for which the skill of Mr. Fry was again to be put to the test. On the 8th of October, the day being Sunday, Mr. Painter, a well known resident of St. Leonards, fell to the ground on leaving church and fractured one of his kneecaps. On the same day a boy named Friend fell from a pile-driving machine, to the top of which he had climbed, near the Victoria Library, and sustained severe injuries. The latter was taken to Mr. Fry’s surgery, and the former was attended by Dr. Cumming. With these casualties, together with his duties as surgeon for the western parishes, medical officer of the Adelaide Lodge of Oddfellows, and surgeon to the South-Eastern Railway — at which last named the accidents were very numerous - Mr. Fry had enough to do; yet his promptitude and surgical skill appeared to be equal to each exigency. Even I, who had been pressed into service on one or two occasions of accidents at the railway works, to assist Mr. Fry, could not altogether escape from the remedial sanctum of his surgery. I had been writing business letters of some importance, and fearing that I had only the chance afforded by a sharp run to the post-office to get my letters off by that night’s mail, I set out at my greatest speed down the East Ascent to reach the letter-box, then at the Victoria Library. From the iron railing which divides the parade from the road a bar had been taken out for the convenience of Bath-chairs, and for the removal of pianofortes to and from the Library. This bar had been lying on the ground for several years, and the wide opening was thus always freely accessible; but, unknown to the public, the Commissioners had given instructions (in consequence, It was thought, of a drove of oxen getting on to the parade) for the said bar to be put up immediately after every necessity for its removal. ‘This having been done on the night in question, I ran, in the darkness, with great force against it, mv letters being scattered and my body being thrown back into the road. Stunned by the violent concussion, I was for a few moments quite unconscious, but soon found myself being picked up by a coachman, who, seeing what had happened, stopped his horses and got down from his box to my assistance. Mr. Shaw, the old Letter-carrier (who was also postclerk), hearing inside the office that something was wrong, and perhaps anticipating an accident as the result of the Commissioners’ recent mandate, hastened out and picked up my letters, while I was being led by two kind friends to Mr. Fry’s surgery. On examination it was found that no bones were broken; yet, although as Mr. Fry assured me, I had been struck on the strongest part of my chest, it was marvellous even to him that my ribs were not fractured. The blow was so terrific that the breath seemed to be knocked out of me, and consciousness temporally suspended. It was indeed a case in which
St. Leonardensis lost his senses,
Nor knew where to find them,
Till they came home, no more to roam,
With ill-effects behind them.
Yes! the violent conflict between flesh and iron, although less serious in its results than might have been expected, did not leave the weaker antagonist entirely unscathed, there having been occasional reminders of the event throughout the subsequent period of forty years.
The year was unusually fruitful in accidents and personal maladventures, and to these I will further apply my narrative of events before I treat of the more special matters and broader issues.
On the 29th of May, an afternoon train while proceeding from Lewes to Hastings ran over two horses which had strayed on to the line at Pevensey and cut them to pieces, whilst the train itself experienced only a slight shock.
On the 17th of June, a man named Timothy Chapman, while engaged in some excavations near the Fountain Inn, St. Leonards, was suddenly buried an a quantity of loose earth which fell upon him. Another man, who was working with him, narrowly escaped a similar fate. An hour and a half elapsed before the luckless man could be got out, and when extricated he was found to be greatly exhausted, very cold and nearly suffocated. Messrs. Gilbert and Fry were quickly in attendance, and under their treatment, the sufferer — who had no bones broken — quickly recovered.
On the 28th of September, the autumn Horticultural Exhibition was held in the St. Leonards Assembly Rooms, and continued for three days in consequence of wet weather, As “it’s an ill wind that blows no one good,” so on this occasion Brett's St. Leonards Band enjoyed the triplicy of play and pay.
Founding of the Mechanics' Institution
On the 3rd of October a numerously attended meeting was held for the purpose of founding a St. Leonards Mechanics Institution. The -
