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and inventive genius. It may be also added for the comparative safety of traveling by the more modern mode; for, notwithstanding that railway accidents are sometimes of an appalling character when they occur, it has been shown by competent statisticians that in proportion to the number of persons who have been conveyed by each System the loss of life and limb by coach-traveling has been on the whole very much the greatest.

At their meeting on the 9th of February, the Commissioners appointed Mr. Ginner as receiver of coal duty tickets at the Hastings-hill gate in the place of Mr. W. Henbrey, then deceased. At their next meeting the clerk explained at some length the several clauses of the Health-of-Towns Bill then before Parliament, after which Mr. Paine demurred to what he called the money clauses.as not being satisfactory. They all knew, he said, that whilst St. Mary Magdalen had no debt whatever, St. Leonards had a heavy one; also that the liabilities of All Saints’ and St. Mary-in-the-Castle were greatly less than those of St. Clement’s. It could not, therefore, be just to spread the debts equally over the whole borough; yet such would be the effect of the 94th clause. Mr. Yates thought it would be useless to oppose the Bill, and that they would have to meet it in some way as best they could. No resolution was then moved, but at an adjourned meeting it was resolved that the Health-of-Towns Bill be approved of, with certain modifications. The remainder of this meeting was occupied in a desultory conversation concerning the Chartist riots at Glasgow, Edinburgh and Manchester, as following so closely on the French Revolution. And here let me interpose an anecdote which I intended giving in the preceding instalment when referring to the Chartist demonstration in London. The late Alderman Ginner had in his employ two men who were brothers, the eldest of whom went to London with a few other Chartists to join in the demonstration. When taking his next week’s wages, Mr. Ginner — who was a Liberal but not a Chartist in politics — suggested as a practical application of his employé’s views of equality and fraternity that two shillings per week should be deducted from his wages and added to the smaller wages of his younger brother. The would-be Chartist — as the story goes — failed to see the fairness of such a proposal, and from that time seemed to lose heart in the Chartist movement.

At the next meeting of the Hastings Commissioners, Mr. C. J. Womersley (our old townsman who has served us in so many ways) ^{(illegible text)} made it known that, in the following week he would be selling some property which, if it could be purchased by the town at a reasonable price, would afford an opportunity of making a street directly connecting Courthouse street and Bourne street with All Saints’ street; an improvement which, both for convenience and sanitary purposes, he held to be very desirable. Hence, he thought he should not be doing his duty if he neglected to bring the matter before his brother Commissioners. This resulted in the appointment of a committee and the purchase at an auction sale of the property in question for £875; also a private arrangement with Mrs. Ann Stone and others for the transfer of their property for widening the intended thoroughfare, the amount of purchase money in the latter negociation(sic) to be £250. Donations to the extent of £36 were promised, and this sum, with the sale of old materials and a loan of £400, it was judged would meet the total cost of purchase. The thoroughfare thus made, and appropriately named Union street, was one of the most desirable. as well as one of the least costly improvements ever accomplished by our local public bodies; and the present writer, together with Mr. Alderman Winter, and perhaps one or two other townsmen who have since grown old, could afford to view with equanimity, if not with positive satisfaction, the demolition of the school-house in which they had received instruction under the direction of Mr. Henry Stone.

At the meeting of the Hastings Commissioners referred to it was resolved, on the motion of Mr. Anthony Harvey, that All Saints’ street and East bourne street be macadamised at an estimated cost of £216, but that the Surveyor be instructed to expend on the work only £100 during that year. Those of the present generation who never saw the streets of a town paved with mitchels and boulders, as were those of Hastings fifty years ago, can hardly imagine the constant noise caused by the numerous coaches, carriages, carts, waggons, brewers’ drays, timber tugs and other vehicles as they rattled over those jolting thoroughfares. If, however, they had their drawbacks, they also had their advantages, one of which was their cleanliness, and another the comparative ease with which they were repaired with materials collected from the foreshore. They were usually kept well swept, and after a smart shower of rain they were all that could be desired in the way of cleanliness. I have stated that East bourne street was one of the thoroughfares that was to be treated a la MacAdam, and I am reminded then a view of the said street — a short one which connects All Saints’ street with Bourne street — appears in the Sussex Archeological Collections as Court-house street — which led in a different direction and was in a different parish. Courthouse street, so named from the Court-house having until 1700 stood at the bottom of it, had no direct communication with All Saints’ street, which condition, to say the least, was an inconvenience. It was on May 3rd, 1848, that at the Commissioners’ meeting the committee reported the completion of the purchase of the old houses for £375, and an agreement with Mrs. Ann Stone and others for other property that was necessary at an additional cost of £259. This latter purchase, it was thought, would be met by the sale of old materials and the £36 which the neighbouring owners of property had subscribed. The report was adopted and Union street soon came into existence.

At the next meeting of the Hastings Commissioners the Clerk detailed at some length the clauses of the Health of Towns Bill, which was then before Parliament. To Mr, Paine it appeared that the money clauses were neither clear nor equitable. They all knew, he remarked, that the Magdalen parish had no debt, whilst St. Leonards, in case of its inclusion, had a heavy one. Also the debts of the Castle and All Saints’ parishes were much lighter than the debt of St. Clement’s parish. It would not be just, therefore, to spread the burden equally over the whole, yet such appeared to be the intention as indicated by the 94th clause. Mr. Yates was of opinion that to oppose the measure would be unavailing, and that the Commissioners would have to meet it as best they could. No decision, however, was arrived at, but at an adjourned meeting it was resolved to approve of the Bull with certain suggestions for alterations and additions. The St. Leonards Commissioners who, for cogent reasons, were opposed to the Health of Towns Act, in its united application to both towns, immediately petitioned for an alteration of certain clauses other than those with which the Hastings Commissioners were concerned. The result will be shown in due course.

At the May meeting of the Hastings Commissioners, permission was given to James Cox to make an opening in the Oak pavement for the purpose of obtaining light to the cellar of his house, but his application to construct an octagon window in the front of his house was rejected. Some of my readers will remember that the said James Cox was a cooper by trade, and that he was also the Parish clerk of St. Clements, the town, crier and the appointed bill-poster. He had a powerful voice which well fitted him for his public duties, although his too frequent pauses caused his sentences to be somewhat broken and less comprehensive than they otherwise would have been, When at church it was a real pleasure to hear his stentorian yet millifluous voice in the invocation “Let us sing to the praise and glory of God the hundred and third Psalm, new version.” Cox was not deficient of other peculiarities, one of which, as also coming within my own knowledge, was his disinclination to spend money in the purchase of even needfully new clothes. So practical indeed was he in this more than fairly economic notion, that, with a view to make him presentable, his wife had to get his garments made, unknown to him, and place them, one at a time, on the bed or in some other conspicious(sic) place. He might even then say he did not want it, but he would take to wearing it. To return, however, to the Commissioners’ meeting, there were present Will Ginner (chairman and afterwards four-times Mayor), Henry Beck, (a baker, and the “Father“ of Hastings Wesleyanism), William Standen, (lodging-house keeper and house-agent), Matthew Kelland, (a retired draper), Anthony Harvey (Town Councillor, solicitor’s agent, and registrar of births and deaths), Roger Bromley, (grocer, and afterwards an Alderman), William Edwards, (carpenter and builder), — Collins, (bookkeeper), — Paine, (reporter and newsagent), C, Duke, (tailor), B. Banks (coal-dealer,) T. Houghton (pawnbroker), S. Gutsell (grocer), H. Thwaites (butcher), W. Breach (fishmonger), J. Mackness (docter(sic) of medicine), John Pearson (tailor), and Edward Elford (organist and music seller).

At the June meeting of Commissioners, Inspector Campbell once more appeared as a complainant. He said the bye-laws continued to be infringed by the flymen and donkey-drivers. The complaint was supported by Mr. A. Vidler (familiarly known as “Sticky“), who remarked that he had that very morning seen the man Powell riding in a gig down Wellington square with five or six donkeys running before him quite unattended. They were going at a rapid pace and nearly ran over some ladies. Mr, Harvey facetiously remarked that perhaps the ladies were not donkeys enough to remain in their way. He suspected that the flymen were jealous of the donkeymen, because the latter had got vehicles that would take small parties at a much cheaper rate and travel nearly as fast. This remark was met by an ironical laugh, which did not in the least disconcert the speaker, who contended that donkeys would travel very fast down hill and nearly as fast up hill, The discussion suggested to Mr, Pittar, the reporter to the new paper (Hastings and St, Leonards News), the following lines on

Donkey Riding,
”Come John, I am weary of plodding along,
Make the donkey to trot, now I pray.”
“Oh dear, Marm! the donkey can’t trot up a hill,
And the sun shines so hot, too, today.”

”Well, now make him trot, it is easy enough,
For a donkey to run down a hill.”
“Oh dear, Marm ! the donkey might fall if he does,
And you'll get sigh a tumble, you will.”

“Come, gee up, my donkey ! its all level ground—
We shall just get a gallop at last!”
Oh dear, Marm ! the donkey can’t trot now I’m sure,
Just see what a hill we have passed.”

I am inclined to view the foregoing effusion as containing more fiction than fact, for I remember that the donkey-man Powell, referred to at the Commissioner’s meeting, with his snowy whiskers and his goat-looking beard, used to drive his donkeys with great speed, and surprise was frequently expressed at the activity of so old a man, and that so few mishaps occurred to the ladies and children who rode upon his donkeys. And here let me say for the information of my younger readers that although in the year under treatment donkey-riding and mule-chaise travelling in Hastings were being to a large extent superseded by more modern modes of transit, there were still a few of the latter to be seen applying for hire, whilst of the former there were still very considerable teams kept by Powell, Kirby, and others in Hastings, as well as by Blake, Gould, and Morris at St, Leonards. But even these were few in comparision(sic) with the large assenine studs — some with saddles and some with baskets, and all with clean white saddle-cloths — which were to be seen on the stands in earlier years, There were the teams owned by the Braziers and Goldings at the Priory Bridge (the present site of the Albert Memorial), and there was the large team owned by sawyer Foord and his wife — a very little man and a very big woman. These animals, from 20 to 30 in number, were driven down to Hastings every morning from Fairlight Down, a distance of nearly two miles, and back again at night. These well-trained beasts of burthen had therefore a very practical experience of uphill and downhill travelling, and had they known how lately they had been misrepresented in rhyme by one party and commended in speech by another, I imagine they would have brayed at the one and licked the hand of the other. They were most of them very docile and willing creatures, and to say of them that they were as “stubborn us an ass” was either a compliment or a libel. In those days, when there were more rustic and romantic walks and drives in and about Hastings than there are now, and when there were more rugged hills to be climbed and more narrow lanes to he traversed, the sure-footed donkeys were not only valuable but also an essential institution. I know of nothing more picturesque than the sketches by artists of the old White Rock,the Old Woman’s Tap, the approaches to the Castle, Cuckoo Hill, Ore Valley, the wind-mills, the Priory Farm the Blacklands Farm, the Mount Pleasant Farm, the Barracks, the Old Roar, Gingerbread Green, Hollington, Fairlight, Meadow ​road​, Torfield ​road​, and numerous other objects and approaches, with a bevy of ladies and children on donkey-back, and gentlemen or other attendants by their side. I have seen many of these sketches in my time, and in later years would have been proud to be their possessor. As a finish to the donkey topic it may be appropriately said that at the July meeting of the Hastings Commissioners the controversy respecting donkeys was again introduced. During that discussion Mr. Vidler expressed an opinion that if a certain stand, then in proximity to York Buildings, could be removed, an eligible spot might be found westward of the Excise Office (the site of which is now the commencement of Robertson street). He was reminded, however, by Mr. Ginner, the Chairman, that they had no power whatever to hire such land, it being entirely out of their jurisdiction.

Having before stated by what means the purchase of property was effected and cleared away for a new thoroughfare by the now defunct Board of Commissioners, it may be well to show a little of the friction which arose from two governing bodies, the definition of whose powers was unsatisfactory and whose actions were sometimes antagonistic. At the Commissioners’ meeting on August 7th, Mrs. Ann Scrivens applied for permission to remove the two steps at 90 High street, and to replace them with two others. Such permission was readily given, it being considered that to remove an obstruction from the foot-path was a public improvement; but some of the Town Councillors thought that the application should have been made to the board of which they were members. Another matter of contention was that of the watch-house and stocks which abutted on the gaol (where now is a police station), and which the Commissioners thought the removal of would be both a necessity and an improvement in its relation to the new street. They opined that as in 1836 the said watch-house was given by themselves to the Council, the latter, under the altered conditions, should give it back for the purpose of taking it down for replacement elsewhere. Mr. Ginner, however, contended that instead of the Commissioners giving the watch-house to the Council, the Municipal Act of 1836 made the transfer without the Commissioners being consulted. After this explanation, it was resolved to ask the Council to remove it. At the same meeting, it was decided, on the proposition of Mr. Harvey, to name the new thoroughfare Union Street. Whatsoever honour there might have been in being a member of the Board of Commissioners for the Improvement of the Town and Port of Hastings, it was evidently waning; for at the September meeting it was reported that 21 persons had become disqualified, either through non-attendance or other causes. Only three of that number are now alive, but the names in the following list will be familiar to some of their surviving townspeople. They were Wm. Burrell, Wm. Blackman Young, Hy. Barham, Philip Kent, Geo. Reeves, Geo. Stanford, W. D. Lucas Shadwell, John Whiting, Wm. Akekurst, T. Waghorne, Thos. Hicks, John Mannington, John Townsend, Geo. Carley, Samuel Espinett, Wm. Huggett, James Hallaway, C. J. Jeudwine, J. G. Langham, D, Murdoch, A. L. Taylor, Jno. Waite and Jas Wenham. On the 9th of October, to fill up the vacancies there were elected for the parish of St, Clement’s, Messrs. Geo. Bartram, J. Spencer, James Catt, John Pankhurst, Chas. Clift and Geo. Hinde. For the parish of St. Mary-in-the-Castle Geo. Bluton, Chas. Vickery, John Sharpe and Wm. Campbell. For the parish of All Saints’ fifteen new members were required, but not one candidate could be obtained, and it was then resolved to adjourn the meeting for three months.

There was sometimes a difficulty in filling up the vacancies on the board of the St. Leonards Improvement Commissioners, but that difficulty never assumed such proportions as are here shown. It was clearly apparent that the honour of being a Commissioner was fast ebbing from the flood-tide of popularity, and that the newer institution of the Town Council was sapping its foundations. Although the fifteen vacant seats for All Saints could not be filled up, there was still an ample — perhaps more than an ample—number of members on the Board of the Hastings Commissioners to transact the comparatively small amount of business that was then left for them to do, and they therefore applied to the Town Council in conformity with a resolution passed at their last meeting, to remove the watchouse(sic), which projected ten feet beyond the line of route to the new thoroughfare which they had named Union street. Councillor Ginner. — who was also a Commissioner — opposed the application and moved that a reply be given that the Council saw no necessity at present for the removal of the ​building​. The public mostly coincided with the views of the Commissioners and regarded the refusal of the Council as an exhibition of ill feeling. But there were other removals which the latter body had been memoralised to effect, namely the so-called Searcher’s office, and other small, unsightly structures opposite to the eastern portion of the houses at East parade. For the principal ​building​, shoemaker Cox had offered a rent of £10 per year, but in a discussion which the matter evoked Mr. Put-