Livonia

From Historical Hastings

Purchased by Philcox Bros. in the summer of 1872[1], the Livonia was one of the pleasure yachts that plied for trade from the beach adjacent to the Queens Hotel during the 1870s. Together with the Albertine she operated daily sailings at 11am and 3am, tide and weather permitting and fares were 1s. in 1873[2]. The vessel continued to operate until at least 1887[3]. During a storm (described as being a hurricane in the press) in 1875, when both the Livonia and Albertine were being man-handled into a boatyard, one of the men, Jerry Curtis, was pinned between the Livonia and a ferry-boat. The man was carried over the West Hill to the Infirmary; George Street and Marine Parade being made impassable by the storm. Once at the Infirmary, the poor man was found to have severely broken legs, requiring amputation of his left leg and surgery to set the right[4]

In 1891, Ernest Philcox was reported to have ordered a new boat to replace the Livonia; the new boat being built at the yard of Messrs. Kent at Rock-a-Nore[5]

There is a report of another yacht named Livonia, this one was purchased in the summer of 1873 by Thomas Brassey MP.[6]

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