The Government of Hastings and St. Leonards.
This has undergone several changes. In the 14th Century there were seven parishes in Hastings : All Saints, St. Clement, St. Mary-in-the-Castle, St. Michael, St. Margaret, St. Leonard, and St. Andrew. About 1440, the four last-named were mentioned in Bishop Praty's Register as "depopulated and diminished by the inroads of the Sea." The town had sunk so low that Seaford (see Jeakes) received a new Charter of Incorporation to aid Hastings in supplying its quota of 21 ships to the navy of the Cinque Ports.
In the year 1588, Queen Elizabeth, as a return for the assistance rendered by ships and men of Hastings during the Spanish Armada, granted Hastings its Charter of Incorporation. The Chief Magistrate was then called the Bailiff, but from the date of this Charter, was designated Mayor (Thomas Haye being the first). A complete list of Mayors and dates will be found in "Parsons' Red Book " for 1920. For two centuries the town was but a fishing place, and smuggling and privateering were occupations of high and low, rich and poor, and the French were continually attacking, burning, and pillaging it. From about the middle of the 18th Century brighter days began to dawn, visitors being attracted by its health-giving air and its beautiful surroundings. In 1801 the population was 3,175, and every decennial return gave remarkably increased numbers. In 1831 the population was 10,231. Building operations in all directions, especially along the sea front east and west, were going on; In 1832 The Improvement Act was passed for paving, lighting, cleansing, and improving the town and Port of Hastings in the County of Sussex, and for establishing and regulating Markets therein, and supplying the Inhabitants thereof with Water, and for other purposes. The preamble of this is : " Whereas an Act was passed in The First Year of the Reign of His late Majesty, King George the Fourth, intituled An Act for repealing an Act of his Late Majesty's Reign, for paving and improving the Parish of Saint Clement in the Town and Port of Hasting, in the County of Sussex and for granting other and more effectual powers in lieu thereof, for paving and otherwise improving the Streets, Lanes, and other Public Passages and Places ; and for repaving the Highways within the said Parish and the Parish of All Saints, and that part of the Parish of St. Mary-in-the-Castle, which is situate within the Liberties of the said Town and Port, whereby certain powers were given to persons therein named, and from Time to Time to be appointed Commissioners for the Purposes. Those mentioned in the Act are-
John Adams.
Wm. Amoore.
Thomas Baker.
Wm. Bayley.
Solomon Bevill.
Wm. Bishop.
Wastel Brisco.
James Breeds.
Thomas James Breeds.
Thomas Breeds.
Walter Crouch.
Nathaniel Crouch.
Boykett Breeds.
Wm. Breeds.
George Bristow Carpenter.
John Bayley,
the younger. John Coussens.
George Bennett.
Wm. Campbell.
Charles Stevens Crouch.
Richard Chandler.
Benjamin Coffrett.
Wm. Chapman.
