HISTORICAL NOTES.
The name of Henry Meleward (or Milward) first mentioned in 1292. He signed the deed of 5 acres of land in the parish of Saint Margaret of Hastings, granted by Patronilla de Cham, now known as the Magdalen Charity Land.
Richard Meleward was Constable of the St. Anne, a Hastings ship in the King's Service.-- Henry I., 1100.
The Milward family originally came from Pevensey and owned land at Winchelsea. Edward Mileward, Captain of the Trained Band, 1632.
The late Rev. W. C. Sayer-Milward possessed a book bound in vellum containing the Minutes of the Brotherhood and Guestling 1633 Henry Sayer, a London solicitor, owned land near the Hastings Gas Works in 1768. The late Rev. W. C. Sayer-Milward was a descendant.
The first Hastings Regatta was held on September 13th, 1821.
Edward Milward was Mayor of Hastings in 1686 ; again in 1699 and 1721. His son, Edward Milward, was Mayor for the first time in 1750, and his grandson, Edward Milward, junior, in 1786.
Halton Barracks were erected on land called the " Gallows Field." The district in the reign of Queen Elizabeth was called "Halltoun". A portion of about 30 acres was sold to the Government in 1797 to build the Barracks. The Barracks were sold by auction for £7,000, a fourth of their cost, in 1823, to Boykett Breeds & Co.
James Burton, the founder of St. Leonards, was born in 1761, and died in 1837, aged 76. The family name was originally " Haliburton."
In 1814 there was a gin shop called the Blacksmith's Arms on the site of Holy Trinity Church.
1797 A great number of the gentry have of late years resorted to Hastings from London and the neighbouring country during the summer season.
Samuel Prout, the artist, was sketching in Hastings 1820, and resided at 53, George Street.
Thomas Ross opened a shop at 6, Castle Street, as a Drawing Master, 1830.
George Wooll, Picture Seller and Publisher of Hastings Views, opened a shop at 5, High Street, in 1823, afterwards at No. 43, (now Reeves' furniture shop).
In 1829 there were 30 Bathing Machines at Marine Parade between the "Town and the Priory."
The last repairs to the Town Wall were effected in 1667. (Corporation Records.)
There were Barracks at Silverhill in 1802. Also at Bopeep, Battle, Bexhill, and Winchelsea.
In 1795, on January 25th, the sea was frozen at Hastings. There were 25 degrees of frost.
