living a quarter of a mile beyond the district, two solicitors, one surveyor, and one trustee, living in London. Such were the petitioners for an Act of Parliament to light, pave and otherwise control that portion of the borough immediately eastward of the Archway, and thus divert a part of St. Leonards into the town of "St. Mary's." Presumption could go no farther. The opportunity was seized while Messrs. North and Elphinstone were away from London to get Mr. Hodges, a Kentish Member, to present the Bill; the absence of the Hastings Representatives being pleaded as an excuse for giving him the trouble. Our own two members, however, opposed the Bill, agreeably to instructions, and it was consequently withdrawn. The alleged necessity for the measure or at least the principal argument of the promoters, was that a town had rapidly grown into existence between St. Leonards proper and Hastings proper; that the erection of still more valuable property was in prospect; that the Eversfield Estate had constructed a handsome parade, three-quarters of a mile in length; that rails and lamp irons had been placed throughout the extent of the parade; that notwithstanding the last-named provision, the via media had remained unlighted for two years, and the pathways and fronts of the houses for the most part were unpaved. The St. Leonards Commissioners, it was justly stated, had no jurisdiction over the district, and the Hastings authorities could not exercise the needed control. On the other hand, it was contended that although the district in question was not comprised in the Act of Parliament which Mr. Burton had obtained for St. Leonards it was nevertheless in the parish, a portion of which formed the greater part of the territory on which St. Leonards had been built, and for six or seven years had taken the name of St. Leonards, both for convenience and by necessity - a name which its inhabitants were not disposed, either then or thereafter, to relinquish. Another thing which weighed with the objectors was the prospect of heavy burdens in the shape of rates and the monopoly of control which such an Act of Parliament would give to the Eversfield Estate. There was no denying that improvements were needed beyond what the parish could perform, and some persons went so far as to censure the Hastings Town Council for their utter disregard to the interests of the new district. The supineness of that body, it was somewhat uncharitably asserted, was notorious, and the reason, it was further averred, was obviously this:- The district in question was an improving one, and therefore like all other improvements, it was regarded as an encroachment on the rights of the old Corporation party. "How long," asks a pungent writer of the period, "will the visitors and inhabitants submit to this state of things for mere party purposes? We were but just now (continued the critic) in danger of being saddled with an expensive Act of Parliament, and the attempt will no doubt be renewed next session unless the Hastings Corporation do their duty. Perhaps the next election of Town Councillors will determine the matter." It is probable that the much abused "Old Corporation Party" were entitled to a good round lump of odium, but I am of the opinion that in this case, as in many others, they were awarded rather a larger share than was fairly their due.
St. Leonards Inhabitants in 1837
Although I was indirectly connected with St. Leonards from its commencement, I had no dwelling-place among the inhabitants until 1839, and I was therefore not privileged to take part in opposing the proposed Act of Parliament for the district of St. Leonards-without. But that the meeting was a largely-attended one I have no manner of doubt; and that my readers may have the means of knowing the men who resisted a project, which, as subsequent events have almost certainly proved, would have been detrimental to the district, and would have increased, rather than have diminished the rival jealousies which had a too palpable existence I will here append a list of the owners and occupiers of property in the portion of St. Mary Magdalen parish not included in the jurisdiction of the St. Leonards Commissioners. The year 1837, together with the immediately antecedent and succeeding periods, formed what in common parlance would be called "stirring times"; and, as much that we see around us at the present day is due to the initiative of those who had a stake in the welfare of the borough in those times, it seemeth meet that this History should in some formal manner preserve their names from oblivion. Furthermore there was no directory of the inhabitants in 1837, but as the persons here names were personally known to me, almost without an exception, the accuracy of the list may be relied on. But now in 1897, although everyone of that constituency has passed into spirit-land, it may be of interest to some of their descendants to be reminded of their ancestors' residence or belongings at the date here treated of.
OWNERS OR OCCUPIERS OF PROPERTY IN 1837
Adelaide Place (now Grand Parade):
David Manser 1, Miss Hickly 2, Mis Cole 3, Thos. Towner 4, John Hilder 5, James Harman 6, Mrs. Garling 7. Thos. Foster 8, W. P. Beecham 9, James Risb 10, George Blutohn 11, Mrs. Fulager 12, H P. Hutchings 13 (Saxon Hotel)
Seymour Place (now Grand Parade):
Geo. Mitchell, Saxon House, Wm. Waghorne, Royal Mansion, Hon. Mrs. Comerford and Sir W. Hitham 3, Thos. Vincent 4 and 5, John Austin 6, Walter Inskipp 7 and 8, D. Manser 9.
Cliff Cottages (now Eversfield Place):
Geo. Duke 1, John Jeffrey 2.
Verulam Place (nicknamed "Rascal's Row."):
Dr. Byron 1 and Wm. Watson 1, John Hudson 2, John Twisden 3, D. Manser 4, 5 and 9, Nelson Andrews 6, Miss Hancock 6, Mrs. Young 7.
White-rock Place (six houses and not numbered):
Mrs. Howell, Wm. Austin, R. G. D. Hazle, Thos. Holt, E. Strickland, Deudney and Fagg.
The Convent:
Rev. John Jones.
Warrior Square:
James Troup.
London Road (not numbered):
Stephen Putland, Joseph Beck, Jas. Smith, Wm. night, Geo. Brooker, E. Tabay, W. Strickland, W. Eldridge, R. Baldock, Steph. Veness, W. Ranger, E. Picknell, Eliz. Baker, Chas. Nicholas, John Smith.
Norman Road West:
Steph Pilcher (Warrior's Gate Inn), Geo. Hyland, R. Starnes, - Naylor, J. Cook, C. Neve, Hughes and Hunter, - Kaye, - Eastland and W. Wellerd.
Norman Road East:
G. Voysey, G. Beaney, W. Phipps T. Thorpe G. Hayter.
Gensing Road (not numbered):
S. Sinden, G. Lee, A. Cruttenden, C. Pain, T. Muggridge, R. Cull, Mrs. Bishop.
Shepherd Street (partially numbered):
Robert Shepherd (who named the street), W. Verrall, Steph. Manser, J. Lanyon, J. Hayott, Edw. Avery, T. Reeves, C. Terry, T. Barden, J. Filmer, J. Smith, W. Elson, W. Homes, J. Drew, J. Murdoch, J. Brisco, H. Potter, W. Tichbon, - Pulford, T. Martin, J. Britt, G. Wilson, E. Quaife, J. Tapp, J. Hyland, H. Vennall, E. and W. Waghorne, J. Evenden.
North Street (not numbered):
W. Mortimer, W. Towner, J. Towner, J. Burgess, J. Raven, J. Foord, J. Friend, S. Milstead, C. Chapman, Edm. Chapman.
Adelaide Cottages:
Perry, Hyland, Russell, Law, Noakes, Freelove, Towner.
Market Terrace:
12 shops and 7 cottages not finished.
"An Old St. Leonards-ite" whilst offering thanks for the foregoing list of early inhabitants when first published, expressed an opinion that such list was incomplete by being confined to the inhabitants outside of what he called Mr. Burton's boundary, but as the list was afterwards extended to the early dwellers of St. Leonards within the jurisdiction of the St. Leonards Commissioners "An Old St. Leonards-ite" must have recognised therein his own name and address. This extended list consisted of
THE OWNERS OR OCCUPIERS OF PROPERTY WEST OF THE ARCHWAY IN 1837
Marina:
Hy. Harman (beadle) 1, Geo. Viner 2, Wellstead and Chandler 3, Newton Parks 4, T. B. Williiams 5, Alex. Walter 6, Jas. Phipps and Jas. Drury 7, Joseph Job 8, Mrs. Reynold 9, Edw. Waghorne 10 and 11, B. P. Smith 12, Hy. Beck 13, Thos. Brown 14 (these 14 houses now form the South Colonnade) Mr. Greenough 15, Robt. Shepherd 16, Elizabeth Syrus 18, Elizabeth Woodgate 19, Wm. Mills 20 and 21 (Harold Hotel and Tap), Mrs. Johnson 22 and 23 (Conqueror Hotel), Edw. Pilcher 25, jos. Naylor 26, Robt. Bond 27, Jas. Harman 30, Mrs. Lansdell 31, John Gill 32, Capt. Bradford 33, Geo. Mitchell 34, A. Burton and G. A. Murton 36, John Philpot 38, B. P. Smith 40, Admiral Carpenter 41, J. Peerless 42, W. H. Honiss 43, W. Lemprier 44, Harriett Deudney 45, Hy. Edlin 46 (Victoria Hotel), Richd. Gausden 48, the Misses Edgar 53, Hy. Burton 58, John Painter 65, J. H. Ashworth 67, Rev. S. H. Widdrington 68, T. J. Rawson 99 (Sussex Hotel), Edward Smith, Sussex Tap and Mews, Stanton Noakes, Fountain Inn, John Latter and Mrs. Prior, Fountain Cottages, Wm. Payne, New England Bank, Bopeep, Chas. Vickery, next the Baths, Geo. Roberts, Royal Baths, C. H. Southall, Victoria Library.
West Hill (not numbered): W. Durrant Cooper and E. L. Richards, John Langford, Laura Phillips, Augustus Smith.
Maze Hill:
Jas. Taylor 1, Mrs. Bond 3, Rev. Rush 4, Mrs. Mather 5, John Prince 6, Mr. Hatfield 7 and 8, J. C. Gant 9, E. T. Water 10, A. Sutherland-Graeme 12, T. Wood, North Lodge East, W. Edlin, North Lodge West, the Misses Dyneley, North Villa (now Winterbourne), W. Golden, Turnpike Cottage.
West Ascent:
Dr. J. Harwod 1, C. F. Hardman 3, Elizabeth Kaye 4, W. D. Davies 5.
East Ascent:
Michael Bland 1, E. Burton 2, the Misses Morley 3, Wm. Beck 6, Jas Mann 7, John Carey 8, Edw. Minister 9, Wm. Beaney 10, Mr. Frase 11, Sam. Chester 12, Wm. Sinden 13, Jos. Mann 14, Wm. Russell 15, Felix Jarrett 17, Jas. Knight 18, Jno. Streeter 19, W. Carey Edwards 20, Thos. Rudd 22, Wm. Welsted 24.
Mercatoria:
Edw. Smith 1, Steph. Milsted 2, C. V. Levett 3, - Lidbetter, Horse and Groom Inn, L. Avery 5, Jas. Nicholas 9, Richard Be 10, Mrs. Tully 11.
Mews Road and Passage (not numbered):
Wm. Abrahams, Thos. Ranger, Jas. Rock, Thos. Price, Thos. Cooper, Jas. Goldsmith, Geo. English.
Mount Pleasant:
Jas. Bates, Chas. Fuggle, Ernest Herbst, Thos. Russell.
Lavatoria (now Norman Road):
Thos. Bumsted 1, Thos. Burt 2, Wm. Quaife 3, Thos. Smith 4, Jno. Sinnock 5, Christopher Deering 6, Thos. Marchant 7, Chas. Vaughan 8, Benj. Cork 9, Wm. Palmer 10, Geo. Savage 11, 0 Hobden 12, Thos. Burgess 13, Jno. Wilson 14, - Mortimer 15, Sam. Summerall 16, Jno. Prendergast 17, Jas. Bungay 18.
Undercliff:
Thos. Thorne 1, Mrs. Philcox 2, Richard Hayward 3, Jas. Cheiney 6, Thos. Blake 7, -
