No business. For at least a fortnight before Christmas there was an extraordinary paucity of magisterial business. For that time, at any rate, the smallness of the magisterial corps, to which a member of the Town Council called attention, was hardly applicable.
Pigeon Shooting — on the 23rd of December, a pigeon shoot for £5 aside took place at Seddlescomb, between Mr. Turner, of that place, and Mr. Dowell, of St. Leonards. The former killed nine birds out of ten, and won the stakes. A silver cup was afterwards shot for, the cup being valued at £5, and the shooters being five in number. It was won by Mr. Linfield, of Hastings. Not being satisfied with his defeat, Mr. Dowell challenged his rival to another match to come off in January of the next year.
A Racy Entertainment — A so-called new one — was given on the 19th of December in the Swan Assembly Room by Mr. John Parry, before a fashionable and overflowing audience. It was entitled “Notes, Vocal, and Instrumental”. It was so richly enjoyable as to deserve more than the short notice given in these pages to entertainments. It comprised humorous incidents connected with the travels of Mr. Parry, and which caused fervid applause and bursts of laughter. Another laughable production was the “Piano taught in six Lessons”, in which were portrayed the good little lady, the indefatigable young lady, the ornamental young lady, the aspiring young lady, the finished young lady, and the funny young lady. Next came some curious vocal fancies in the unobtrusive gentleman, the buffo Inglese gentleman, the gentleman who was never certain about the right key to sing in, the Basso Cantante gentleman, the gentleman who sang touching sentimental ballads, the tremulous gentlemen, and the British Navy gentleman. Another good representation was that of Miss Nicepoint and Signor Pasticcio. Next, the song on “Matrimony, with its bouquets, bells and breakfasts”, was loudly applauded. The entertainment was continued with the Young man who thought himself an Artist, the Welsh Girl, the Friends from the Country, etc. Most of the representations created roars of laughter, and the large audience separated with delighted conversation and traces of risibility on their faces. As a musical humourist Mr. John Parry has had but a few equals.
“Hastings”. — The Hastings and St. Leonards News, the only strictly local paper published in 1851, and to which I am indebted for some of my information published the following acrostic on Hastings by “F. B.”
- H ail lovely shore! Again I come to thee —
A gain I wander by the restless sea;
S cenes long past; fond mem’ry lingers o’er,
T ies which ever bind me to thy shore.
I n all my wand’rings I have thought of thee,
N o spot on earth hath greater charms for me.
G aily I’m treading thine enamelled plain
S weet spot, left sadly, hailed with joy again.
- H ail lovely shore! Again I come to thee —
