On the of the 17th of February, a halibut fish, weighing 200 lbs. and measuring 5 feet 10 inches, was caught by fisherman Foord, and sold to fishmonger Ball, at St. Leonards, who sent it to London. The halibut is the largest of the flat-fish species, and is rarely taken in the English waters.
“Something Extraordinary” The announcement which appeared on the outside of a tent placed on the beach was — “To be seen a Wonderful Curiosity”. The ancient fishermen supposed it to have been lost from a man-of-war when the Castle was standing. There was, of course, a charge for admission, and the object to be seen was an old anchor, covered with barnacles.
On the 21st of April a novel scene was presented by thousands of water-fowl, supposed to be black ducks, on the sea off Hastings, which being disturbed by a fishing-boat, bent their course to sea and were lost to sight in a shower of rain.
As showing to what uses a fishing lugger can be put, the “Francis and Sarah”, in the midst of a thunder-storm on June 26, brought from Havre half a ton of cherries and a cargo of potatoes. This, in its way was also a curiosity. The same boat on the 2nd of July brought a cargo of cherries from Honfleur. She also brought Benjamin Taylor, one of the crew of the “Richard Cobden”, captured by the French for illegal oyster dredging.
In September, a marine curiosity in the form of a short sun-fish (Orthagoricus mola) was to be seen in front of the Marine Parade, and another marine curiosity, measuring 32 inches and weighing 9 lbs. was exhibited at the fishmongers shop of Ball & Stace.
Accidents and Incidents
On the 16th of February, John Thos. Pomphrey, son of a fisherman, Francis Pomphrey, had one side of his face riddled with shot, at the East Well from the of the gun of boatman Jas. Fennings, while the latter was placing the nipple on his gun, to fire, with some of other men at a mark.
A singular accident was that which befell Henry Parker on the 11th of March. While sawing some tops of trees in the Wilderness at the top of High street, he was struck by one of the branches as it fell, which threw him from his footing. He held by one hand until he sprained the tendons of his arm and the tips of his fingers. He then dropped a considerable distance, and in so doing dislocated his ankle and broke the bone. With great presence of mind, he reset the joint as he lay on the ground, and being afterwards conveyed to his home, he there made satisfactory progress towards recovery.
On the 12th of April, Mr. Hickes’s horse, with a van, dashed into the window of a stationer’s shop at White-rock place, kept by Mr. Holt, and broke 16 squares of glass; also carried away the framework and injured the goods.
