As to subscriptions, Ald. Clement had told Mr. Shadwell that Pelham place ought to look up £100. He, however, would do what he could to get the Baths removed. The shareholders afterwards consented to take £16 per share, which came within a few pounds of the amount of the Local Board’s offer and private subscriptions.
Tenders. At the Council meeting on August 6th, Mr. Grisbrook’s tender of £306 15s. for building the Custom House was accepted, it being 7s. lower than Mr. Howell’s. Also Mr. Bossom’s tender of £16 10s for painting the Town Hall. The other tenders were £18 18s. and £37. The Surveyor intimated that the work could not be properly done for the lesser sum. For this statement he was sharply set upon by Ald. Clift, who in this instance, as in some others, appeared to have as great an animus against Mr. Gant, as Mr. Harvey had against Mr. Putland. The Surveyor said he was willing to have his estimate tested by any competent person. Ald. Clift, in his criticism, expressed his fear that the Surveyor’s estimate for the general drainage would prove to be far from the actual cost.
The Condemned Hole. In accordance with the general project for widening the road near the Parade, it was deemed desirable to set back the wall which formed the boundary of the Condemned Yard at the rear of Beach Cottages, but it was held on lease by various parties (which lease would expire in June, 1854) at £25 per annum. As to take the ground at once might involve the Local Board in complicated legal transactions, the Clerk recommended waiting till the lease expired. Coun. Williams moved that the Clerk’s recommendation be adopted, and Coun. Ross moved as amendment, that the ground be taken at once, which was carried by 10 to 5.
Queen Elizabeth’s Charter. Coun. Ross read a passage from the charter of Queen Elizabeth, thus:-
- “All that our parcel of land heriditaments called the Stone Beach with the appurtenances in Hasting in our County of Sussex…Likewise “all those our fresh and salt marshes and all other our lands and tenements, tithes, rents and heriditaments whatsoever in Hasting aforesaid, within the liberties of the same, now or formerly concealed, withdrawn or unjustly detained from us or our progenitors.”
From these passages, Mr. Ross believed that that part of the borough lying beyond St. Leonards in the neighbourhood of the Martello towers, belonged to the Corporation. He considered that no other party could establish a claim to that Stone Beach unless they could show a title older than the Corporation charter. He thought it advisable for the Corporation to see what property was remaining of which they could take possession, as they could not tell how valuable it might become, though, perhaps, of but little consequence at the present time. That the Stone Beach between St. Leonards and Bulverhithe did once belong to the Corporation he had no doubt. He had noticed that Mr. Brisco had lately put up a board announcing for building ground the soil thrown out of the railway tunnel on to the beach. [Yes, and had also permitted Mrs Hyland and her son -
