parishes for their approval or otherwise. The western parishes, considering the much greater distance than the Priory site and the very difficult approach to it from St. Leonards, decided not to support the choice of ground, and hence the resolutions at the vestry meetings of St. Mary Magdalen and St. Leonards to withdraw their representatives from the Burial Board; at the same time thanking the Committee for their ably written report. In the mean time the pending suit in Chancery against Earl Waldegrave, as the holder of the Elsworth’s Charity land on the Priory farm estate from his having married the widow of Edward Milward, was decided in his favour, and the “Inforation” was consequently dismissed. As the Burial Board was now divided, the further proceeding will be described in the next chapter, under “Hastings”
A Trying Winter - Much Distress
Severe Weather.
As a great contrast to the preceding winter which produced raspberries and wild roses, the year 1854 came in with weather of a very severe type. On the night of the 3rd of January a heavy fall of snow blocked many of the railways, including those of the South-Coast and South-Eastern. And on the same night the cold was very intense, the thermometer at Highfield Observatory, near Nottingham, falling to 8 degrees below zero, and only two degrees above the exceptionally low temperature in 1820, which a correspondent of The Times stated was 10 degrees below zero. During the frost and snow of the said night the Staplehurst mail which was due at 3-6 a.m., did not arrive till 8.45 a.m., and the East-coast mail had to leave Folkestone by horse and man, the road being impassable for a cart. It came on to Rye and there took train, thus reaching Hastings at 2.50 p.m., instead of 8.20 a.m.
A Sleigh Ride. Favoured by the frost and snow, the Hon. George Waldegrave got Messrs. Rock and Son to hastily construct for him a one-horse sleigh, on which he rode through the streets and on the contiguous roads, with the jingling of bells.
Skating and Cricketing. At Coghurst, on the 2nd of January the beautiful lake in front of the mansion was 7 feet thick with ice, whereon about sixty skaters sought amusement. A cricket match was also played on the ice.
An Eagle Shot. The low temperatures caused a mortality among the feathered tribe, and even an eagle became the prey of the fowler on the Eversfield estate, but was not caught although shot.
Frost Accident. Thomas Balding, a post-office employee, slipped near the Ecclesbourne Station and fractured one leg on Jan. 1st. He was carried home by six coastguards.
The Distressed Poor. The severity of the weather had a distressing effect on the poor, more particularly on those of St. Clement’s and All Saints, for whom the Rev. J. A. Hatchard, of St. Leonards, exerted himself in collecting the means of relief. What else was done for the poor under their trying condition is told in the next chapter.
