Miscellaneous Items
Christmas Cheer. W. D. Lucas-Shadwell, Esq. observed the old custom of giving Christmas beef to his farm labourers, in proportion to their families. Each man had at least a stone of beef, a plum pudding and a bottle of beer.
Out from Home. On the 18th of September, 300 persons under the management of the Ore Burial Society made an annual excursion to the Swiss Gardens at Shoreham[a], with a band of music, where they enjoyed the holiday immensely.
Occurrences - Various.
An Outlaw’s Dividend. On the 24th of November, a dividend meeting and for the proof of debts took place in London re Henry Tindall, brewer, of White Rock (where now is the Palace Hotel). The trade assignees were Mr George Clement, draper, and Mr. Jas. Rock, coach builder. The bankruptcy occurred 18 years before, namely, February, 1836. The bankrupt did not surrender himself, and on the 28th of April was declared an outlaw. The amount of proved debts was £2,596, and the official assignee had collected sufficient assets for a dividend of 4/4/-. The balance in hand, was £250, to form a second dividend.
New Magistrates. The following gentlemen were appointed to the Magisterial Bench - Earl Waldegrave (who declined to serve, on account of his age) P. F. Robertson, Esq., C. Clift Esq., G. Jackson, Esq., Dr. Blakiston, T. Hickes, Esq. A. Burton, Esq, and A. Grenside, Esq.
Exodus of Coastguards. On the 9th of February about 90 Coastguards left by railway for Portsmouth to form the nucleus of new crews on the Neptune and Excellent, for service in the Baltic. About a week later, some more coastguards were ordered off from Hastings to join the Baltic fleet, and a cutter was on the watch for smugglers should such be tempted to take advantage of the coastguard exodus. The Queen’s birthday anniversary was commemorated by the flaunting of flags and the exercising of the new Coastguards on the East hill. This new force, hastily called together (many of them pensioners) to take the place of those who had gone with the Navy to the Baltic, were dressed in blue caps and jackets and white trousers, but without the uniform buttons.
Volunteers at a Premium. A notice soliciting volunteers having been posted a long time, without producing a single person, Earl Waldegrave issued a printed invitation for the fishermen to meet him on the 27th of January. This they did, but although they listened attentively to a statement of what the Cinque Ports men did in early times, they were not disposed to take the same steps as their forefathers. The offers of bounty money, the able-seamen’s allowances, the freedom from imprisonment, had no effect on them, and when Capt. Bingham also addressed them, they left the meeting with an apparent determination not to offer their services. They had probably read the letters published in the Hastings News and the St. Leonards Gazette from a number of Hastings men [letters which it is -
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