...Mrs Ann Tapp, of the Old Market, St. Leonards. He had eaten two mussels and two pickled onions, with a wine-glass full of vinegar, and died almost immediately in consequence of the vinegar getting into the windpipe. ...[a].
The other death was that of Henry Page, aged 25 years. He conducted the beer shop, near the toll-gate on the Old London road at Hastings. He went with Robert Kent to see his uncle Jessop, a police officer at Rye (previously of Hastings). They took a gun each with which to shoot birds on their way. When returning next day, under the cliff by Lovers Seat, a blackbird was seen and both guns were let off at the same instant. Page was unfortunately shot in one knee, but with his companion's assistance, he managed to walk home. Mr. Ticehurst was sent for, who after a consultation with surgeons Duke, Cummings and Savery, amputated the leg above the knee, after administering chloroform. The other surgeons were present, and they all thought that Page would have otherwise recovered. But in a few days, lockjaw supervened, and death was the result. The accident to Page occurred on Dec. 28th, and to the boy at the Old Market, on the 27th.
It has been shewn that the year 1848 was fruitful of most important events - local as well as general - and that in 1849, in their relation to Hastings and St. Leonards, two occurrences of an unusually sensational character were developed in the trial of Pearson for the murder at West Hill, and the conviction of Mary Ann Geering for poisoning her husband and two sons at Guestling. I will follow the account last given by a narrative of some other, but less serious misdoings in 1849 by burglars and robbers.
The first occasion on which some persons (undetected) gratified their desire to appropriate to their own use the property of others was on the 27th of February, when Mr. Johnstone's house at High Wickham was entered during the night, and many articles carried off, including silver spoons, seals, a ham, three bottles of wine, bread, &c.
The next burglarious achievement was on or about the 2nd of June, when four larders were cleared of their contents at Verulam Place, and another intrusion - an unsuccessful one - was attempted at the Priory Farm.
In the same month (June 19th) the All Saints' Church was clandestinely entered by thieves, who carried off two bottles of sacramental wine, and endeavoured to break open the poor-box.
On the early morning of Sunday, Nov. 25th, some undiscovered thieves attacked a hen-roost on the barrack Ground, belonging to Stephen Dunk, and carried of 15 fowls, including cocks as well as hens. The said hen-roost was near the old "Fighting Cocks" public house, and the thieves, doubtless, went off with the fowls all cock-a-hoop, but theirs was both a fowl and a foul deed notwithstanding.
On the night of the corresponding day, a month later, a sheep of 14 stone weight, was stolen from a flock belonging to Mr. Newton Parks, that were in a field between where now are Stainsby Street and London Road. Some portions of the skin were afterwards found on the beach.
A somewhat curious robbery was effected on the night of December 6th. It was discovered next morning that some one, by taking out a pane of glass from the kitchen window, had gained access to 35 Marina, a house which was being prepared for Lady Howden, and had taken therefrom a quantity of coal, a coffee pot, a frying pan and a block-iron.
As all the above-stated robberies were committed without the thieves being detected, it may be assumed that the organisation of our police force, 46 years ago, was very different to what it now is.
Having described the numerous accidents and fatalities of 1849 and dilated on the evil courses pursued by the actors in the West hill and Guestling murders; and having moreover, narrated the burglaries and robberies committed during the year - mostly, it was believed, by navvies employed on the new railway works - it will now be more pleasant to enumerate the good deeds of our own townspeople and others, as an addition to those heretofore dwelt upon. For this purpose a suitable heading (not in its objectionable sense) would, methinks, be
Personalities
On the 22nd of January, the Rev. William Davis - a truly good man - gave a lecture at the Hastings Mechanics' Institution on Scepticism; and on the following evening Mr. John Banks lectured on Astronomy to 130 members and their friends of the St. Leonards Mechanics' Institution. On the 26th of the same month, Elibu Burritt (the learned blacksmith) and his companion, the Rev. Hy. Richards, addressed a meeting in the Swan Assembly Room, on behalf of the Peace Movement, on result of which was the obtaining by T. B. Brett and others 450 signatures to a petition. At this time, all Europe rang with the news of the California gold washings, which it was believed would have a great effect in financial circles. The great stir thus made suggested to T. B. Brett his song on "Alta California", which had more than a local popularity. On Feb. 20th, Mr. James Rock, jun. (afterwards and alderman and twice a mayor) gave a lecture to the members of the St. Leonards Mechanics' Institution on "The Steam Engine," and on the 19th, Mr. Tyrie, the then local reporter of the Sussex Advertiser, delivered a lecture to the sister institution at Hastings on "Popular Amusements". On the 12th of March the lecture platform of the same Institution was occupied by Mr. Henry Winter (afterwards a mayor and at present a J.P.), who advocated "The Sanitary Condition of the People", including a good supply of water, a better system of drainage and more thorough ventilation. Following Mr. Winter was Mr. Wm. Ransom, who in the same rooms on March 20th, gave an excellent lecture on "The Beauties of Literature." On the 25th of April, Mr. Perfitt, of London, delivered an instructive lecture on "Physiology and Pathology", in which were introduced some curious statistics in connection with the computed 12,500 population of the two towns, made up of 2,500 families, among whom there were 20 butchers 15 greengrocers, 14 drapers, 30 bakers, 18 tailors, 71 grocers, 12 booksellers, 13 hatters and 85 dealers in alcoholic drinks. These had 13 churches and chapels, 8 public schools and 3 institutes. It was also shewn that the butchers, bakers, booksellers and drapers only outnumbered the dealers in strong drink by two.
Improvements
The public Improvements in 1849 were not so far reaching as in some other years, but they were improvements nevertheless, even if only considered in the light of conveniences. A few of these have been shewn when treating of other matters, and the following details will explain the rest.
The Town Surveyor reported to the Commissioners at one of their earlier meetings, that since the order of the preceding year, All Saints' street, which was previously paved with boulders had been macadamised. On the 19th of February, two postal receiving houses were opened at places nearly equidistant from the Post-office, and were regarded by the residents in each neighbourhood as adding a convenience, if not an improvement. Another convenience as well as an improvement was the removal of the watch-house adjoining the gaol in Bourne street, and the water stand-pipe in the same locality, thereby giving free access to the new Union street which completed the thoroughfare from High street to All Saints' street. There were complaints in 1849, as there are even in 1895 that the paved footpaths in front of many houses are not sufficiently cleansed by sweeping. The question was asked at a Commissioners' meeting as to what were the liabilities of the inhabitants in that respect. The reply was that the householders were bound by law to sweep the pavement daily before a certain hour, but no restriction was placed on after sweepings.
As again concerning Post-office facilities, in consequence of the difficulty experienced by strangers in finding the Post-office at No. 4 George street, where Mr. John Woods was Postmaster and the present writer had been Post clerk, the Commissioners resolved to have the lamp removed from the opposite side and to have the word Post-office written on it.
It happens that about the time that I am writing, the house in George street, where until lately was the Literary Institution, has been sold to Mr. Clark, and this is a reminder that the Commissioners having placed a lamp at the passage which leads under a portion of such house up a flight of steps to the West Hill, an extract from the Cinque Ports' Chronicle was sent to the Hastings News, which stated that on Feb. 4th, 1839, Miss Catherine Sayer having been at considerable expense [£55 15s.] by the alteration of steps leading up to the hill and giving up to the Commission more than she stipulated to do, she thought the Commission might be willing to bear a portion of the expense. The members of the Commission did not, however, feel themselves in a position to comply with the suggestion, as they were then under the necessity of borrowing £200. Miss Sayer died before the year now under review, but it was in 1838 that she applied to the Commissions to remove the ascent to the hill, then close to her house to where it now is, the site of which she purchased for the purpose.
Orthographical Profundity}
Says the Hastings News of Feb. 2nd, 1849. "We recommend to the especial notice of the friends of popular education the following specimen of orthographical profundity with which we have been favoured, being a verbatim copy of a bill made out in East Kent a few days ago.
| John Amos | |||
| To | Anors afarda | 5 | |
| To | aggettinonnome | 4 | 6 |
| Ceteld |
This enigmatical document simply relates to the hiring of a horse half a day and getting on him home. The figure 5 means 5/- although placed in the pence column. The last word relates to the happy conclusion of the business.
From the same journal, of a later date in the same year, is the following paragraph:- "An editor recording the career of a mad dog say 'We are grieved to say that the rabid animal before it was killed, bit Dr. Hart and several other dogs' 'An excellent young horse, would suit any timid lady or gentleman, with a long silver tail.' A newspaper announcing the wreck of a vessel says, 'The only passengers were T. B. Nathan, who owns three-fourths of the cargo and the captain's wife'. The editor of a western paper observes - 'The poem in this week's Herald was written by an esteemed friend, for now many years in the grave for his own amusement."
Also from the Hastings News, of 1849, we extract a specimen of medical erudition:-"The following specimen of the state of learning among country practitioners (!) has been handed to us, with leave to copy it for the amusement of our readers. It is a certificate received by a local benefit society, declaring the illness of a member and specifying the nature of the affliction. 'to certify Steven Hassall of Breda parish, Sussex, were take Ill Tuesday 10 Day of July With Spinall disese. A batouction. Requires assofishonce From is Benefit Society, Hastings.
Dr. F. Walder, Northiam
Friday 13 July"
Hastings 1850
Commissioners Transactions
Having on the preceding page reviewed the proceedings of the St. Leonards Commissioners during 1850, I will now summarise the transactions of the Hastings Commissioners during the same year.
Their first meeting was on the 7th of January when John Goddard, Richard Martin and A. Thorpe, newly elected members qualified as such.
On a complaint that there were too many fly-stands in front of York Buildings, it was ordered that the number be reduced from 8 to 5.
No answer had been received from any of the parties concerned as to whether they would contribute to the expense of lowering the Priory culvert for drainage purposes. Also no reply had come from the Railway Company nor from the Woods and Forests. The joint owners of the Priory farm (Lady Waldegrave and Earl Cornwallis) wanted more information thereupon.
Mr. Paine was desirous of seeing the town properly drained. He thanked the committee for having bestowed so much time and labour on the plans and estimates, but there must have been some great error in their calculations. The proposed main drain, 1,610 yards. was less than a mile, for which the estimate was £2,300. In a town similar to Hastings, he found that 7 miles of main drainage had been laid down for £5000; so that their own estimate was too high. They should be very cautious in spending such a sum of money on work which, after all, the Board of Health might not approve. On a late occasion a gentleman offered to prepare a plan, showing every drain in the town, every house that had water on and every house with proper sanitary arrangements for 100 guineas, and that gentleman [Mr. Gant] was still willing to undertake it. He would therefore move that "before any further steps be taken, the town be properly surveyed."
Mr. Harman had every confidence in the committee’s capability, notwithstanding that it had been said that the Commissioners sat from time to time without doing any good for the borough. He contended that there never was a question introduced that did not receive due consideration. He, however, approved of Mr. Paine’s motion, and believed if they could get the town properly surveyed for a hundred guineas it would be money well spent.
Mr. Vidler presumed that both the surveyor and the committee knew how to take levels, knew the quantities in a certain space, and the price of brickwork and digging; and it was on this knowledge that they prepared their estimate.
Mr. Shirley opposed the estimate as being extravagant, and hoped to see the town drained at less cost. Mr. Womersley would support Paine’s motion, and had no.doubt that Mr. Gant would do the surveying as Government would require. Motion carried unanimously.
The office of coal meter having become vacant by the death of David Brazier, four candidates were proposed, when the votes were 28 for George Brazier (the deceased's brother), 26 for Robert Plane, 10 for Robert Hinkley, and 1 for William Wellerd.
Mr, Gant arrived at Hastings, agreeably to the appointment of the Commissioners, for the purpose of surveying the town, and on the 4th of February, the Commissioners at their meeting received a letter from the Woods and Forests Commissioners respecting a contribution for lowering the Priory culvert, which stated that the Crown Lands adjoining the culvert had been let on a lease of 99 years. A communication was also received from Mr. C. F. Mott that he rejected the application to set back the fence of a house in York Buildings occupied by Mr. Womersley.
At their meeting on the 4th of March the Commissioners accepted Mr. Howell's tender of £81 9s. 6d. for building a six-stall stable at the Ash yard; the higher tenders for the same ranging from £89 to £120.
The dedication of Russell street and Bedford place was the next business, Mr. W. B. Young on behalf of the owners and occupiers having applied to have them taken over.
Mr. H. Beck, in support of the application, said he had lived in Russell street 33 years [since 1817, about the time when the houses were built, the bricks for which were made on the spot under the superintendence of Mr. Beck’s father], and he had regularly paid rates during that time. In the preceding year the committee recommended the request to be complied with on payment of £114 — two-thirds of the estimated cost of repairs, but that was rejected. Then it was thought that the Railway would have done something in the matter. Since then the proprietors had effected some sanitary improvements.
Mr. Vidler referred to the heavy pressure of the rates. He thought Mr. Beck had been in his house quite long enough. It was all very well for Mark Breeds to build his houses below the level of the sea, and then when floods arose for subsequent owners to want the Commissioners to put the place to rights. The property would prove very troublesome, for even when there came a shower of rain there would be someone running after the surveyor with, "Oh! there's all my furniture floating about!"
Mr Paine thought the cost of the late improvements should be deducted, and that the roads should be taken over on payment to the Commissioners of £50. This was agreed to.
It was thought at the time that the road between Russell street and the lower range of Wellington square was included, but such was not the case, and it was more particularly this narrow thoroughfare — a receptacle of ashes and other refuse — that probably induced Mr. Cresy, a Government Inspector, to libel the town as one of the worst he had ever been into. Certainly it was very different 45 years ago to what it is in the present day, yet even at the former period it could show a remarkably clean bill of health. Those of our townspeople who remember the unsightly premises on the meadow side of Russell street, and now view the locality with its Recreation Ground, its Municipal Buildings, its Gaiety Theatre and its handsome shops, must be ready to exclaim "What a metamorphosis is here !"
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