day's polling (which induced him to decline any further contest) the numbers recorded for Darby and Fuller, respectively, were 2227 and 2195.
Marriages and Deaths in 1841
Deaths
In Chapter XXV I closed the year's occurrences with a list of deaths at St. Leonards, and I here note such of the deaths at Hastings as have come to my knowledge. These, with their ages, were -
Jas. Cates, 43; Elizabeth Dunk, 79; Mary Evenden, 53; Ann Godden (of Ore), 80; Marina Southerst, 54; John Perry (of Ore), 40; Hannah Murphy, 79; Sophia Norman, 79; John Brabon, 78; Jane Adams, 57; Ann Prior, 65; William Whyborn, 46; Hannah Hazleman, 55; Chas. Stanford, 37; Thos. Willis, 34; Elizabeth Beaney, 55; Harriet Collins, 34; John Coleman, 21; James Walker, 75; Chas, Quinnell, 45; George Page, 30; Simpson Walker, 32; Joseph Mepham (by a fall from a mail-coach), 42; Richard Salmon, 42; Benj. Willis, 39; John Vine, 54; Elizabeth Boreham, 57; Sarah Evans, 58; John Cole, 75; Elizabeth Bedwell Stocker, 76; Thos. Tichbon, 75; John Harris, 53; Adelina Welfare, 62; Jos. Harman, 52; Ann Charlotte Eaton, 27; Coppard and six others drowned while sailing to Plymouth.
Marriages
Among the marriages which took place here were the undernamed couples:-William Wenham & Mary Tassell,
Alfred Russell & Maria Watson,
John Page and Eliza Benge,
the Rev. W. H. Vernon and Susannah Loft (at St. Mary's)
George Oak and Ann Swaine,
Spence Cloke & Hannah Roffe Jones,
Benj. Wood (musician) and Charlotte Rubie,
Mr. Hide and Sarah Selden.
Douglas Hazle & Jane Foster,
Edw. Puselted and Ann Fryman,
John (afterwards Councillor) Duke & Elizabeth Fisher,
John Reeves & Matilda Mose,
Jeremiah Morris & Rebecca Collins,
Joseph Betts & Jemima Coffy,
Jabez Palmer (Wesleyan minister) & Elizabeth Eleanor Francis,
Philip Kent and Charlotte Manne,
Henry Geo. Glyde & Mary Mitchell,
John Hide and Charlotte Hayward,
William Kent and Charlotte Chandler,
Jas Winburn (schoolmaster of Ninfield) and Charlotte Smallfield,
Reuben Diton & Sarah Mann,
William Mann & Saah Diton.
These last two couples made the curious change of Sarah Mann to Sarah Diton, and Sarah Diton to Sarah Mann.
One of the specially erected dwellings in 1841 was that of the Halton parsonage, the first stone of which was laid on the 19th of April by Miss North, niece of Mrs Milward, who was ill at the time, and by whom the expense of the erection was mainly defrayed.
In the month of November there was a large fall of cliff near the East Well, a reminder that on the third of May a piece of cliff detached itself near the St. Leonards Caves and buried a boy, 9 years of age, named Eldridge. He was got out much bruised and in a precariously insensible condition.
The Benjamin Willlis named in the preceding list of deaths was a facetious vendor of hot rolls, pies and sweetmeats. He committed suicide by hanging himself in his bedroom while in a state of intoxication. In days of yore the sites of what are now Bank Buildings, Havelock Road and Queen's Road were frequently flooded with water from land and sea, and the winters were severe enough to change them into a field of ice. The in was that Ben. Willis, nicknamed "Bug" would be almost ubiquitous with his cry of"Here am I,
To toss or buy
My lollipops good as a jelly,
From barrel or bottle
To tickle your throttle,
And also to comfort your belly!"
