Albany Hotel

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General information
	1885-1943
	Robertson Terrace
Location	Loading map...;

This hotel, located on Robertson Terrace was the scene of one of the greatest disasters during WW2. The hotel itself opened under the name of Albany Mansions on the 24th of March 1885 and occupied three of the central buildings of the terrace. The conversion itself was carried out by the London firm, Messrs. Crew of Westbourne Terrace and featured rooms leading off from a grand central staircase, the rooms having marble fire-surrounds, and an elegant drawing room on the first floor to the design of Messrs. Smee of Finsbury in an Adams style^[1]

1910 Lift Accident

On the 22nd of August 1910, the hotel's resident engineer, 40 year old Herbert Reed, had requested the lift be stopped on the first floor in order he could carry out some maintenance. It was later discovered that a roof panel from the lift was on the floor, and Herbert's arm was found hanging from the door. Dr H. Gabb having been summmoned around midnight found that Herbert had been dead for around two hours due to lividity on the body. The back, face and neck being particularly discoloured. A post-mortem discovered that the deceased's heart was in such a condition that it could have failed at any time, however the coroner's verdict was that death was due to him being crushed between the lift and the roof. The coroner's jury recorded a verdict of accidental death with a recommendation that in future, two men always be assigned when work was required on lift mechanisms^[2].

Destruction during WW2

During WW2 on the 23rd of May 1943, the same air-raid that destroyed the Swan Hotel led to the death of 11 Royal Canadian Hussars that had been billeted in the Albany, together with 7 un-named RAF men. A 250kg bomb passed through the Queen's Hotel without exploding, and detonated upon impacting the Albany. A memorial plaque is attached to the wall of block 'C' Albany Court commemorating their service bearing the following inscription:

Plaque on Albany Court

THIS PLAQUE WAS ERECTED BY
HASTINGS BOROUGH COUNCIL
& THE CANADIAN VETERANS ASSOCIATION
OF THE UNITED KINGDON IN COMMEMORATION
OF THE 11 MEMBERS OF THE 17TH DUKE OF YORKS
ROYAL CANADIAN HUSSARS (7TH CDN. RECCE REGT)
KILLED IN THE BOMBING RAID ON THE ALBANY HOTEL
23 MAY 1943

Sgt R G Bindon

Tpr A L Byron

Cpl H Dixon

Tpr H A Evans

Tpr W A Jackson

Tpr K K Kertland

Tpr B J Marsolais

Tpr D J McMartin

Tpr H B Moffatt

Tpr A M Stanley

Tpr W F Stech
LEST WE FORGET