Brett's History of the Sussex, Kent and Surrey Newspapers

This - possibly the twenty third volume of Brett's history series was lodged with the Reference Library in 1904. A corresponding press release reads:-

NEWSPAPER HISTORY.
Mr. T. B. Brett has presented the Hastings Corporation for the Reference Library a " History of the Sussex, Kent, and Surrey Newspapers." This is, we believe, the 23rd volume of Mr. Brett's historical series, and is quite unique work its kind.
The design of the said Volume is explained in the preface, wherein the compiler says had had asked by at least three persons connected with the local Press to write a the Hastings newspapers, and a promise was given to do so as soon as he could relieve himself of other engagements. The author's intention was to confine the work to such papers had existed and become well as those that are still flourishing in the borough of Hastings, but, remembering that some the journals published locally were printed other towns —Dover, Lewes, and Brighton, to wit — and that in such towns, and even in our own borough, there were also papers printed for other districts, the purpose expanded to the journalistic areas of three counties — namely, Sussex, Kent, and Surrey.
Copies of newspapers have been obtained from each centre, and in the present volume is placed in juxta position to the description the printed title of each paper, with, in some cases, the arms of the town or county in which the journal is published. Very naturally those papers which still exist or have existed in the past our own borough have the largest space devoted to them, and invest these latter with historical interest, extracts have been made from them as embracing facts "unknown many persons and forgotten by others." The headings or titles of the newspapers — 140 in number — are arranged in picturesque form, and some of the pages are also illustrated.

Of the thirty or more papers which Mr. Brett describes having their brief or lengthened existence in the borough of Hastings (Which, of course, includes St. Leonards), the present generation can have knowledge of only very few. The list consists of the " Hastings and Cinque Ports Iris' the " Cinque Ports Chronicle," " Dover, Hastings, and St. Leonards Chronicle," " Hastings and St. Leonards News," " Hastings and St. Leonards Gazette," " Hastings and St. Leonards Penny Press," " St. Leonards Fashionable Record" (Walter's), "St. Leonards Advertiser " (Southall's), " Brett's Vade Mecum," "Hastings and Battle Advertiser " (Knight's), " Hastings and St. Leonards Times " (Parsons'), " Hastings Times" (Stewart's), Hastings St. Leonards, and Bexhill Free Press," "Hastings and St. Leonards Herald" (J. Parsons), " Hastings and St. Leonards Observer" (J. H. Knight), " Hastings and St. Leonards Observer" (Parsons), "Hastings and St. Leonards Herald and Observer (Parsons and Cousins), " Hastings and St. Leonards World," Hastings and St. Leonards Visitors' List" (Randle and Jenner), " Hastings and St. Leonards Visitors' List" (Osborne), " Hastings and St. Leonards Guardian," "Hastings and St. Leonards Fashionable Guardian " (Pike's), Hastings and St. Leonards Observer" (F. J. Parsons), "Hastings and St. Leonards Fashionable Express " (Baxter), " Hastings and St. Leonards Independent " (Farncomb), " Southern Advertiser " (published at Hastings, with many columns of local news), " South-Eastern Advertiser" (F. J. Parsons, Hastings), " Hastings and St, Leonards Standard," " Hastings and St. Leonards Evening Journal," "The Argus"' (Hastings), " Hastings and St.. Leonards Mail," and "Hastings and St. Leonards Mail and Times."

We are ourselves surprised at the length of the foregoing list, and we are equally astonished at the largeness space devoted to Hastings by some of these newspapers which were not printed in the town only partly printed therein. Of the strictly local papers, Mr. Brett gives some very interesting details, which, while they are generally instructive matters of history, are specially valuable members of the local Press.
Not the least of these is " A Revelation and a Warning " contained in twelve columns at the end of the book, commencing page 166, We will only say that the features of this article are quite as astounding in relation to the Proprietor the " Gazette " was the loss of £6,000 which Mr. Stewart sustained in establishing the "Times." Of great interest, both to Press writers and others, are the Jubilee celebrations of the " Hastings News " (with illustrations), the " Brighton Herald," and the "West Sussex Gazette" (also illustrated). The difficulties which beset these journals when first started, and the phenomenal success afterwards achieved, is graphically described, and though the " Hastings Observer " has not quite reached its Jubilee, the marvellous strides of this paper are favourably noticed.
There are also obituary notices of Messrs. F. J. Parsons, M. S. Walsh, J. H. Tendall, A. B. Brett, and G. P. Bacon. Taken altogether, this volume of newspaper history is unique of its kind, and cannot fail to be both interesting and instructive to Press writers in particular, and readers in general.