Star Hotel
The proprietor of this hotel, which was located in Undercliff, Mr. Ranger had a fox terrior[1] named Bruce which for a number of years during the late 19th century performed tricks, including changing pennies for biscuits from the bar, to raise funds for the Hastings, St. Leonards and East Sussex Hospital[2][3] There is record of a sale of the premises in 1876, but details of the purchaser are not given[4]
Emma Moore, who had been the licensee for eighteen years in 1904 was summonsed for permitting drunkeness on the premises; two men had been in the bar and got into a fight to which the police were summoned by her. Following evidence given by Acting Sergeant James of the police that the men had only been in the bar for about half an hour and only had one drink, the case was dismissed[5].
The licensee in 1907 was the victim of a mysterious shooting reported by the Hastings & St. Leonards Observer of the 13th of July 1907. A visitor to the hotel happened to look into a drawer where the proprietor was known to keep a revolver. Finding the revolver missing, the visitor proceeded to ask after the whereabouts of Mr. Hamnett. Upon discovering that the proprietor liked to walk in St Leonards Gardens, the visitor went to the gardens where he found Mr. Hamnett sitting with his head in his hands. Upon asking about the firearm, and being informed it was in Mr. Hamnett's coat pocket, the visitor checked the gun and found that one round had been fired, and Mr. Hamnett had a terrible wound to his forehead. Mr. Hamnett was taken home and from there taken by Dr. Barker to the General Infirmary[6], a subsequent newspaper report stating that he was making a recovery. This may explain the transfer of licence to Mr. Wright later that year.
By 1924, the property was sold as part of an estate sale by Richard Stace's[7] executors, together with a large number of other properties in and around the town[8].
The premises were destroyed by an enemy bomb during WW2. Planning permission was granted to rebuild the hotel in 1953[9], however it would appear that the owners of the land had larger plans by 1956 when an application to rebuild the hotel with a total of 90 bedrooms was refused[10]. Ultimately, the site was converted into a carpark by 1981[11].
Licencees
1897: Mr. James William Ranger[2][1]
1904: Mrs. Emma Moore[5]
1907: Henry Joseph Hamnett[12]
1907: Mr. Wright[12]
1922: Mr. Francis John Poole[13]
1922: Mr. Edward Albert Godfrey (temporary)[13]
Images
- Images
East Ascent Landslide 1930
Star Hotel and Mercatoria ruins post air raid
References & Notes
- ↑ a b British Newspaper Archive Hastings & St. Leonards Observer 29 June 1895 Pg. 0003
- ↑ a b British Newspaper Archive Hastings & St. Leonards Observer 18 September 1897 Pg. 0005
- ↑ British Newspaper Archive Hastings & St. Leonards Observer 1 August 1896 Pg. 0006
- ↑ British Newspaper Archive Hastings & St. Leonards Observer 16 December 1876 Pg. 0005
- ↑ a b British Newspaper Archive Hastings & St. Leonards Observer 14 March 1903 Pg. 0002
- ↑ British Newspaper Archive Hastings & St. Leonards Observer 13 July 1907 Pg. 0004
- ↑ Ancestry: Richard Stace
- ↑ British Newspaper Archive Hastings & St. Leonards Observer 13 September 1924 Pg. 0006
- ↑ Hastings Borough Council Planning application ref HS/FA/53/00117
- ↑ Hastings Borough Council Planning application ref HS/FA/56/00584
- ↑ Hastings Borough Council Planning application ref HS/FA/81/00492&&activeTab=documents HS/FA/81/00492
- ↑ a b British Newspaper Archive Hastings & St. Leonards Observer 28 September 1907 Pg. 0010
- ↑ a b British Newspaper Archive Hastings & St. Leonards Observer 13 May 1922 Pg. 0009
