Page:Hastings of Bygone Days and the Present.pdf/76

From Historical Hastings
This page has been proofread


and died 10th May, 1833, without issue. His widow married in 1846 William Earl Waldegrave, who died in 1859; and the Countess Waldegrave died 1 8th April, 1873.-- Ed.)

Scarcity of Land in Hastings. Under date 24th October 1766.--There appears tc have been a family Meeting upon the return of General Murray from Canada, having reference to some land adjacent to Torfield, which Mr. Sayer, son-in-law of Mr. Collier, thought should go with the Torfield, whilst others of the family differed from this opinion. An important remark of Mr. Sayer's bearing upon the value of land in Hastings at this date "That the Torfield was not sufficient quantity of land to go with such a house as Mr. Collier's (Old Hastings House) that it would be extremely difficult to get land about Hastings; that part of Paul's land was already laid into the Torfield (with a conjunction of title) that the garden was being used by Mr. Collier, and the house so near as to be capable of being made a nuisance to the "Mansion," and that in Mr. Sayer's opinion, the Mansion and Torfield would sell better with Paul's land. (This remark of Mr. Sayer's that it will be extremely difficult to get land about Hastings, would seem to be an indication that Hastings was already becoming a popular resort, or was thought likely to become so, though it is also possible that it was an oblique reference to Mr. Milward's passion, more than ,once referred to in the correspondence, for buying up all the land in the neighbourhood that was to be sold, which made anybody else also wishing to buy, sure of a formidable competitor. Editor.)

(In reference to Torfield House, the Editor has the interesting note " My late Aunt, Mar)' Sayer, in her family Memoranda, says, Torfield House was bought by Mr. Milward of people named Wimble, for his daughters Maria and Frances to live in after his death, and afterwards occupied by them accordingly.)

Mrs. Collier's Death. 25th April, 1768. Mr. Milward to Mr. John Cranston - Acquainting him of Mrs. Collier's death, and calling the Members of the Family to come to Hastings without loss of time. The Editor gives interesting extracts from Mrs. Collier's -- will. As the wife and widow of the remarkable man whose life was so bound up with Hastings in times before local guides books were known ; some extracts from her will are given by the kind permission

Mrs. Collier's Will. (Mrs. Collier was born in 1696, and therefore was seventy-two years old or thereabouts at the time of her death. She was buried on the 30th April, 1768, as appears by the registers of St. Clement's, Hastings. By her will dated 16th March, 1767, she desired to be buried in a leaden coffin, in a private, but decent manner, in the same grave with her husband (which, no doubt, was done). She continued :- "And as to the small sum I can leave behind me after my debts and funeral expenses are paid cannot be worth my dear Daughter's acceptance, having been so generously provided for by the best of fathers, I therefore dispose of the same in manner following." She then gave £50 to her Granddaughter and God-daughter Maria Milward, to purchase a piece of plate in memory of her, to her Grand, daughter, Cordelia Sayer, the sum of £50 for the like purpose, and to her nephews James, John and William Cranston the sum of £50 each," as the -