Hastings Band and the St. Leonards Band were engaged as musical adjuncts, and the weather favoured the proceedings. Three new boats had been built by Mr. George Tutt for the local Galley Club, named respectively, Letia, Flora and Surprise. The three principal races were with 4-oared galleys, in one of which, the Albion, an older and heavier boat, gained the first prize under the oars of Tapsell, Cuthbert and brothers Hutchinson. The second galley race was with the three new boats, the £10 prize being won by watermen Page, Carpenter, Mann and Burton in the Surprise; the £5 by Enefer, Swain, Crouch and Haddon; and the £2 by Enefer, Phillips, Mepham and Isted. In the third galley match, the Flora which in the preceding races came in greatly last, arrived at the goal a good second, the rowers this time, who were much applauded — being young men from St. Leonards, named Beck, Orton, Roberts and Smith.
The Distin Family gave a concert at the Swan Hotel on the 20th of December, with whom were two excellent vocalists, Miss O’Connor and Mr. Willy. The quartets with sax-horns gave great satisfaction to a crowded company.
The Hastings Mechanics’ Institution
This institution, like its kindred society at St. Leonards, played an important part in the educational features and in the formation of character; and although at the time of writing this portion of local history it has long ceased to exist, a remembrance of some of the good work it accomplished is worthy of record. On the 7th of January, Mr. John Banks gave to the members a lecture on Electricity, with interesting experiments.
On Jan. 14th, a highly instructive and eloquent lecture was delivered by the Rev. J. F. Moody, of Rye. Mr. W. Ransom occupied the chair, and the subject of the lecture was “The Philosophy of Eternal Nature”.
On Jan. 21st, Mr. Jas. Rock, jun., (with Mr. W. Chamberlin in the chair), gave the first of two lectures “Material Evidences of Civilisation”. The lecture, which is epitomised elsewhere, was an exceedingly good one. The second lecture under the same title was delivered on the 28th of January, and a summary of this is also intended to be given in Historico-Biographies.
A lecture on ”Galvanism, or Voltaic Electricity” was delivered by Mr. John Banks to the members of the same Institution.
”The Utility of Poetry” was the theme of a lecture delivered by the talented Mrs. Balfour, to a large and warmly applauding audience, the date of the lecture being March 11th. In referring to this lady, the Hastings News remarked, “The fervid eloquence and high-toned moral sentiments of Mrs. Balfour will dwell long in the memory of those who have listened to her lecture-room oratory”.
