should be pleased to pay for the use of the Hall if those gentlemen would kindly come forward and repeat the concert, provided the funds were given in aid of the Infirmary and Dispensary, or to the Hastings and St. Leonards Mechanics’ Institutions. I am certain there would be a crowded Attendance; for, I think most of those who were present last Thursday would come again and bring their friends.
Hastings Feb. 17, 1862
Yours, &c. Musical”
The Rifle Band Concert, most of the executants of which were of both towns, took place at the Music Hall on Monday, March 3rd, and with considerable eclât. The vocalists were assisted by Miss Emily Smith, of Lewes, Miss Anne Walker, of the London Concerts, Mr. Walker, of St. Paul’s Cathedral, and Mr. Dean, of Chichester Cathedral. The programme comprised four instrumental pieces for the Band, two marches for the Drum and Fife Band, six vocal solos, two duets and seven part-songs. Miss Smith was loudly encored for “The Irish Emigrant, and the St, Leonards Musical Union was complimented in the same manner for “The Soldiers’ Glee”, (composed by Mr. Thompson for the occasion), as well as in the two other pieces allotted to them. Mr. and Miss Walker’s duets were rendered in true professional style, and “The Hearts of Oak” was effectively sung by Mr. Glenister. The Hastings Madrigal Society and the two bands performed their parts in a creditable manner, and, but for the length of the programme, other pieces than those which were twice given would probably have been made subservient to the demand. Mr. Funnell, (conductor of the Rifle Band) performed the accompaniments for the Madrigal Society, and Mr. Thompson officiated in a similar capacity for the rest of the vocalization.
Startling Events
The St. Leonards Gazette of the 18th of January, remarked – “In the very midst of excitement arising out of the misconduct of a dissenting minister, three other events of a startling and melancholy nature have transpired to increase the agitation of the public mind”. These were two suicides and a child murder (See pages 182 & 183); and in the same journal of that date and of the following week, full details were given of the terrible colliery accident at Hartley in Northumberland, which occurred on the 16 of January, and by which upwards of 200 human beings lost their lives. Also on the 18th a colliery explosion occurred at the Blackheath colliery, near Dudley, which caused the death of three miners and several horses.
A third colliery accident took place on the 18th of February, near Mold, in Flintshire, where 16 miners were drowned; and on the following day, 47 lives were lost at the Gethin Mine, Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales. Later in the year (Nov. 22) at Walker, near Newcastle, 15 lives were lost by an explosion, which brought to memory all the horrors of the Hartley catastrophe: and -
