posed. Besides, observed the master, the books and other school-helps were not of his own choosing. He had simply followed the previous curriculum, and had used the materials which he found already to his hand. Objections were, however, still urged; and, as the views of the two disputants were not at all likely to be reconciled, my readers may not be surprised to learn that the one who had put himself to inconvenience to serve the other, or to serve the interest of the town through him, at once withdrew from the engagement. An apology was then tendered by the clergyman, and a sort of carte blanche was offered for the future. But the young man — for he was only a bachelor of some twenty-six summers — felt his pride wounded and his aspirations thwarted, and, not seeing his way clearly to "peace with honour," he again betook himself at the end of the week to the immediate superintendence of his own school, at the same time discharging the assistant whom he had only engaged conditionally.
This episode was, doubtless, in the mind of him who, in a "Poetic Address," a few years later, urged his plea for education in the following strain—
"Oh! teach the poor to read and write, and even teach them science;
Keep not their minds in thraldom bound, with lawlessness alliance,
Let every British soul be taught, and be him well taught too—
His mental pow'rs to think aright, his hands what best to do."
I had not intended to have introduced this somewhat personal matter just at this place; but not having any materials previously arranged, and having amidst other and multifarious duties, to write against time, I am sometimes compelled to relate the incidents as I think of them, even if they fall a little out of their chronological order. But having thus related the incident, it is only right to say that the narrow views of the gentleman who had temporarily assumed the charge of the two parishes were not those by which the school was generally guided. They might have been—and, doubtless, were—the principles of restrictions upon which many denominational schools, not subject to Government inspection, were conducted; but that they did not find favour with the original founders and subsequent promoters of the St. Leonards schools is sufficiently shown by what was done both before their accidental disorganization and for a long period since, during which, under the superintendence of Mr. and Mrs. Gibson and Miss Hall, they exhibited an unmistakable degree of efficiency; so much so, indeed, that I have more than once seen the very highest certificate awarded to the schools after inspection of the Government official. But of this I may have to treat at a later date in connection with the newer schools now existing.
The school building to which I have referred as having been erected in 1834 must not be mistaken for the present more commodious building, erected in 1847; and, that my younger readers may better recognize the site of the original school, I will give a few more descriptive particulars. Standing as it did near "Goat's Point," on the summit of rising ground, and approached from the west by the East Ascent; from the east by Norman road, from the north by Mercatoria, and from the south by the Harold steps; and being also unsurrounded by property which has since sprung up, the school in question was both conspicuous and airy, however much it might have been wanting in exterior elegance and interior accommodation. St. Clement’s place was not then in existence and - the edge of the cliff had not been utilized for the upper storeys of the British Hotel and two adjoining houses. Even the south side of Norman road was not built at that time, the site being then occupied by a few not very sightly gardens, with here-and-there a pig-pound or a tool house to relieve the monotony. At the north-west of Lavatoria (now incorporated with Norman road) was a timber yard and saw-pit, where now stands the Police-station and on the south-west corner, where now is Mr. Kennard’s workshop and warehouse, was an open piece of ground where the children used to play when out of school. With the exception of the few houses on the south side of Lavatoria, the "Horse and Groom" and the three or four shops below it in Mercatoria constituted the property in closest proximity to the National schools of St. Leonards-on-sea. And now, like many other associations of the past and the present which have curiously forced themselves upon me whilst writing this History, three deaths among the older inhabitants of St. Leonards occurred whose earlier habitations or means of livelihood were at this same Mercatoria. The first was that of Mary, the wife of Mr. William Beck, of East Ascent, at the ripe age of 73 years. At the time when the National Schools were in progress, Mr. Beck was residing at Mercatoria, as a baker, he having with his wife and two children, taken up his abode there four years previously — that is to say in 1830.
The family shortly after removed to 6 East Ascent, where, through all the subsequent time, Mr. Beck continued his industry until within a few years past, when it was handed over to one of his sons. When Her Majesty as Princess Victoria, was at St. Leonards, with her mother, the Duchess of Kent, Mr. Beck had the honour of serving the royal visitors, and had also the permission through Sir John Conroy, of making use of the royal patronage as is frequently done in such cases. But unless my perception is at fault, Mr. Beck never made the most of the favour thus granted, preferring for the most part, to trade in a quiet way until long years of toil permitted him to retire from business. This was the Mr. Beck who in 1833, declined the honour of serving on the board of Commissioners because he thought he had not then a sufficient property qualification. He died in 1896 at the age of 91. His grandmother also died in St. Leonards at the great age of nearly 98. As the son and daughter-in-law of the "Father of Wesleyanism in Hastings," Mr. and Mrs. Beck naturally took an active part in the Norman-road Chapel after its erection in 1836; he as vocalist and instrumentalist in the choir, and she in connection with other services, until the former, from failing sight, and the latter from failing health had to content themselves with duties less prominent. Mrs. Beck, after an unobtrusive and pious life of 48 years in St. Leonards, went to her rest, deep in the affections of her family and acquaintances.
The second death I have to notice was that of Mrs. Strickland, another of the early inhabitants, and one who, like Mrs. Beck, had attained to the age of nearly 73. She was a woman of humble sphere and industrious habits, and at the time of her death was acting in the capacity of cook to a lady at Tunbridge Wells, with whom she had gone from St. Leonards. Her husband, William Strickland — who, in 1838, was in business as a butcher in the London road, and in the same year assisted in establishing the Adelaide Lodge of Oddfellows — was an assistant to Mr. Edward Waghorne, who like Mr. Beck, had a shop in the Mercatoria at about the time when the first National School was built. And this, again, brings to mind another association, namely, the death of that same Mr. Waghorne, at the age of 75. On giving up the shop at Mercatoria, Mr. Waghorne removed, firstly, to the Undercliff (where the Star Inn now is) and secondly, to 10 and 11 South Colonnade, where he continued in business until he was succeeded by Messrs. N. and A. Parks. For some few years I lost sight of the veteran butcher, and was pained to hear that he ended his earthly pilgrimage in the workhouse of the Hastings Union.
As I referred to Mr. Manser as one of the water-carriers to the inhabitants of the “American Ground,” I may as well say that another man similarly occupied was Mr. Edmund Strickland, father of William Strickland referred to above, and brother to Mr. George Strickland, many years a corn merchant in George street, in whose house St. Leonardensis first saw the light of day. I could largely ramify and extend these associative reminiscences, but I must forbear. Of the boarding and other private schools in 1833 and '4 I will only say there were Mrs. Edgar's at 58 Marina; Miss Ranger’s, Double West-Villa; Mrs. Wood's, East Ascent; and the Rev. Joseph Wood's, West Hill.
Having described at some length the history and associations of the first St. Leonards National Schools, I will leave the consideration of the newer schools until I come to a date coeval with the period of their establishment; and, in the meantime, I will dilate upon & subject with which the schools are closely connected, namely the St. Leonards Church. Of the ox-roasting and other celebrations to commemorate the laying of the Foundation-stone by the Princess Sophia of Gloucester I have already dwelt upon, and it is for me now to say that the building was formally opened in the same year as were the first National Schools.
Divine service had been performed in the church for some time by permission of the Bishop, but the consecration did not take place until Thursday, the 22nd of May, 1834, when the rites were performed and the sermon was preached by the late Dr. Maltby, Bishop of Durham. Although familiarly known as the St. Leonards Church, or as the “Old Church,” to distinguish it from the several other churches subsequently erected in St. Leonards. its original title was that of “St. Leonards Chapel,” and its wardens were called Chapelwardens. In an earlier part of my “Jubilee History" I stated that in 1830 Messrs. Burton and “Fraser publicly announced their intention to apply to Parliament for powers to erect a chapel in the new town of St. Leonards. As is usual in such cases, there was a formal enquiry into the matter by a Parliamentary Committee, and among the persons who were examined by that committee on behalf of Messrs. Burton and Fraser were the late Mr. Alderman Deudney and Mr. Edward Farncombe. These gentlemen were two of the oldest inhabitants of St. Mary Magdalen and St, Leonards, respectively, for which parishes unitedly the Chapel was intended.
The Church act for St Leonards and St Mary Magdalen
Previously to the building of the Chapel, fees wore paid by the parishioners for "crying notices" in the then-new chapel of St. Mary-in-the-Castle, at Hastings, as being the nearest ecclesiastical building to the town of St. Leonards. It was said at the time — but for the truth of it I cannot vouch — that the late Bishop of Litchfield, having a predilection for St. Mary-in-the-Castle, put some rather close questions to the applicants and witnesses when under examination, The enquiry, however, resulted satisfactorily, and an Act was passed on the 30th of March, 1831, of which the following, largely stripped of its hyper-verbality is otherwise a copy:-
ANNO PRIMO GULIELMI IV.REGIS.
"Whereas the Parish of Saint Leonard is situate partly within the Liberty of Hastings, and partly within the county of Sussex generally; and whereas the parish of St. Mary Magdalen is also situate partly in the Liberty of Hastings and partly in the county generally; and whereas in no part of either parish is there any parish church or place of burial; and whereas in consequence of the great increase of population it would be a great convenience if a chapel were erected for divine service according to the rites of the Church of England; and whereas James Burton, Esq., claims to be seised in fee simple of a piece of ground in St. Leonards, and is willing to erect a chapel at his own expense, and to appropriate a part for a place of burial for the inhabitants of the two parishes; but as these objects cannot be effected without the aid of Parliament, may it please your Majesty that it be enacted, and that immediately after the passing of this Act, it shall be lawful for the said James Burton to erect a chapel, with all convenient appurtenances, to be for ever after appropriated for the two parishes, and for no other purpose whatsoever, And also to convert any other part of such lands into a cemetery; and to make vaults and catacombs under the floor of the chapel for the interment of the dead.
II. And be it further enacted that when the chapel is fitted up with all things necessary for divine service, provision shall be made for the minister for the time being in manner hereafter directed, and when the said cemetery shall be completed, it shall be lawful for the Lord Bishop to consecrate the said chapel by the name of St. Leonards Chapel, and that the perpetual minister hereof shall for ever thereafter be subject to the ordinary jurisdiction and presentation of the Bishop of Chichester for the time being.
