nearly all the windows were broken. Such a storm before that one was never remembered, and as the day had not been unusually warm, it was quite unexpected.
Regatta disappointments and mishaps - Poaching Conflict &c.
On an average of a series of years, the meteorological conditions of June are mostly those of an enjoyable character, as are also those of September, but in the year now in question they appear to have been somewhat exceptional. The regatta was to have taken place on the 5th of September, but the wind was so strong and the sea so rough hat only the sailing boats could be started. This was a disappointment to many of the visitors who were just then very numerous. Some of them, however, attended a sumptuous dinner at the new Market Hall, presided over by F. North, Esq.
The regatta was resumed some 8 or 10 days later, but even then the weather was so unfavourable that the gentlemen crew (Mr. Ranking, Mr. Randall and others) were all thrown into the water by the upsetting of their galley, the Black Joke, which both by its colour and its action on that occasions was pronounced to have ben worthy of its name. Even the racing craft of those days were very different to the frail shifts of the present time which have to be floated before they are manned, without which the aquatic sports must have again been postponed. The great attraction, however, was centered in the two new political galleys - the Radical Elphinstone and the Tory John Bull. The first had been built by James Phillips from wood that had grown on Mr. Elphinstone's estate at Ore and had been fortunate when competing with other boats, whilst the latter, built by George Tutt, and paid for by subscription, was specially intended as a rival. This was their first mutual trial, and such was the interest evoked that the parade and the hill were literally covered with sightseers. The crew of the John Bull may be said to have taken the bull by the horns, for they rounded the first buoy considerably ahead; from which station the Elphinstone seemed to have but little chance, her arrival at the winning post being 1½ minutes in the rear of her antagonist. The result was hailed by the Conservatives with unbridled enthusiasm.
A week later, the Annual Races were held, as usual, on the Filsham-valley course. Mr. North being one of the stewards; and when another week had passed, Joseph Planta, Esq., the Conservative candidate, gave an elegant dejeuner at Fairlight place to 150 of the principal residents. The town band was engaged and the festivities were kept up till late in the evening.
Amongst the more serious events of the year was that of the 20th of October, when a man named Walker, fatally stabbed a young man named Clase with a stable prong.
Another serious occurrence was a poaching conflict on the night of the 14th of November. It was on the Crowhurst estate of Sir Charles Lamb's, when, after both parties had been much injured the game-keepers succeeded in capturing four of the poachers.
In the early part of the year, a petition to Parliament was presented by landholders and farmers of Hastings, Crowhurst, Northiam, Ewhurst and other places against heriots, quit-rents, fines, suits and service and other conditions of tenure which had their origin in barbaric ages, and which were being continued to the annoyances both of rich landowners and small farmers. Only a few weeks before, on the erroneously reported death of Mr. Brisco of Hastings, one of the beadles of several manors who had been on the alert seized two of the best oxen at Coghurst, but on driving them into Hastings, was surprised and terrified to find that the owner of the beasts was still alive.
On the 13th of November, notice was received from Mr. Driver of the Woods and Forests Commissioners, to remove the whole of the buildings on the Priory Ground before Michaelmas in 1835, such inhabitants as complied with the order not to be charged with rent for the intervening period, but all property formed on the ground after that date to be confiscated. The ground-rent paid to the Crown at that time amounted to about £1,400 a year.
