sweeps in motion which struck Sir Frederick's head with such force that he died on the following day, Saturday, Oct 1st.
It was on the same day that the death of Mr. John Poole - father of the late Councillor Poole - took place. The unfortunate man was selected to fire a small cannon at the regatta held on the 30th of September, when, on the beach, near the Battery, the said gun burst, and a piece of the metal inflicted a wound in Mr. Pooles right side. The injured man was taken into Satterley's surgery at the Marine Parade, but his life could not be saved. His daughter had been married to an uncle of mine, and if some of the scattered fragments of the gun had travelled a few inches nearer to me, this History might never have been written. I was sitting on the beach, in charge of a younger brother, when one or more of the pieces bounded close by me.
I had another narrow escape from injury in November while looking into the open window of a blacksmith's shop during the making of squibs by an uncle for celebrating the anniversary of the gunpowder plot. The operator incautiously placed a quantity of powder on a bench close to him which was ignited by a spark from the anvil and he was terribly burnt about his face and hands - so much so that for several weeks his recovery was doubtful; a younger brother of mine was also burnt, but less seriously.
On the 6th of December, a man named John Woodhams was buried at All Saints, who, according to the verdict at an inquest was accidentally shot. This was a case of poaching, particulars of which are given further on. Another fatal accident of the year was that which befell a man named Buss. He, with others, on the 10th of December was working at the cliff near the Warriors Gate, when a quantity of earth fell on him and caused his death. One of the cleverest surgeons in Hastings at that time was Mr Charles Miller, who to my knowledge restored two persons to health after they had been given over by other surgeons. He was, however, unable to save himself at a later period of the year, he having accidentally inoculated himself with poisonous matter while amputating a woman's leg in the Rope Walk. Being at that time the parish surgeon for St. Mary's-in-the-Castle, he was succeeded therein by Mr. John Savery. At the same time the overseers of that parish contracted with those of St. Clement's for the maintenance of one or more of their paupers in the George-street Workhouse. On the 6th of April, the new iron railings, 600 feet long which divided the upper and lower Croft were thrown down, the noise of which was most alarming. It was always thought to have been maliciously done, and £50 reward was offered to anyone who would give information that would lead to conviction. I am, however, in a position to say that the wreckage was purely accidental. The supports were manifestly weak and during a romping game of some young men including Thomas Ranger, Henry Bell, John Shorter and John Sargent, some of them ran against one end of the railing, which fell over and carried the whole of the remainder with it. The secret was well kept and the £50 never obtained.
On the following day, twenty emigrants left Hastings, via Rye, for America, a scene which from its novelty at that time excited much curiosity and the expression of many good wishes.
On Sunday, May 2nd, Frederick North, Esq., was again elected Mayor, the church bells, as usual, ringing between the services, and the banquet held on the following day. On the 3rd of June, his Worship was under the necessity of refusing the demanded freedom of 62 inhabitants who claimed to have been born in the town, and to have paid scot and lot.
In the meantime, that is to say on
May the 28th in Eighteen-thirty, Mr Ottway Cave
Drawn in by hands of some reforming lights,
at Swan Hotel a warm oration gave
to Hastings people on their chartered rights.
Also on the 10th of June, John Ashley Warre, Esq. arrived and addressed a meeting at the Swan Hotel respecting the people's rights and privileges. As emanating from these addresses was the almost sudden enthusiasm of certain of the inhabitants in claiming the franchise upon the basis of them having paid the ordinary calls upon them for rates and taxes, and in their determination, if only to try the question to vote at the next election for the candidates with whose addresses they had been warmed into greater activity. I have said that 62 of such inhabitants demanded of Mr. North, the new Mayor, to be made Freemen, that they might in future have the privilege of voting for parliamentary candidates. This demand, on the 3rd of June, not having been complied with, a similar demand by 24 other inhabitants was made on the 7th of the same month, and still another request by 18 claimants was made on the 2nd of July, but with the same, negative result. Three days later, Mr J. B. Baker as solicitor for the applicants, served a notice on the Mayor to convene a Hundred Count for the purpose of taking into consideration the making of Freemen such as had claimed their right thereto. The Mayor and Jurats, however, resolved that it was unnecessary to hold such a count, or to take any other steps than such as had already been in practice.
