Brett Volume 7: Chapter LXII - Hastings 1859
Transcriber’s note
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This is a verbatim transcription of Brett’s work, which comprised both manuscript and typescript cuttings - the latter having been previously published in Brett's Gazette some twenty years prior to his compilation of them, and therefore reproduces Brett’s variations in style, capitalisation, punctuation and spelling. The only alterations made have been to the pagination and images whereby both page titles and images have been moved to the most appropriate paragraph as opposed to where they were pasted into the texts by the author. Where possible, personal names have been checked against census, parish records, contemporary newspaper reporting and the Central Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths. A number of footnotes have been inserted by the transcriber when this has been thought to be useful. Generally the transcription follows the guidelines set out by the National Archives. Work is in hand to identify and annotate hand-written sections and other annotations within the transcriptions, the main difference being that hand-written sections are indicated by a Cursive font on screen. If any portions are As with most websites, the texts within this history have keywords (blue text) linked to pages within the wiki dealing with buildings and people from the towns of Hastings & St. Leonards |
Volume 7 - Chapter LXII - Hastings 1859
Manuscript History of Hastings and St Leonards Vol 7
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Town Council Meetings[edit]
Police Memorial. On considering a memorial from 4 sergeants and 5 policemen for an increase of pay on account of long service and the Secretarys of State's disallowance of the hitherto pay for attending at court when off duty, the Council, on the 4th of February, resolved that six constables receive an addition of 2/- (22s a week, as first class; some others as second class, 20s; and the rest, as 3rd class, 18s. per week. Councillors Vidler and Harvey thought the men were well paid, and that as there were plenty of men ready to take their place, they should be asked to resign. The advance, however was agreed to by 9 to 7.
Communication from Fishermen. At the same Council meeting, the following was received:-
(1) Resolved that it is with extreme regret that having seen that the Council have resolved to make a further encroachment on our rights and privileges by extending the parade wall, and thereby to prevent our using that part of the Stade at a time when we want more room instead of less, when the property and townage has doubled within the last 25 years.
(2). That it is the opinion of this meeting that this encroachment be resisted by every means in our power, seeing that the Corporation have taken from us, or rather robbed us of our rights of the Priory ground, and have leased and sold it, and applied the money for the use of the town.
(3). That the Town Council be requested to take away the wall lately built by them on the stade from the east end of the Battery-wall and that they put down another capstan there (as formerly) for the use of the fishermen and others, it being the best and most sheltered part for landing and packing of fish, and also near the railway office."
Ald Ross said the beach or stade never belonged to the fishermen, although they imagined that it did and that the Corporation had no power over it. The charter of Queen Elizabeth clearly granted all stonebeach to the Corporation, and not to the fishermen. The Mayor would remind the fishermen that they could not have put up groynes themselves for the protection of the stade.
A Tender (the only one) for the wall complained of by the fishermen was received at the same meeting and accepted from Mr. Grisbrook, the amount of the tender being £135. At the April meeting, the Stonebeach Committee recommended the erection of an iron railing at the east end of the East-parade adjoining the new wall and the removal of the parapet, but the former only was agreed upon.
Groynes. At the November meeting, the Stonebeach Committee having reported that during the late gales, the encroachment of the sea on the East groyne had been such as to leave only three feet of ground for the protection of Corporation property, gave rise to a conversational discussion, in which all the old objections were revived and old theories re
