In Days Gone By with John Dowling

UP until Monday afternoon Princess Louise hoped and expected to fulfil her engagement to visit Bexhill on Thursday for the purpose of opening the Home at Little Common which has been established as a seaside branch of the Queen’s Hospital for Children, Hackney-road, and it was only then at the advice of her medical attendant that Her Royal Highness reluctantly cancelled the arrangement.

YESTERDAY afternoon an explosion startled the town. The report being so much like the fire alarm rocket that many people took it for the maroon, and the horses for the engines came galloping up to the Station in quick time. A considerable crowd also assembled, but only to hear that there had been no alarm given to the Town Hall. The cause of the loud report has not been ascertained.

1961

THE use of short-wave radio communications is likely to play an important part in the maintenance of communications in the event of war. Members of the Signals Sub-Section and the Reconnaissance Sub-Section of Headquarters Section are trained in the use of various types of sets issued. Both mobile and static controls will be equipped with wireless sets. – Civil Defence notes.

ALTHOUGH it has given hours of sterling service, the Congregational Church have decided to rebuild their present organ and provide it with a new action. Since much of the pipework is in very good condition it is believed that the organ may have many more years of service ahead.

1971

EASTBOURNE Waterworks Company’s application to increase the maximum water rate charge from 10p to 20p in the £ has been cut to 17p by the Secretary of State for the Environment, who has also reduced to 48p the company’s request for a rise in the maximum meter charge from 30p to 50p per thousand gallons.

BY the generosity of a great many people, in cash, time and sheer hard work, receipts of more than £2,250 had reached the treasurer’s office by the time the Hospital Garden Party came to a close on Saturday. More than 2,000 people were drawn to the event, which was opened by Lord Buckhurst 38 years after he attended the hospital opening ceremony as a boy of 12.

1981

PICKETS are a rare sight in Bexhill and almost unheard of in Devonshire Road; but the Government’s decision to shut down the country’s high street gas showrooms brought the staff from the Bexhill shop onto the street on Monday.

SECOND Year pupils at Bexhill High School ended the summer term triumphant as they handed over a cheque for £1,100 to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

1991

ROTHER Council is to get £170,000 from English Heritage towards the cost of work at the De La Warr Pavilion. The 40 per cent grant – instead of the usual 25 per cent – was announced by council architect Dicky Bird at the council’s recreation and tourism committee meeting on Tuesday night.

ONE of the largest road-going cranes in the UK will dominate the town centre skyline for two weekends as the 90-year-old Devonshire Square footbridge is replaced by a factory-built structure. The jib of the 200-tonne capacity crane will be three times the height of the adjacent Post Office building.

2001

BYPASS hopes for Bexhill and Hastings came to a dead end yesterday when the Government rejected the proposals. When it came after decades of waiting, the decision was greeted with anger and disbelief. Campaigners considered that the bypasses were vital to Bexhill’s economic regeneration. They now believe that nearly three decades of local lobbying to successive governments has been thrown out of the window.

BEXHILL is home to Britain’s bravest bobby. PC Bob Greenall was picked from 64 other officers at a glittering ceremony at the Savoy Hotel, in London, last week. He has received the country’s top honour for rescuing a baby from a house fire in Eastbourne. The 41 year-old was presented with award by Home Secretary David Blunkett at the Police Bravery Awards.