Old Town Boating Lake

I remember these little boats in the 50s. They were started in the morning by the attendants and ran all day "phut phutting" away till they were stopped at night. If I remember right they were fitted with a Stuart Turner engine 4 stroke. On rare occasions when funds were flush I actually had a go.

I have been on these boats too! Can't recall the price, but I would think it was about 2/6d. This would have been c1957/8 when dad took me down from Leatherhead for a day out. Close by was the little narrow gauge railway which I rode on back in 1955...it terrified me as it was open carriages with hardly any sides! My Dad's folks and also my Great Grandparents came from Hastings (Surname Olney), and they lived in Salisbury Road near the Park.

Perhaps some of recall the Fireworks display on Alexandra park which I think was every Tuesday or perhaps the a Tuesday once a month. This would have been c1962 when the Old Pumping Station was still there. Dad, who passed away in 2010 (84) always loved Hastings and yes, it was nicer back then, now it's full of all and sundry, and personally, I feel it's lost a lot of it's charm, but I have fond memories of the place and the Old Town just the same.

My Dad upped sticks and was literally desperate to move back down there, but in fact ended up in Little Common. I think the Spirits of his Forebears were calling him back. His ashes were sprinkled in a Park in Dorking where my Mum will also be there very shortly (19/1/19). She was a Dorking person from 1930 and our family business was based there from the mid 1800s. Mum was 92. Happy days!

I too remember these boats very well.....and you’re quite right Paul, they were fitted with Stuart Turner engines. I worked on the boats as a 12 to 14 year old calling in the vessels on the patrol boat,.........I still can’t believe I had that job.......fastest boat on the lake and got paid for it!!! This was in 1969, so a bit after your era.

We holidayed in Hastings frequently in the mid 50s to mid 60s and still have happy memories of the boating lake and the boats but don't remember the miniature railway. We stayed at a guest house run by the Lewingtons if my memory serves me.

I remember using these boats while holidaying in Hastings in the early 60's I remember them being very well made and freshly varnished..its a shame these have been lost to the plastic pepallows of today.

I too remember the boats and the railway. I remember each boat had a number on and when your time was up they would shout 'come in number 6 for instance, your time is up'
they also had boards with the numbers on which they held aloft when your time was up.We would always make sure we were well away from where you got off the boat and took our time heading back !!
Really enjoyed many, many holidays in Hastings. My Dad was born in St. Leonards and we used to visit his sister and husband who still lived there. We went from the mid 50s till late 1960s

Did anyone notice the manufacturer of these wooden boats, they seem to have all disappeared from seaside boating lakes .