German Submarine U118

An
empty German submarine was washed ashore on the beach in front
of Denmark Place in 1919. The submarine U118 had broken its
towrope on the way from Cherbourg to Scapa Flow. It was welcomed
as an unusual Easter attraction until a build-up of chlorine
gas poisoned a group of coastguards, one of whom died on 21
February 1920. U118 was an extremely large submarine for its
time and having surrendered to France on 23rd February 1919,
it was eventually broken up at Brest during July 1921.
Coldest
Winter

The winter of 1962/3 was very severe and absolutely everything
froze including the sea. Snow was cleared from the town centre
with bulldozers and trucks and taken to Rock-a-Nore were it
was left in a huge pile which didn’t melt until June that
summer.
Coghurst Hall

Built by Musgrave Brisco (Conservative MP for Hastings 1844-1857) who also built Christ Church Blacklands.
Normanhurst

The ornate chateux-style mansion Normanhurst was built at Catsfield by Thomas Brassey in 1865-71 as his family residence.
The estate was sold following the tragic death of the 2nd Earl Brassey in a road accident in 1918. The mansion became St Hillary's Girls School in 1922.
After extensive damage by military occupation in 1939-45 the mansion was finally demolished in 1951.
St Andrews Arch
The railway bridge at the top of Queens Road was originally a low brick built arch, known as St Andrews Arch. This effectively marked the town boundary at the time and there was little development beyond this point. St Andrews Arch was replaced by the iron railway bridge in 1898 which is still in use today.
St Andrews Gardens
Created from disused brick fields in 1864 as a subscription garden. Extended and renamed Alexandra Park in 1882.
St Andrew's Church
Opened as an evangelical church in 1870. The first vicar was George Hodges, previously of Christ Church Ore. An additional aisle was added in 1873 to accommodate an ever growing congregation.
St Clements Chapel (Halton)
St Clement's Chapel and Parsonage at Halton was designed by Thomas Catley in 1838 and paid for by Countess Waldegrave. St Clement's was closed in 1970 and later demolished.
Lifeboats
The first Hastings lifeboat was built in the mid 1830s. The RNLI took control in 1858.
Steamship Lugano
On 26th April 1906 the SS Lugano was travelling from Baltimore to Hamburg. It was carrying a mixed cargo including cotton, oil and timber. The cotton self ignited and started what became a catastrophic fire. The Hastings lifeboat Charles Arkcoll II gave assistance.
Biddy The Tubman
Alfred Mills "Biddy" Stonham was born in 1879 and worked as a local fisherman, lifeboatman. and Hastings Tubman.
Biddy was a memorable character and was also very courageous. He was presented with the RNLI Silver Medal for bravery in 1904 by King Edward VII.
Best known for his tubman act which was performed just off the beach with a traditional washtub and required great strength and balance. Sometimes young ladies were invited to participate in the entertainment. Donations were then collected from the crowds watching the antics from the beach.
Biddy continued fishing and tubbing until 1963 (aged 84) and passed away a year later.
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