Fifty years ago today..

[peter_simpson]

Something major happened in Hastings exactly fifty years ago today - July 11 1963. Can anyone else remember what?

[peter_simpson]

Clue - if anyone's interested; it was on the edge of the Old Town_ _ _

[Derek Jempson]

I think this must be the huge gas explosion that destroyed two? properties at the Western end of George Street. I remember that it made the front pages of most national newspapers.

[Derek Jempson]

I think this must be the huge gas explosion that destroyed two? properties at the Western end of George Street. I remember that it made the front pages of most national newspapers.

[peter_simpson]

Yep Derek; spot on - I remember because Dad's shop was slap bang in the middle of it, and consequently the date July 11 1963 is part of Simpson family folklore. There were actually two successive explosions - one destroyed Milo's Cafe and Hotel - where the new building now is opposite the amusement arcade, the other took out the Winchester Cafe/Restaurant on the corner of George Street and opposite the Rainbow Restaurant.

[Derek Jempson]

I remember it because it was the month and year that I left school. Funny how the old grey matter works ain't it?

[Richard]

and I thought it was The Beatles !!

[Michael]

Was that where the amusements are now_ _ _.under Geogies/Saturdays night club?

[Matassa1]

The Winchester Cafe belonged to my Grandparents, and then my father Peter, and his brother, Val jointly, then just Val and his wife, then their children. It was in the 'Matassa' family for over 60 years, and 3 generations.

It was called 'Winchester Cafe' because it was formerly a gun shop.

It blew up in the 1960's, literally blown to smithereens. The gas board and the electric board were working outside, the electricity people went through the gas mains. Each blamed the other, and the matter was settled by a three day hearing in the High Court of London.

The explosion happened when the restaurant was open, but Val working therein, smelt gas, and evacuated the building, including staff, customers, and his mother and disabled sister who lived above, thus saving many many lives.
The family were left owning just what they were wearing, they lost everything in the blast, and their livelihood too.

At the time it made front page of the national newspapers, we still have all the cuttings in the family.

The building was rebuilt, in the same footings as before, and in the same style as before, with its' distinctive rounded front, quite unique. The only other similar I have seen is in Rodeo Drive, Los Angeles.

Soon it will be the 60th anniversary of the explosion. Sadly most of the older generation of the family have passed away, but Peter is alive and well, aged 90, and living in Devon. He often talks about the 'old days' of the family trading there in the 1940's to the 1990's

I hope you have enjoyed reading about this piece of Hastings, and my family's history.

[Richard Pollard]

On that day of the explosion I had just passed the place by about 100 yards when the first explosion took place, I was just coming home from work at the time on my old push bike.
I immediately stopped and turned round to see a massive plume of smoke rising from a building along with some flames, then after a short time a second explosion came from the same area, again with lots more smoke and this time flames everywhere. At that time to see buildings on fire was a very scary moment. Buses, cars and people stopped as there were masses of glass and debris all over the road, nothing could pass; then there was the sound of Fire Engines, Police cars and Ambulances approaching from all directions. Within a short space of time the seafront was cordoned off and all traffic was sent over the west hill. I think that I stayed as a looker on for about half an hour and then made my way through the Old Town passing loads of people running down the High Street presumably to see what had happened, but by then all the major excitement had passed. The next day when you looked at the premises they were very badly damaged, you might as well say totally beyond repair even destroyed! Then of course they were demolished and part of the site was left open for quite a period of time.
You just don't know how time fly's when you reminisce such things as this, and to how old we are getting (well some of us!!)