Refrigeration, Railway, Telephone

Looking for info on Hastings & St Leonards past times. Post here!
blacklark
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Joined: Sat Dec 07, 2019 6:26 pm

Refrigeration, Railway, Telephone

Postby blacklark » Sat Dec 07, 2019 7:31 pm

Good Evening,

I am hoping somebody can help me with the following, please:

1. As I understand it the first cold store was installed in 1908 near the fishing lofts. Before that some form, or other, of chilling or supplying ice existed in Hastings. Perhaps there was an ice house or some means of preserving fish etc., in the area? Was the cold store and/or whatever existed before open to being used by the butchers and others needing to keep products cold?

2. By 1890 it was possible to reach London by train in about two hours. Does anybody have any timetables or information from 1890 to 1930 as to how what journeys were possible, particularly from Warrior Square?

3. I understand the telephone exchange was in Cambridge Road in 1895 which suggests that the telephone had arrived in the town before then. If so, when?

4. Before that I would imagine that the telegraph existed. Is there any date as to when it arrived?

Thank you.

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Richard
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Re: Refrigeration, Railway, Telephone

Postby Richard » Fri Dec 13, 2019 10:25 pm

The ice house in rockanore was first used to pack the fish caught by local fishermen.
The first telephone exchange was at 12. Claremont form the summer of 1885.
The first telegraph message would have depended on the railway in place in the 1830's.

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ColinL
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Re: Refrigeration, Railway, Telephone

Postby ColinL » Sun Dec 15, 2019 10:08 pm

I expect that railway timetables are only stored at the British Library or British Rail (or whatever has been its successor).

Prior to the use of ice, I think that fish will have been salted and sealed in barrels. Certain fish as now will have been smoked

Richard, yet again a source of info on a wide range of subjects. Your contributions are very welcome

whiffler
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Re: Refrigeration, Railway, Telephone

Postby whiffler » Mon Dec 16, 2019 11:16 am

No info on old rail timings personally, but http://www.railarchive.org.uk/research.htm seems to have some pointers as to where they can be found. some dead links, though

Found one published to show how Bexhill West fitted into Hastings services, but realised it was from 21/9/1953. Still, it's a start !

http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/b/be ... ndex.shtml

blacklark
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Re: Refrigeration, Railway, Telephone

Postby blacklark » Tue Dec 17, 2019 10:34 am

When you have a moment perhaps you can enlighten me further about the ice house as to when it was built and who, if any, other than fishermen could use it. Presumably it was at Rock-a-Nore? Stewarts, who were wholesale food merchants had their warehouse on the shore at St.Leonards at the end of the 19th century and brought in provisions from boats offshore might have had an ice house?
The second question I have is - the Rev.Nicoll was a priest who lived in Charles Road, St.L. at the end of the 19th century. There was a friend of the family named Connor or O'Connor and who I have reason to be believe have descendants in the area still. Any ideas, please?
I am sorry to hear of your problems and I am in no immediate rush for further information.
With the compliments of the season.

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Richard
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Re: Refrigeration, Railway, Telephone

Postby Richard » Tue Dec 17, 2019 11:59 am

About 'Ice Houses' but on a different note and from the Observer, May 2005:

A fascinating historic status symbol built on a gentleman's estate has been restored to its former glory. The Bohemia Ice House, constructed during the early 19th Century, was made to store slabs of ice, insulated by layers of straw, for cooling drinks during the summer months.
It was built in the grounds of Bohemia House, once the home of Wastel Brisco, who became MP for Hastings in 1842.
The house became Summerfields School in 1903 and the buildings were demolished to make way for the law courts in 1972 - but the ice house remained.
It is now listed and has been restored with the support of the directors of Horntye Park, Hastings Area Archaeological Research Group, the Old Hastings Preservation Society and Hastings Council.
This week, the results of the restoration work were unveiled in public for the first time.
Ice houses were fashionable and a status symbol in any aristocratic gentleman's estate. Modern methods of refrigeration made them obsolete and the Bohemia ice house is the only one remaining in Hastings.

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Returning to Rock a Nore Ice House, just a herring’s throw from the Stade, (the fisherman’s beach with its iconic black net huts) is the site of Hastings Ice House. Built in Rock-a-Nore Road by the The Hastings and St Leonards Ice and Cold Storage Company in 1899-90, it had the capacity of making ten tons of ice a day. After some years of inactivity it was turned into a community centre by Old Hastings Preservation Society, but was demolished in 2007 to make way for a hotel.
I would think that it was mainly for the fishing trade but will have to look into what else it was used for.

Information from the following link:

http://www.ggift.co.uk/other-ice-factories/


The Ice House was on the site of the new black hotel and flats complex along Rock a Nore.

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Richard
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Re: Refrigeration, Railway, Telephone

Postby Richard » Mon Dec 23, 2019 11:38 am

blacklark,

You can most probably get further information on the topics you requested at Old Hastings Preservation Society:

OHPS – Old Hastings Preservation Society
21 Courthouse St, Hastings TN34 3AU

Telephone: 01424 424744.

ohpscontact@gmail.com

blacklark
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Re: Refrigeration, Railway, Telephone

Postby blacklark » Mon Dec 23, 2019 3:49 pm

Thank you Richard. I have already picked up on this and am awaiting a reply from somebody in the Society.

Philip


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