Pub memories

[Terry]

The picture of the Wellington pub sign does look familiar, although it would obviously have been in colour.

[david_russell]

The scrapbooks of local historian John Prothero (mentioned above) can be found in Hastings ref library. On p761 vol.7 he say's:- "The pub in the White Rock was rededicated by the brewery after the last war to the Wellington Bomber". He later added a footnote:- "In the early 1970s after this article was written, the wrong done to the Duke's memory was righted and the Wellesley Arms now appear on the signboard".

It would seem from this that there was a third pub sign at one point for the Smugglers/Wellington showing the arms of the Wellington family. Alan Crouch of the Hastings Seniors Forum said he 'half remembers' it. What was the sign (if any) before the pub became the Smuggglers in 1995 ??

[Terry]

I can't help you with the other pub sign I'm afraid. The Iron Duke's name was originally Wesley, but he changed it at some time,

What may be of interest to you is an interview with landlord Albert E Todd of the Wellington and several other local landlords in an early 1902 edition of the Hastings and St. Leonards Observer concerning the act that came into force that year forbidding the sale of alcohol to young childrren, Predictably most landlords were against the act although insisting that it wouldn't affect them personally, the landlord/lady of the North Star being a notable exception.

[david_russell]

Sorry I find licensing law a minefield. Albert.E.Todd was an officer of the Hastings Licensed Victuallers Association for many years. As such he was often in the news and was hounded by the myriad local temperance campaigners. But he stuck his ground it seems. I'm only just looking into this but there seem to have been hundreds of members of temperance organisations all over town giving landlords hell. The most extreme were the 'Good Templars' who wanted prohibition and 'complete abstinence' ie, all pubs closed down. There were at least six 'lodges' of Templars in Hastings and children and pubs were an explosive topic. The temperance lobby also set up temperance 'pubs' ie: pubs with no beer ! (see Bohemia Voice, april).

Re the Marina Inn (above): landlady Ada Bell, secretary of the LVA, described them as "pussyfoots, killjoys and fanatics". (After 'Pussyfoot Johnson' American prohibitionist).

Be good to get some memories of the anti pub people. All views welcome.

[christine_frances]

Hello,

My name is Christine Frances and I was landlady of the Duke of Wellington in the Old Town from 1967-1970 which was then a Fremlins pub.

I think the Wellington, White Rock, had a new landlord in the early 1970s but it was still known as the Wellington. Dont know about the sign though.

My husband at the time was well known in Old Town as 'Cornish Joe' and the Duke of Wellington was popular for his home made Cornish pasties which we served on tuesdays. Anyone remember them ? Diced beef, potato, swede and onion. They cost 2 shillings old money came in a serviette - no washing up.

Anyone remember us from those days ?

[david_russell]

Between the two world wars, Hastings had a very popular band called the Harmony Aces Dance Band. The bandleader was Arthur Barber who played saxophone supported by his brother, Bill Barber on drums and other musicians.

They started playing at the White Rock Pavilion in 1929 and provided music for the military stationed in Hastings during the war including a lot of Canadians and Americans. In the 1930s they played on a floodlit raft which was towed up and down between the pier and the Smugglers ! They also played at the West St Leonards Holiday Camp.

After the war Arthur Barber became landlord of the Wellington/Smugglers until 1967. Must be plenty of grandparents around who danced to the Harmony Aces.

[david_russell]

Hi Christine,

I know that the Duke of Wellington in the Old Town was at one time one of four beer houses situated in the Breeds Brewery complex. No doubt you remember the old brewery buildings from the rear windows of the Duke ? Some are still there today.

There was one beer house on each corner of the brewery. The Bee Hive, the Diamond and the New Found Out were the others but they have all gone now.

Today the Duke is one of the smarter pub buildings in the town, in very nice condition.

[patrick]

Famous Residents, in the History section has an item about Charles Dickens..

[david_russell]

Dickens stayed at the Marine Hotel (as Terry said) when he performed at the Music Hall in 1861 and in the 1880s. The Music Hall is now the unused upper floor of Yates.

How did Dickens and the audience get in and out of the Music Hall ? What entrance(s) did they use ? Does anyone know anything about the Music Hall/ Yates/Street Bar/Crypt complex. Can anyone explain or describe the layout of this building ?

[david_russell]

I ask these questions about the Yates/Street building because if you stand back and look at the 'Street' as a building, it looks as though it was designed as an entrance going somewhere. It doesnt look like a building in its own right with its own designed purpose unless it was an entrance.

Also it has the same street number (53) as the Music Hall originally had. And whose is the funny little plaster face above the arch ?

I realise there is a staircase inside Yates today but maybe its been added since the whole complex was built in 1858 ?

Any thoughts anyone ?