The Pilot Field and The Boss

[john_gale]

Wasnt sure where to put this thread, but here seems good enough !
Being and avid Hastings United fan (have been since 1968 and always will be ), many of the fans have tried to find out some history as to why the Pilot Field was named.I believe the original Utd started playing there back in 1948 and there were various sporting activities taking place in the area prior to this, but its the much earlier history than that im interested in.
There were rumours that it was named after an attempted flight in the early part of the last century which ended with a crash landing in that area, but that seems to be just folk lore.
Another suggestion was that it was named after a certain type of oat that was grown in that area called PYLAT or something like that .
Is there anyone out there who knows the real reason please?

On the same track , it would be good if anyone could tell me why the football pitch just down the road from the Pilot Field in Elphinstone Road (long since gone as a picth ), was named THE BOSS too .Any ideas anyone ?

[Insomniac]

Hi Windy

Sorry to be pedantic, but I think the Boss, is actually spelt The BOS, which is even weirder! But I didn't know it once had a football pitch, seems a bit small to me to have had on on there?
As for the Pilot Fields name, I'd be interested to know this too. I wonder if a short visit to the Reference Library would help?

[Gerry Glyde]

The Boss or Bos was used as a playing field for Elphinstone Junior and Mount Pleasant Schools during the 1950's and up to 1962 when I left

[john_gale]

Hi Leon , yeah it could well have been called the BOS. It wasn't just used for junior matches either.I use to play for the Civil Service, Old Centmodians and Seaview back in the late 70's and early 80's and had the misfortune of having to play there myself a few times. Maybe that's what BOS stood for... "Bit of a Slope " :w00t:

It was really steep, so much so it must have had a 10 foot drop from the half way line to the bar line .
I must try and get to the library but working means it is a bit difficult for me . I have tried the internet but can't anything new about both pitches.
Im hoping that some of the people on this site will find it a challenge to find out what I want to know. I would like to be able to relay any information onto the loyal faithful at the old Pilot Field of course.

I know both pitches sort of fall in the area of St Helens and Blacklands and found out recently that Blacklands probably got its name from an old ironworks that use to be at the bottom of Elphinstone Road near where Fearon Road is now... so you never know , maybe someone will come up trumps with some fresh info

[Richard]

The first club to play on the Pilot Field site was Rock-a-Nore FC, in 1920

For "the most complicated club history in Sussex football"
Please see reference :-

http://sussexcountyfc.milbint.com/Direc ... nited.html

[Richard]

I found a reference at "The History House" in The Old Town :

HAARG Journal May 1999
I quote from an article by author W. Dance (researcher)
"The name of 'Pilot field' is from Old English -pil ate- meaning "hair oats"
Pil-Oats, otherwise known as pilled oats, are a species of oat in which the pill (husk) does not adhere to the grain"

An old (year 1560) survey of this area of land shows the first record of a document using the name "the Pilate Field" in Hastings.

[john_gale]

Richard wrote:
I found a reference at "The History House" in The Old Town :

HAARG Journal May 1999
I quote from an article by author W. Dance (researcher)
"The name of 'Pilot field' is from Old English -pil ate- meaning "hair oats"
Pil-Oats, otherwise known as pilled oats, are a species of oat in which the pill (husk) does not adhere to the grain"

An old (year 1560) survey of this area of land shows the first record of a document using the name "the Pilate Field" in Hastings.

Hey Richard , thank you very much . I will past this onto the Pilot Field faithful.
After yesterdays performance ( they lost 1-0 in their first game of the season ) it could be that the Pilot Filed will be more suited to hairy goats

:w00t:
Very intersting though and thank you very much

Any ideas on the name The Bos then ?

[nik_radcliffe]

Thanks Richard, for the explanation of the origin of the Pilot Field naming. I found your answer when searching the net for the information when I found John Gale's identical question to my own. I was also looking for the historical backgroung of the Bo Peep area naming. Any information?

[Richard]

...without answereing anyone in particular and after consultation with 'Hastings History House'

1. 'Blacklands' area is also along St. Helens Road on the other side to the Alexandra Park and had, at one time, at least in the 1870's, a 'Chalybeate Spring' called "St Andrew's Spa" (Alexandra Park was formerly St. Andrews Gardens)
This Spring was rich with iron-bearing minerals (iron minerals are dark-coloured, hence the name of the area) and 'dispensed' in the same way as at 'Tunbridge Wells' - a place to take health-giving mineral waters.

2. I am still looking into 'The Boss' it may be allotments by now so it will be possible to trace through 'HAARG' when I find the right person

3. "Bo Peep" is more or a 'hairy chestnut'
It is suggested that 'Bo Peep Railway Junction' was named after a local pub in Bulverhythe called 'The Bo Peep',which name in turn (allegedly) came from the activities of smugglers and excise men"

This is based on somewhat fanciful, romantic interpretations of the following Nursery Rhyme:-
"Little Bo-Peep has lost her sheep,
And can't tell where to find them;
Leave them alone, And they'll come home,
Wagging their tails behind them..."

This is taken to mean. loosely, the following:-
Little Bo Peep was the Revenue (Customs)
The 'sheep' were tubs of brandy brought back from Bolougne in France by smugglers who would drop them in two gallon kegs into the coastal areas near Hastings, in order to avoid detection by 'Revenue' Officials of the day.
The kegs would be tied together with ropes and later, when 'the coast was clear', the smugglers would use a grapple iron to catch hold of the sunken brandy and these would be brought in to shore 'wagging their tails behind them'

Most of Hastings and nearby areas were heavily involved in smuggling along the coast, ever since 'The Crown' imposed a tax on wool exports. Even during 'The Napoleonic Wars' gold and sometimes locally made cloth Sails would be shipped out there in exchange for 'contraband'
No doubt much to the delight of Napoleon!!

[whiffler]

From my father's recollections at the weekend - he has a detailed memory.

The BOS was the Boys Own Society, which was founded and run my a Mr Mitchell (sp?), whose son ran a newsagent in Queen's Road around WW2 and after.