Do You Remember When?

1908

THE first full parade to take place between the combined mounted and dismounted portions of the 2nd Home Counties Field Company, Royal Engineers, of which the Bexhill Detachment forms a part, was held on Saturday afternoon last. The Hastings section, comprising about 50 Sappers, with wagons and tool carts, the latter containing a full complement of engineering tools etc., marched to the Bull Inn, where they were met by about 40 of the Bexhill Detachment. The whole company then proceeded to the annual training ground of the London Engineers, where, by permission of Councillor Gibb, combined drill was carried out. The Engineers subsequently marched through Bexhill and were halted at the Castle Hotel, (next to which is the proposed site of the new Engineers' Drill Hall).

ON Thursday, the new penny postage of letters between Great Britain and the United States came into operation, and thus another link has been forged in the chain which may one day bind the universe together in a penny postage system.

1958

A PORTABLE high-power greasing unit, which delivers grease at 13,000 lbs per square inch '“ enough to push it through a six inch block of oak '“ has been developed by Packer Pressure Equipment Company Ltd., whose offices are at 14 Marina Court-avenue. Latest orders for the equipment have come from the De Havilland Aircraft Co., who are using them for the new Comet IV airliner.

1968

PLANS to turn its back on saving the old Crowhurst viaduct were foiled at Monday's Town Council meeting when the 17-arch brick structure was described as 'the most beautiful building in the borough.' The Development Committee had been told that the initial cost of retaining it for scenic purposes would be in the region of 2,000, while the initial cost of retaining it as a footway might be between 5,000 and 15,000.

FURTHER reference to what is called the 'extremely complex problem' of the main A259 trunk road at De La Warr Road, Old Town High Street, Little Common Road and Barnhorn Road is made in the current issue of the Chamber of Commerce bulletin. Fourteen other chambers are being approached on the lines jointly agreed by Bexhill and Hastings in the light of the build-up of traffic anticipated during the coming years.

1978

AS health officials seek the answer to the staff shortage which has cut back on Bexhill Hospital geriatric services, former nurses have been telling the Observer why they are no longer working on the wards. Among their main reasons: overwork, not enough equipment or supplies '“ and too many administrative bosses.

SWIMMERS venturing out into the sea this weekend should not be too disconcerted if they find themselves amid purple dye. Or perhaps they should. The dye will be coming from the outfall pipe at Galley Hill in a Southern Water Authority bid to track the path of the sewage discharges from the outfall.

1988

HEALTH authority chiefs have spent 25,000 improving the staff swimming pool at Thrift House. The money is just the interest on capital held in a trust fund which includes gifts and legacies for the South East Thames Regional Health Authority based at Collington Avenue. Exactly 12 months ago the swimming pool's changing rooms were redecorated and offices re-designed.

OVER 400,000 needs to be spent on repairing and renovating the De La Warr Pavilion in the next five years, councillors were warned this week. The work on the building, now entering its 54th year, includes eliminating water penetration, redecoration, re-wiring, repairing damaged drains, renewing terracing, renewing doors and screen and replacing worn-out theatre seating.

1998

BEXHILL Library has lost its long-held top position in the county for the number of books issued. It has been overtaken by Eastbourne. Now a Bexhill county councillor has urged the county community services committee to bring Bexhill up to the standard of Eastbourne and Hastings libraries which have been the subject of county investment programmes. Cllr Bill Clements told colleagues last Wednesday they had missed self-financing opportunities in the past to sell the valuable Western Road site and re-locate the library in modern premises.

COUNCILLORS are planning to invest 3,000 to tackle vandalism in Egerton Park which costs the taxpayer 5,000 a year.