John Logie Baird
Born in 1888 in Dunbartonshire in Scotland, John Logie Baird was the inventor of television.
In 1922 John Logie Baird moved to Hastings in an effort to improve his health with the fresh sea air. He took lodgings at 21 Linton Crescent and rented a workshop in Queens Arcade, above number 8.
During 1923, John Logie Baird succeeded to make the world's first image transmissions, and from this he continued to pioneer in developing mechanical televisions. Baird's own company began transmitting programmes in 1929 and in 1932 the BBC took over the resoponsibility.
In his younger years before the health problams, Baird had made several other inventions, including a damp proof sock for soldiers, and began a number of businesses including soap manufacture and jam making.
John Logie Baird died in 1946 at Bexhill. |
|
|
Elizabeth Blackwell
Born in February 1821 in Bristol, Elizabeth and the Blackwell family moved to America in 1832.
She was awarded a medical diploma at New York's Syracuse University and became the first woman in the world to qualify as a doctor.
Unfortunately she was prevented from practicing surgery after contracting opthalmia while gaining practice experience at La Maternite in Paris.
Despite health setbacks Elizabeth Blackwell continued with a largely medical career and in 1859 also became the first woman to be admitted to the British General Medical Register.
Elizabeth also wrote many works of importance including the 1895 publication "Pioneer Work for Women".
In 1880 she retired to Hastings as her health was declining and lived at Rock House in Exmouth Place for 30 years before passing away in 1910.
|
|
|
Robert Tressell
Robert Nanoon, AKA Robert Tressell was born in Dublin in 1870 and moved to South Africa where he got married in 1891. Unfortunately his wife died and Robert moved to Hastings with his nine-year-old daughter Kathleen. They initially stayed with Roberts sister, but soon found their own lodgings.
Robert Tressell was a commercial artist, signwriter and house painter. Among his most artistic work was a 16 panel mural he painted in the chancel at St Andrews Church in 1905. Just one piece of the mural was saved and restored when the church was demolished. This is now on show to the public at Hastings Museum.
Robert Tressell is probably best remembered for his work for the social movement, and his book "The Ragged Trousererd Philanthrapist" was written in Hastings. There are many simularities between Hastings and the ficticious town of Mugsborough used in the story. The book was never published during Robert Tressell's lifetime and wasn't available until 1914, even then it wasn't released in it's complete form. The complete work was finaly published in 1955.
With the intention of emigrating to Canada, Robert Tressell left Hastings in 1911 but never made the journey, passing away in Liverpool the same year.
Two of his former local homes are marked with commemerative plaques (115 Milwad Road in Hastings and 241 London Road in St Leonards), and many other uses of the Tressell name can be seen in the town. |
|
|
Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens was born in Portsmouth in February 1812 and was the most popular Novelist of his time.
During Charles Dicken's later years he undertook four tours, during which he gave public readings of his works. During the second of these tours he came to Hastings and performed at the Music Hall in 1861. This building in Robertson Street now houses Yates's Wine Lodge. He stayed at the Marine Hotel in Pelham Place, where the Deluxe Leisure Centre now stands.
Despite severely stormy weather, the hall was filled to capacity and enormous crowds gathered outside, unable to gain admission.
The town of Hastings features in many of Charles Dickens works.
|
|
Charles Dickens
|
The Duke of Wellington
Major General Sir Anthony Wellesley was Knighted for serving a very successful term in India from 1796 to 1805. Upon his return to England he was posted to Hastings in 1806 in order to take command of the brigade of infantry. His troop was based locally and he stayed at 54 High Street, using this as his headquarters.
The Swan Inn (situated opposite 54 High Street) was used for a public dinner in his honour in April 1806.
Wellesley then travelled back to his place of birth in Dublin and married Catherine Lady Pakenham, bringing her back to Hastings, where they lived at Hastings House, a beautiful Palladian Mansion at the North end of Tackleway. The plot where Hastings House and gardens once stood is now occupied by Old Humphry Avenue.
In 1829, the duke was installed as Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports. |
|
Duke of Wellington
|
Dante Gabriel Rosetti
A poet and painter, Dante Gabriel Rosetti payed numerous visits to Hastings during his life. Having initially stayed in a local inn, he found lodgings at 5 High Street in Hastings old town, where his model Elizabeth Siddal also had rooms. Many portrait sketches of Elizabeth were made at this house and eight of his letters written from this house are still in existance.
During 1860 Rosetti visited Hastings again and stayed in The Cutter in East Parade prior to marrying Elizabeth in St Clements Church. There are still memorials to him in the church to this day.
Along with Millais, Holman Hunt and Woolner, Rosetti was founder member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, established in 1848. They were ridiculed at first but their style soon became accepted as an approved genre.
Hastings was an attractice location for painting due to the fresh sea air and Rosetti expressed his delight in a letter written to his mother in 1854 - "yesterday I saw the sun rise over the sea - the most wonderful of earthly sights".
|
|
Dante Gabriel Rosetti
|
|
|
Queen Adelaide
Adelheid Amalie Luise Theresa Carolin was born in Germany in 1772 and married the Duke of Clarence in 1818. He subsequently was crowned king William IV in 1830.
The king died in 1837 and later that same year Queen Adelaide moved to St Leonards. Staying at 23 Grand Parade, which was at the time appropriately named Adelaide Place, so quite fitting for her in her early widowhood. The house was later renamed Adelaide House in her honour.
During her 1837-1838 stay, Queen Adelaide took an active interest in local happenings and helped with funding for an organ to equip James Burton's Proprietory Chapel, which later became St Leonards Parish Church.
|
|
Queen Adelaide
|
|
