Nostalgic memories of Hastings's local history
Share your own memories of Hastings and read what others have said
For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our web site to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was when the photographs in our archive were taken. From brief one-liners explaining a little bit more about the image depicted, to great, in-depth accounts of a childhood when things were rather different than today (and everything inbetween!). We've had many contributors recognising themselves or loved ones in our photographs.
Why not add your memory today and become part of our Memories Community to help others in the future delve back into their past.
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Displaying Memories 11 - 20 of 25 in total
I used to live in a large house on Battle Hill. It was a foster home run by Mr and Mrs Sweetman, they had two children of their own, David and Hayle. The house was next to a pub which I don't remember the name. I made many friends while staying there, Tina Titteral who lived on the Hollington estate was one of them. There used to be a youth club in the middle of Hollington where I spent ...see more
My mum grew up in Hastings and she loved the place. She told us so many stories and I remember her mentioning Bottle Alley and collecting bottles to help in its construction.
She left many of her own poems about Hastings and her childhood there. Really enjoy looking at the pictures. Thank You.
I am working on this. Many things to record.
The sun always seemed to shine on our annual summer holiday to my grandmother's at Emmanuel Road. What excitement running down West hill to the town and the beach. There was always a ride on the boating lake, you could smell the petrol fumes from the little boats and a trip on the train! Money begged for continual "goes" on the laughing policeman machine and, of course, icecreams from Demarco (do not know how it ...see more
Hello again,
Referring back to my childhood growing up in Rye, can you picture it today, eleven children, no fridge, only a larder, no washing machine, only a copper boiler, no tumble dryer, only a mangle for squeezing out the water from the clothes, and not even a T.V. and without a phone in the house, only a radio, and that is if you could afford one how would people manage today. Another item we had delivered ...see more
Hi,
I lived in Rye until I went into the army in 1955. I went to the Primary School in Ferry Road, then to the Rye Secondary Modern. When the Seond World War was on we were living at Cadborough, then we moved to Military Road, a family of eleven children, and our parents. We would walk from Military Road to the train station with a pram and get a sack of coal. We would walk for miles and miles, when the mushrooms ...see more
I remember my gran taking for walks along Bottle Alley in the summer in the late 1950s and early 1960s. I also remember her taking me on the last trolley bus to run. At the time she lived at 106 Bohemia Road, those houses have long since gone. I lived in Crowhurst at the time, I used to catch the train from Crowhust to Warrior Square, I can still 'smell' the station. Sometimes a load of us Crowhurst boys would ...see more
I remember the boating lake very well and I loved being taken on it by visiting relatives. The boats were dark red and had rope 'bumpers'round them and at the end of the day they all used to be collected up together in the middle of the lake which used to fascinate me as a small child. They were small motor boats with tiny steering wheels but did not go very fast at all. I also used to love going on the miniature ...see more
I can also remember Bottle Alley which was the St Leonards side of the pier during the 1950's. My Mum sometimes used to take me to the Sun Lounge near Bottle Alley when I was a very small child where she would have a coffee and I would drink orange squash and there was often a pianist playing, even in the middle of the morning! We too lived in Ore (I went to Red Lake Infants and Sandown Primary schools) and we spent ...see more
Does anyone else have any memories of 'Bottle Alley'? I think it was on the Promenade and it was a covered walk (built in Victorian times, I believe) of concrete encrusted with bottles, mainly the bottoms, in all sorts of patterns. Some of my family lived in Ore and I used to visit as a child. My other lasting memory is of the beach with the old fishmarket and 'the old man in the tub'. He was something of an ...see more