Author Archives: Stephen van Dulken

The Christ Church St Leonards House Improvement Society, Ltd.

Recently I noticed houses in Union and Alfred Street with niches in their walls, as if for statues of saints, and wondered about them. They are at nos. 8 and 17 Alfred Street and 5 Union Street. By chance I came across an article in a 1936 newspaper which made clear why they are there. […]

Evidence for flat conversions and war damage repairs to 1960 on Marina, St Leonards on Sea

This is an unusual type of post. It will obviously be of interest to those on Marina, but may also provide ideas for those researching buildings on other streets. I give below a list of every house number on Marina, St Leonards on Sea. I searched the National Archives’ Discovery catalogue (which includes numerous local […]

1a West Hill Road, St Leonards on Sea

From the 1880s onwards, planning applications were typically, though not consistently, reported in the local papers a day or two after either being allowed or rejected. Here we have some St Leonards applications from the Hastings and St Leonards Times, 6 December 1890, as an example: …bakers’ oven at No. 30 Western-road, St Leonards, for […]

The early days of King Edward Avenue, St Leonards on Sea

It may be thought that little documentation can be found on relatively modern roads, but I found a great deal on a pre World War II road. As it happens, it is also a good example of what is common today but used to be rare: a single builder purchasing and developing a large piece […]

Stephen Putland, merchant, at 7 London Road, St Leonards on Sea

A lengthy pamphlet could be published on the many activities of Stephen Putland, and this account will only cover his occupation of 7 London Road, and his children. At present this corner address is occupied by a wellness studio next to Saxon Street, with Grand Parade further south, on the seafront. No. 9 is an […]

St Leonards in the newspapers, 1846-47

18 August 1846, Sussex Advertiser: Samuel Brown, of St Leonards, was committed for three months, in default of payment, under an order of affiliation made by the bench towards the maintenance of an illegitimate child. Defendant, who is apprenticed to a bricklayer, said he was not in receipt of any wages, and consequently was unable […]

The sanitary inspector condemns 1 St Clements Place, 1923

Mount Pleasant is a row of houses fronting onto a footpath, parallel to Norman Road. The houses face south over the English Channel. Opposite its beginning, which is next to East Ascent and Mercatoria, is St Clements Place, currently numbered 1-3. No. 3 is also called Clarence House. Nos. 1 and 2 are furthest along […]

St Leonards in the newspapers, 1845-46

25 December 1845, Brighton Gazette: ST LEONARDS. On Saturday last J.F. Stanford, Esq., of 1, West Ascent, gave a musical soiree at his residence, when he invited the principal resident musicians of Hastings and St Leonards. Some very creditable pieces were performed, and Mr Stanford, who is an accomplished violoncello player, was very much gratified. […]