Do You Remember When?

A look back through the archives of the Bexhill Observer.

1909

AN INTERESTING afternoon in the lives of those young men whose duty it is to deliver tradesmen's goods on bicycles took place in Bexhill on Wednesday, when, through the generosity of Mr. J.S. Nugent, of Westmeath, Collington Avenue, cycle races for prizes were held on the Bexhill motor track. The afternoon was thoroughly successful in every way, and besides providing an afternoon of sport for the lads, interested a large number of spectators who gathered along the course.

THE sad circumstances connected with the death in the Transvaal of Mr. Karslake Tasker, Veterinary Surgeon, who some 14 years ago resident in Eversley Road, Bexhill, with his family, has just reached Councillor G.H. Gray, through his late pupil, Mr. Leopold Godfrey, also well-known to many old Bexhillians. Mr. Tasker lost his life about five miles from Sanderton, while attempting to cross a drift on the Vaal River in a spider drawn by two horses, the river being in flood and a raging torrent. On entering the spirit the horses were carried off their feet and washed down the river. Mr. Tasker jumped out of the spider and endeavoured to swim ashore, but failed in the attempt and was carried way by the torrent and drowned.

1959

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THE influenza epidemic, which is widespread in other parts of the country, has not officially reached Bexhill '“ yet. This week the local sickness rate, based on certificates notified to the Ministry of Labour, was two-and-a-half times the normal figure and understood to be still rising. A sickness rate three times normal is reckoned to be an epidemic.

THE standard of the singing by 220 members of seven Anglican and five Free Church choirs and 400 members of the congregation at Sackville Road Methodist Church on Sunday evening was warmly praised by the B.B.C. in a letter to the Bexhill Council of Churches this week. The massed choirs and regular members of the congregation had been taking part in a B.B.C. Broadcast, "Sunday Half Hour."

1969

NORTHEYE Prison's Governor (Mr. D. A. Ward) continued a series of talks he is giving to the town on Friday when he addressed a special meeting of the Bexhill Council of Churches. Extending an invitation to local people to visit the prison and prisoners, he said 'I hope you will bring your wives and families and all sit down to tea together.'

THE Association of Bexhill Citizens is calling for a Town Council debate on the Ministry of Transport's Old Town bypass scheme, which, it has been stated, will become more urgent in the light of the planned Hastings expansion, and the east-west trunk road plan favoured by the Chamber of Commerce.

1979

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BEXHILL'S 1m new swimming pool is out for this year. And if some Rother councillors have their way it won't be built next year '“ or possibly ever. The pool, which would have cost Rother ratepayers less than a halfpenny in the pound, got a 21-17 'no' vote at Wednesday's special meeting of the council.

EUROPEAN gold medallist Steve Ovett treated the five-mile senior cross-country Sussex League race at Bexhill on Saturday as a training exercise. The 1,500 metres star staged a repeat performance of last year's race, giving away the winner's crown to his team-mates.

1989

STORMS of protest which greeted plans to build an indoor bowls centre have forced Rother councillors to take an in-depth look at the controversial scheme. The council received over 27 protest letters and a petition signed by 131 objectors when it offered Egerton Park Bowls Club Ltd. the 2.3-acre Polegrove site for the scheme.

HALF the town's business community does not know what services the other half offers, says Mr Martin Howard, immediate past president of the Chamber of Commerce. He has proposed that the chamber initiates a Business to Business exhibition.

1999

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ELECTIONEERING for votes in May began in earnest on Wednesday night. Rother policy committee's annual budget meeting to recommend to full council the tax it should levy for 1999-2000 saw a pitched battle between two conflicting political philosophies. The Conservatives argued that some of the 506,000 wrought from East Sussex County Council in a settlement of the long-running coast protection costs dispute should be used to peg Council Tax. The Liberal Democrats, supported by Labour, argued that this was a Tory ploy to curry favour with the voters, which would cost the electorate more in the long run through lost Government grant aid.

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