Do you remember when?

1908

THE disastrous fire which occurred at the Ninfield Post Office late on Friday in the last week, has been the chief topic of conversation during the past week. At about ten minutes to twelve, Bexhill Fire Brigade received information that their services were required at Ninfield. Captain Wise, who is in charge of the Bexhill Borough Fire Brigade, stated: "Although Bexhill has possessed a Fire Brigade for upwards of eighteen years, they have never been called on to attend a fire out of the borough until Friday last, when a ring from the Sidley fire alarm gave Mr. E Morris, caretaker at the Town Hall, to understand that the Brigade were wanted in the direction. The maroon was fired at 11.58p.m., and by this time a messenger had arrived who gave the alarm at Sidley to say the fire was at the Ninfield Post Office. I was one of the first to respond, and, knowing the difficulty that was going to be met as regards the water supply, very reluctantly ordered the first two firemen away with the hose cart (Why I say reluctantly is because it is a five miles drag)."

1958

A HEARTENING sign for the future prosperity of Bexhill has been the fact that in recent months "several businessmen have seen fit to invest considerable money in the town," said Mr. Peter Evenden, chairman of the organising committee of the 47th annual Tradesmen's Ball.

IN a report to the Hastings Group Hospital Management Committee, the Finance Officer (Mr. M.W. G. Goddard) states that the total net cost per patient week at Bexhill Hospital (63 beds) in 1956-57 was 19 12s.

1968

BEXHILL received an early first-hand account of the Government's cuts in expenditure from its own M.P., Mr. B. Godman Irvine, when on Wednesday he made a 30-minute 'flying visit' to address the Conservative Coffee Club, returning immediately to London for the House of Commons debate on the new measures. 'Wherever I go in this country and throughout the world I see that our future depends on confidence, the confidence people have in Mr. Harold Wilson; we all know how much confidence the people have in Mr. Wilson and this is now reflected all over the world,' he said.

THE Home Office may axe its plans for a prison at Wartling under cuts in spending. Along with the scheme to open a prison for 250 Category 'C' prisoners at Wartling, it was also proposed to establish prisons at Kidderminster and at Durham. Two of these plans will now have to be abandoned.

1978

THE life-line supporting a 64-year-old Bexhill institution has been cut. After more than two years of threats, Rother council has refused Bexhill Museum its 1,500 grant for 1978. But Museum Association chairman Mr Dick Child says: "We will struggle on. We will not give up."

BEXHILL firemen expect to be back manning the station on Monday, after the Bridlington conference's decision to end the strike. Firemen discussed the outcome of the conference at an area meeting at Lewes last night.

1988

THE wheel of history could turn full circle at Glyne Gap. The planned shopping / leisure complex could be served by its own railway halt. If the station were built it would reactivate an idea dating back 83 years '“ but it could involve spending by both Rother Council and the developers of the complex.

PLANS to turn the former holiday home of the Stars Organisation for Spastics into a nursing home go before Rother council's planning committee today. The Pages Avenue house closed as a children's holiday home last year and now the charity wants to see it turned into a home for 37 residents.

1998

A SCHOOL for the Millennium is the vision of Bexhill High School which its new head teacher is determined to bring to fruition. European links, community involvement, improved league table position and a complete new school at Gunters Lane are the priorities for Michael Conn, who took over as head this term with a background in commerce, industry and music as well as education.

TRADERS are falling over themselves to join a newly-reconstituted Sackville Road Traders' Association. In an initial trawl, music shop boss Tony Bird found 26 fellow traders so willing to join that many were pressing him to accept their subscription there and then. From a low point at Christmas when, because the association had faded to nothing, Sackville Road was without any decorative lights or any corporate contribution to late-night shopping, the stage is now set for a dramatic revival.