Observer Building Returning to Action and Open Days.

I first mentioned this redevelopment in a blog a couple of years ago, but now it is coming to fruition. Indeed, the first of 2 open days at the Observer Building, 53 Cambridge Road TN34 1DT, is being held tomorrow (Saturday the 21st of May) from 11.00 am to 2.00 pm, and a second will be held on Wednesday the 25th May between 4.30 and 7.30 pm. The reopening of the building is planned for August, further information about their wide ranging plans, including homes, shops, workshops, and offices, is at their website, and, should you be interested in visiting on one of the open days, please register on their EventBrite page, which contains further information too.

With congratulations and best wishes to the regeneration team!

The Observer Building was designed by the prolific local architect Henry Ward in the early 1920s, who also designed the Queens Road Town Hall (blog) and Debenhams (blog), as well as being involved in many other local landmarks. 

Henry Ward (1854-1927) was buried at Hastings Cemetery in September 1927.

A Sad Goodbye to Debenhams

Well, the final closures of Debenhams stores countrywide happened yesterday (BBC), but did you know that the Hastings branch at 3 Robertson Street was originally a drapers store run by William Plummer? He opened his store in 1871, before merging with his neighbour from 1-2 Robertson Street, George Roddis, (and another chap, Reginald Tyrrell of Bournemouth, who later left their arrangement), to become Plummer Roddis until bought out by Debenhams in the early 1970s.

The building had been rebuilt in 1927, to a fine design by the local architect Henry Ward, in the last year of his life, and who designed many other local buildings, including the town hall in Queens Road (blog). 

Sad to see Debenhams go...

Observer Building Recovery Funding

I discovered very recently that East Sussex County Council, as part of their £45 million East Sussex Economic Recovery Plan (website), are to provide funds for the development of the Observer Building in Cambridge Road TN34 1DT (photograph taken this morning). The Recovery Plan is to help aid recovery from the impact of the Covid-19 Crisis. Fingers crossed...

The Observer Building (Architects' Journal) was designed in the early 1920s by architect Henry Ward (1852-1927), who designed many other local buildings, including the (newer) old town hall in Queens Road (blog).

The General Havelock

The General Havelock has reopened under new management, OK, this may not be the most new news, as it reopened a wee while ago, following its closure on Jamie's departure, but I thought it would be worth writing about, as it is a very interesting building, indeed. Now I'm not one to frequent the place, certainly not in the evening anyway, but it has a lovely interior and interesting history, and is a pleasant hostelry in which to enjoy a glass or two of ale during the afternoon!   

The General Havelock is situated between Cambridge Road and Havelock Road in Hastings town centre, and is included as one of Britain's Real Heritage Pubs because of its exceptional tiled paintings, indeed, the Tiles & Architectural Ceramics Society describes the interior as being among "the candidates for the best turn-of-the-century pub tile scheme in Britain."  

Following the death of General Sir Henry Havelock, soon after the relief of Lucknow in 1857, Passenger Station Road was renamed Havelock Road. The Havelock Hotel was opened at number 27, and later became the General Havelock pub in the 1880s, at the time covering the larger overall building to the south too.  

In 1889-90 a refit was carried out by the local architect, Henry Ward of Bohemia Road, who also designed many other well known Hastings buildings, eg Hastings Town Hall and the Observer building. Ward brought in A. T. S. Carter of Brockley to fit fantastic pictorial tiles, that were designed by either John Eyre or John McClennan of Doulton of Lambeth; who became Royal Doulton soon after, in 1901.    

At the Havelock Road entrance is the first image, ie of General Havelock himself sitting on a white horse and dressed in ceremonial uniform. Inside, on the east wall, are 3 pictorial panels, with an image of Hastings Pier and the ruins of Hastings Castle in the centre. Either side of the Castle are much larger images of the Battle of Hastings to the left, and local fishermen doing their bit for King and Country, boarding a French vessel, to the right. Indeed, this side of the pub used to be an alleyway between Cambridge Road and Havelock Road, and a public right of way, I'm not so sure about the legality of the right of way these days!    

Although the General Havelock used to be a multi-roomed hostelry, as with many pubs these days, it has been made into a large single room. It was closed for a year in 2011, then originally reopened following sympathetic refurbishment with a new manager, Jamie Butler, who helped to re-establish the pub as one well worth visiting. Now it has reopened again under newer management you can see for yourself the wonderful interior, enjoy!      

Hastings 'Gothic' Town Hall

The 'new' town hall was opened in Queens Road by the mayor, Mr William F Revill, on 7th September 1881, replacing the smaller town hall in the High Street (built in 1823), which is now the Old Town Hall Museum; itself under threat of closure because of recent spending reductions dictated to Hastings Borough Council by central Government. 

Hastings 'new' Town Hall

The architect was Henry Ward (1854-1927), who briefly worked under the guidance of local architect Walter Liberty Vernon when he first moved to Hastings, soon succeeding Vernon, and working for 50 years in Hastings, becoming a prolific architect, based in his practice at 8 Bank Buildings, Hastings. 

As a young architect Ward entered the winning design in the competition for the new Hastings Municipal Buildings. The site of the building was an awkward shape to deal with, and the winning design was a clever piece of ingenuity. It brought Ward recognition that ensured his election as an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects, an honour conferred only following significant professional success. 

Council Chamber

Consequently, one of his first designs was the Grade II listed 'Gothic Revival' Hastings Town Hall, which originally included the local Police Court and cells at the end of the ground floor corridor. The bench was at the east end of the room, with the dock in front, and the west end given over to a public gallery. Next to the court room was the police station, which took up the central part of the Station Road frontage. 

External walls were built using local blue stone, having Bath stone dressings, and the roofing was green slates. Inside, the staircase included scagliola marble columns and stained glass windows. The southern chimney place is made of Bath stone, having a carved statue of St Michael (the 'patron saint' of Hastings) and large painted tiles of Kings William and Harold. 

No more clocks -

Early sign of austerity measures?

Having recently visited the 'Council Chamber' I can confirm it is a reminder of Victorian municipal splendour, the Victorians certainly didn't hide their lights under bushels! Sadly, it is now showing slight signs of neglect, needing a fresh lick of paint at least, presumably another result of austerity measures. Indeed, the clocks outside the town hall disappeared ages ago, due to the expense of fixing them apparently. 

The opening ceremony for the town hall was followed by a luncheon in a large marquee in the adjoining cricket ground, with over a hundred guests enjoying fine food and the entertainment of a local band. Indeed, the first council meeting at the new town hall received a petition protesting about the cost to ratepayers of such an expensive event. The council refused to discuss the petition... 

Ward's Grave

Henry Ward died at the age of 73, at home in 22 Magdalen Terrace, Bohemia Road, having designed numerous other local buildings in his career, including many churches, the Observer Building, Bexhill Town Hall, and a few days after his death the Plummer Roddis department store (now Debenhams) was opened. 

A man of substance, locally a significant architect, he was buried in September 1927 at Hastings cemetery.