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128 Old Memories of East-Bourne. [Chap. XI.
previous occasion also), for a Fancy Bazaar got up for a Church Building Fund, and they served that purpose very well.
A third station was built in 1872 ; this was partly pulled down and transformed and the present station erected in 1886. The roof on the arrival side is still more modern.
I will continue my Railway history of the town and neighbourhood, for it presents a succession of matters of interest, including many disappointments and blighted hopes and expectations.
One day in the spring of 1864 Dr. Hall showed me a letter which had been addressed to him as an influential local resident and at one time Chairman of the Local Board. It came from a London firm of solicitors named Currey and Holland who were the London advisers of the Duke of Devonshire. It disclosed the fact that the South Eastern Railway Company were desirous of poaching on the Brighton Company's preserves, and getting a share of the London and East-Bourne traffic by constructing a branch line to East-Bourne from their Hastings main line at Battle. The writers of the letter wished for Dr. Hall's opinion as to the desirability of the proposal, and whether the East-Bourne people would support it. Even as early as that time there was a strong feeling in the Town that the interests of East-Bourne from a Railway point of view were kept in the background and sacrificed to the interests of Brighton. Dr. Hall asked me to go in his name to Westminster to Currey and Holland, and discuss the subject. This I did and, after seeing Mr. Holland, I was put into communication with Mr. H. Toogood, the Parliamentary Agent, and Mr. F. Brady, the Engineer of the S.E.R., and eventually we had a conference at the Burlington Hotel, East-Bourne, to consider the subject, Mr. Ellman, a Battle solicitor, being present to represent Battle. At a later stage the Brighton Company " squared " their rivals and the project was withdrawn. From a copy of the deposited plans which I possess it appears that the line would |
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