1900
EASTBOURNE was the second largest town
in East Sussex after Brighton.
THE council bought the Eastbourne Electric
Light Company for �82,135.
THE foundation stone of our Lady of Ransom
church was laid.
THE Caffyns firm had branched into electrical
appliances and was first requested to store a
car.
1901
ELECTRIC lighting came to the pier and the
present pier theatre opened as an 1,100-seat
auditorium with a camera obscura.
THE statue of the 7th Duke in Devonshire
Place was unveiled.
EASBOURNE'S population was 43,337.
1902
HAMPDEN Park of 82 acres and Kings Drive
were opened
THE council became a Local Education
Authority and provided council schools from
1904.
THE Western Lawns was conveyed to the
council.
THE towns first purpose built slipper baths
and public library in Seaside, as most houses
there didn't have bathrooms or books, was
extended in 1924 (it closed in 1976 and
became EODS rehearsal rooms).
1903
EASTBOURNE bus service started and was
one of the first municipal in the country.
OCCASIONAL moving picture shows were
shown on the pier.
THE County Mental Asylum opened at
Hellingly.
1904
WHITLEY Bridge was opened named after
Nicholas Whitley, the Davies Gilbert's agent
who had laid out The Avenue. It was widened
in the 1970s.
THE first motor fatality in Eastbourne
occoured when the little daughter of an
Eastbourne builder was knocked down in
Upperton Road.
1904-5
HOLYWELL, an old chalk pit, was laid out to
provide work for the unemployed and the
town had to borrow the �400 cost.
1905
A NEW Fire Station opened in Grove Road.
MOTCOMBE Baths opened.
c1905
PRIVATE schools in Eastbourne flourished
and many colonials sent their children to
Eastbourne. One school was St Cyprians
where the headmaster's wife had a presence
that dominated the school . It had amazing
success with scholarships with Eric Blair
(George Orwell) winning two. Another incredi-
ble school was Jane Pott's in The Links Meads
where young ladies of nobility and fashion
were found because Miss Potts had been a
Royal governess - the Royal family knew her
well and called her `Potty' although as the
children put it `she would not be sat on'.
FLORA McCartie started the Soldiers and
Sailors' Home to teach disabled ex-servicemen
a trade.
c1905
CLEMENT Brewer opened his first shop.
1906
THE Queen Alexandra Cottage Homes opened
in Seaside and the rent was one penny a
week.
1907
EASTBOURNE Operatic and Drama Society
was formed.
ELISE Randall started her prestigious School
of Domestic Economy.
1907-8
THE Artisans Golf Club course opened and is
now The Downs Club.
TOWER Road, Tower Place and Tower Street
were renamed Redoubt, St James and
Latimer Roads having developed an
unsavoury reputation.
1908
SPENCER Compton, the 8th Duke of
Devonshire died and was succeeded by a
nephew.
REGULAR film showings in the New Picture
Hall, later the Tivoli, began and continued to
1982.
1909
FIRST Home Visitor in the town.
THE "Big" School of Eastbourne College was
built
1900, and town
is second biggest
in East Sussex
54 Gazette, Wednesday, September 23, 2009 e-mail: eastbourne.herald@trbeckett.co.uk
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