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Bohemia Village Voice No. 36. Saturday 9 September 2006.
Your free local newsletter - anything and everything to do with Bohemia
NEW BUSINESS
THE BOOK CAFE
‘Stand out from the crowd’ say Bankrupt Mandie hands over Georgina & Louise Book Café to ‘teenage girls’
Georgina (left) trying a manicure from Georgie at newly opened Sanctuary
Our local beauty parlour opened for business last Saturday. The ‘GL Sanctuary’, in Bohemia Road, (so named from founders Georgina and Louise, and whose motto is “Be your best, stand out from the crowd.”), had a steady stream of new clients through their doors and took a healthy number of bookings for future treatments. For anyone feeling lucky, there was a special raffle - which is on until the end of the month, with a ‘Luxury Pamper Day’ as the prize, reckoned to be worth £350. Tickets are £2 a strip. Clients’ attention is drawn to the Sanctuary’s ‘aims and ambitions’ notice hung on the wall: ‘Dear Guests, welcome to GL Sanctuary, a place for renewal, wellness and beauty. We invite you to relax
within the sanctuary of our luxurious, exotic retreat. As partners, our vision was to design a facility that offers guests the latest innovations in skin rejuvenation, body treatments, massage, hydrotherapy, beauty and nail services in an atmosphere of luxury. We believe that personal care is a wise investment that can reward us with total well being. GL Sanctuary is a place where mind, body and spirit can quietly connect. Our talented and caring team of professionals constantly strive to exceed your expectations, providing the highest quality in products and services.’ GL Sanctuary. Georgina Little and Louise Sadler. 72, Bohemia Road. 01424 721890.
PROPERTY FOR SALE
Furniture Corner for sale at £79,950? No, £210,000 ‘Furniture Corner’, the substantial building at 76, Bohemia Road, on the corner of Tower Road and Bohemia Road was advertised this week as being on sale at £79,950. The property is described as ‘Occupying a prominent corner location, a substantial freehold property, comprising a ground floor retail premises, let and producing income, along with two
upper floor flats requiring completion. The two flats are partially finished, each having two bedrooms, and have their own shared entrance.’ A bargain? No, just a printing mistake. The correct price, Abbey Gate confirmed on Wednesday, is £210,000. Abbey Gate, 01424 772477. Email: mail@abbey-gate.co.uk
We are sad to report that The Book Café’s Mandie Eyre has found herself ‘homeless and bankrupt’ and that she has handed over the running of her project to ‘two teenage girls’. In a moving e-mail, in which she gives permission for her story to be shared, she writes (abridged): “Hello there, I’m getting tired of telling my tale of woe, but as I’m currently homeless and bankrupt it looks unlikely the shop will ever fulfil it’s potential. I handed it over to two teenage girls who want more out of life than an early pregnancy and a council house like most of the poor disillusioned kids down there. Right now I’m at Wokingham station, not sure where I’m headed, just over a tenner to my name and a ticket to London in my hand. I moved away
properly last weekend. I intend to disappear for the moment but I’m all over the net so I’m sure the world will go on just fine. I don't have a contact address or telephone number as all my worldly goods are locked up. I doubt you and I will ever speak or meet again. Sorry if I’m not very eloquent but I have a permanent sleep disorder as well as a physical disability, and right now I have no idea when my next chance to sit down and/or sleep will be. Keep doing your bit for the community. As soon as possible I’ll be going to visit some of my actual projects overseas.” Mandie Eyre from BackScratchers LGEC Ltd Co Reg 4431338. www.backscratchers.org
HASTINGS POLICE STATION
Revamp for Cop Shop - complete rebuild of front desk ‘Significant changes’ for Bohemia’s police station have been announced by Hastings Police Chief Inspector Trevor Bowles: “There is a major new rebuild of the front office due to start on 11th September. This work will take 26 weeks and whilst there is going to be significant disruption, the finished product will be a brand new facility for visitors to the police station. Many people have apparently remarked on the current front office at Hastings and the detailed planning for this building work will bring enormous benefits. Temporary arrangements are planned whilst the building work is taking place and I would ask for your patience during what is likely to be a time of short term inconvenience.” Bohemia Village Voice Edited and published by John Humphries at 33, St Peter’s Road, Bohemia Village, Sussex, England, TN37 6JQ. Telephone: 01424 446759. Mobile: 07891 634377. E-mail: john@johnhumphries.f2s.com Proof reader: Valentine Torrington. To begin receiving this newsletter: please send an e-mail to John Humphries with
It it understood that personnel from Hastings Borough Council and the Safer Hastings Partnership will be moving into offices on the first floor of Hastings Police Station in September from their current accommodation at Warrior Square Station. “Our work with the Safer Hastings Partnership takes on ever greater significance, and I know that they are looking forward to arriving here at the Police Station. There is preparatory work underway to ensure that IT and the infrastructure is in place for 11th September 2006 when the move should be complete.” said inspector Bowles. Sussex Police 0845 60 70 999 (open 24x7). Crimestoppers (you can give information anonymously, open 24x7): 0800 555111. the message “Please subscribe me to Bohemia Village Voice.” First published in May 2006. © 2006 John Humphries. Circulation for edition 35, Saturday 2 September: e-mail: 79, printed version: 257, total: 336. Printed by Fastprint of St Leonards, Sussex. Next issue: Saturday 16 September 2006.
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Bohemia Village Voice No. 36. Saturday 9 September 2006.
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SERIAL
Vie de Bohème - how the Bohemian Club was formed [Part 15 of 24. Artist and musician Alexandre Schaunard has been thrown out of his room for non-payment of rent. He has been traipsing the streets of Paris, searching for anyone from whom he can borrow a few francs. Hunger at last drives him to ‘Mother Cadet’s’ where he has just ordered two portions of rabbit stew.]
“I say!” Schaunard struck his knife on his glass. “Where’s my rabbit stew?” “It’s off, sir,” said the waitress, bringing a plate. “It’s finished, this is the last portion - and it’s been ordered by this gentleman.” She deposited the plate before the man of books. “Confound it!” said Schaunard. The expletive was so full of melancholy disappointment that the man of books was moved. He pushed aside the wall of volumes between himself and Schaunard, set the plate between them and said, in the gentlest accents of which he was capable: “Sir, might I make so bold as to invite you to share this dish?” “I could not deprive you, sir.” “You could not deprive me, then, of the pleasure of obliging you?” “Well, sir, if you put it like
that...” Schaunard pushed forward his plate. “Permit me to refrain from offering you the head,” said the stranger. “Why, sir, I could not allow ...!” But when Schaunard drew his plate back towards him, he perceived that the stranger had served him with exactly that portion which he had expressed his desire to keep for himself. “What does he mean, with his fancy manners?” Schaunard grumbled inwardly. “The head is the most noble part of the human form,” said the stranger, “but it’s the worst part of the rabbit. Many people, therefore cannot endure it. I am different, I adore it passionately.” “In that case,” said Schaunard, “I deeply regret having deprived you of it.” “Eh, Excuse me,” said the man of books, “I have the head. I may even have the honour to observe
that ...” “Allow me,” said Schaunard, pushing his plate beneath the other’s nose. “How would you describe this morsel?” “Gracious heaven, what do I see? By Jiminy, yet another head! A bicephalous rabbit!” “Bi -?” “Bicephalous: from the Greek. Now that I think of it, M. de Buffon - who wore artificial cuffs, by the way - quotes examples of this rare occurrence. Well, I can truthfully say that I am gratified to have partaken of such a phenomenon.” Thanks to this incident, a conversation had definitely been initiated. Schaunard, unwilling to be behindhand with civility, ordered an extra litre. The man of books ordered another. Schaunard proposed a salad; the man of books proposed a sweet. By eight o’clock, six litre bottles were
standing empty on the table. As they conversed, their natural openheartedness, irrigated with the draughts of the rough wine, urged them on to an exchange of autobiographies. The came to know each other as if they had been together all their lives. The man of books, after hearing Schaunard’s outpourings, informed him that his own name was Gustave Colline. He was a philosopher by calling, and lived by giving lessons in mathematics, scholastics, botanics, and various other sciences ending in “ics”. [To be continued …] [Vie de Bohème by Henry Mürger, a vivid portrait of the ‘Bohemian’ life of the artistic quarter of Paris in the nineteenth century was originally published (by Michel Lévy) in 1851. The extract above is taken from a translation by Norman Cameron, published by Hamish Hamilton. The illustration is by Dodi Masterman.]
Next week: Schaunard and his new friend, Colline, go on for coffee and more wine and meet up with M. Mouton and Rodolphe.
UPPER SOUTH ROAD
Alleyway dumping causes distress An act of thoughtlessness caused some tears and considerable distress to at least one Upper South Road lady this week. Early on Monday, ‘Janet’ discovered that ‘about 20’ black bin liners of household rubbish had been dumped in the alleyway connecting Upper South Road and Newgate Road. Several had split open revealing videos, baby food, containers, make up, shoes, boots and women’s underwear. At about 8:00am she reported the incident to the Council, who promised to forward details to the dustmen, who were due to make a collection that day. “We had just got rid of the drugs problem,” said Janet, “Now we are starting to get all the rubbish.” Later that morning, when the Bohemia Village Voice spoke to her, she was full of praise for the dustmen who had cleared most of the bags. “They’ve taken some of the correspondence and they believe the bags were thrown over the wall from a property in Clarence Road. The dustmen were reported to have said
that because the bags had split open, they were probably thrown over the adjoining wall - the one which separates the passageway from the gardens of properties in Clarence Road.” Correspondence addressed to No. 11, Clarence Road was apparently found in the rubbish bags. OWNERSHIP
It appears that the passageway is not maintained by the Council, and ownership of it seems to be uncertain. Two local residents, a woman in Upper South Road and a man in Newgate Road have taken upon themselves the responsibility of keeping it clean and clear of weeds, even paying for ‘Weedol’ and a strimmer out of their own funds. “We have been trying to get the Council to adopt the alleyway for 26 years. But they just say ‘it doesn’t belong to us’.” GATE
About half way along the passage is a well-made, sturdy-looking iron gate, which shuts off a branch of the alleyway running towards Bohemia
Road. “We fought hard for that, because of the drug problem, down at the bottom of the path. The BAA [Bohemia Area Association] got the gate put on. Even with the gate, it’s not easy getting the residents to keep it locked.” The latest incident is a shame as some residents are clearly trying to make Rubbish seen in North Star alleyway on Monday the passageway a pleasant place in which to walk: be kept within the property until fuschia, vines, clematis are all 7am on the morning of collection. So, 1. Keep your refuse within the encouraged to grow over the walls. In April, Hastings Borough Council boundary of your property. 2. Do not issued a leaflet explaining how plac- place your waste out early. 3. If your ing rubbish out early could cost you refuse sack becomes split before col£50. Residents were advised that lection, it remains your waste. Hastings Borough Council refuse they are responsible for their waste until it is collected, and that it must & recycling: 0845 274 1076. Litter be adequately contained, and must and fly tipping: 0800 085 4500.
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Bohemia Village Voice No. 36. Saturday 9 September 2006.
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HISTORY OF BOHEMIA
HISTORY OF BOHEMIA
Gipsy teas and syllabub
Cornfield Terrace - 1974
[Part three of five excerpts from a February 1966 Hastings Observer article entitled ‘Bohemia For Gipsy Teas And Syllabub’, which explores the possibilities of how Bohemia got its name. Hastings Museum curator, Mr J. Mainwaring Baines, quotes a reference to Bohemia in the first Hastings Guide, published by John Stell in 1794, which mentions a farmhouse called Bohemia, ‘famous for plenty of fine cream; on which account it is much frequented in the summer by tea and syllabub parties.’ A map published in 1783 shows Bohemy Farm and a reference to Bohemia is found in 1804 when the occupier was Benjamin Foster. ]
The following listing was published in the 1974 edition of Kelly’s Directory of Hastings with St Leonards and Battle. The abbreviations are thought to be as follows: Arth = Arthur; Chas = Charles; Edwd = Edward; Fredk = Frederick; Geo = George; Herbt = Herbert; Hy = Henry; Jn = John; jun = junior; Margt = Margaret; Michl = Michael; Rt = Robert; sen = senior; Thos = Thomas; Wltr = Walter; Wm = William. Cornfield Terrace runs from 172 Bohemia Road to 35, Tower Road.
PARTY TIME
It looks very much as if the farmhouse got this name [‘Bohemia’] because of the parties held there in Bohemian or gipsy fashion, that is, in the open air. It was a comfortable distance from the Hastings of its day, which was the Old Town valley and George Street, and the 1794 guide shows that it had attained some degree of popularity. It is worth noting that both Bohemia Hill and Bohemia Hollow at Harting, derive their name from being traditionally
recognised as assembly places for gipsies. There is no such tradition here, but one can see how Foster’s farm got a new name from the ‘gipsy parties’ of visitors. But while we are about it, we might have a shot at tracing its early history long before the Cramps and the Fosters. And here a valuable clue emerges in 1831. it would be dull reading to go into all the owners and occupiers in the meantime, but one of them might be mentioned. A brief report in the old Sussex Weekly Advertiser, for 1814, says of it, ‘A very neat and well-furnished farm house in the occupation of Mr Vincent, late of the Bell Inn, Bexhill, is a much frequented resort of fashion. It commands delightful views of the Castle and the Priory, Fairlight and a wide expanse of the English Channel.’ No mention of the cream and syllabubs, one notices, but no Englishman worthy of the name, walks far afield, without making a hearty tea at the end of it. [Continued next week:‘Royal visit’]
HASTINGS & ROTHER MEDIATION SERVICE
Dean of Chichester to speak at Horntye mediation meeting Hastings & Rother Mediation Service is holding its AGM on Thursday 12 October 2006 at 5.00pm at Horntye Park, off Bohemia Road, Hastings. The guest speaker will be The Dean of Chichester, The Very Reverend Nicholas Frayling*, who has made a special study of conflict in Northern Ireland and has written on it in his book Pardon and Peace. Members of the public are welcome to attend. There will be refreshments available from 4.30 pm. H&RMS is a local charitable organisation dedicated to developing constructive means of resolving conflicts in communities. It was founded in 1995. Since then many people in the Hastings & Rother area have benefited from using its service to help resolve their disputes. If you are you troubled by noise from neighbours, harassment or abuse, boundary disputes, children’s behaviour,
pets’ behaviour or parking disputes, these are just some of the problems which the Mediation Service can help with. ∗ Nicholas has become noted for his work for reconciliation, not only between faith communities but also between Britain and Ireland. His book Pardon and Peace has been highly acclaimed, and he has lectured and spoken on reconciliation in Switzerland, Ireland, the United States and Israel/Palestine. During his time in Liverpool, he was chairman of the Welfare Organisations Committee of Liverpool Council of Voluntary Service, of the Religious Advisory Panel of BBC Radio Merseyside and of the Mersey Mission to Seafarers. He was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Laws by the University of Liverpool in 2001.
Hastings & Rother Mediation Service, 2nd Floor, 3 Cambridge Gardens, Hastings, TN34 1EH. Tel. 01424 446808. E-mail: hrmediation@aol.com
NORTH-EAST SIDE 1. Frackman, Mrs M. M. 2. Wilkins, Mrs. 3. Leaver, Wm F. 4. White, Fredk. 6. Murray, Thos. 7. Peerless, G. jun 8. Leusley, Mrs C. W. 9. Balcome, Ernest H. 10. Peerless, Harold H. 11. Elphick, Gertrude M. 12. Chapman, Herbt. 13. Daish, David J. 14. Chaplin, Stanley, G. 15. Vidler, Alfred G. 16. Peerless, Geo. sen. 17. Wilson, Hy. 18. Taylor, J. 19. French, David A. 20. Layne, Michl. 21A. Mewett, F. L.
21B. Palmer, E. B. 21C. Selmes, David. 22. Beeching, Kenneth J. 23. Croft, Aubrey A. 23. Thornton, Mrs D 23A. Jarrett, Jn. 24. Hindes, Louisa. 24A. Rumsey, Mrs. 25. Button, A. E. 26. Hull, Chas. S. 27/28. Wray, I. (Grocer). 29. Searle, D. E. 30. Muspratt, Wm. C. 31. Phillips, Wallace. 32. Lewis, Cyril E. 35. Goble, Edwd. Geo. 36. Brown, Mrs. 37. Standen, Hy. G. 38. Wood, Mrs. 39. Anderson, Mrs M. 40. Cruickshank, Andrew F. 41. Hudspeth, Mrs M. 42. Carter, Raymond F. 43. D’Warte, Ivan F. 44. MacKay, Wm. A. 45. Adams, Fredk. 46. Mayger, Miss G. 47. Gutsell, W. E. 47A. Larkin, Mrs R. 48. Gain, Ernest Jn. 48A. Buckle, Mrs E. 49. Carter, Winifred. SOUTH-WEST SIDE St Peter’s Church House & Sunday School.
HASTINGS POLICE
Top swop at Cop Shop The head man at our local police station is to change. After only 18 months as chief inspector, Trevor Bowles leaves this month to be replaced by Tony Blaker. Trevor will become detective chief inspector with the Major Crime Branch. The new chief inspector, Tony Blaker, is currently the District Commander at Wealden and takes up his position at
Hastings on September 11. Trevor said “The investigation of burglary remains a clear priority here at Hastings. There is now a fully staffed burglary team at Hastings CID, with a detective sergeant leading three detectives and two police constables. Hastings Police Station, Bohemia Road. Tel. 0845 60 70 999 (open 24x7).
BOHEMIA VILLAGE VOICE
Circulation of Voice rises This week, 500 copies of the Voice will be distributed in Bohemia. All shops and businesses should receive a copy. Don’t forget that copies of the Bohemia Village Voice may be collected from the following places: H A P Munday & Son, Newsagents at 54, Bohemia Road. 01424 437233. Woods Newsagents, 86-88, Bohemia
Road. 01424 443340. Empress Art, 3/4, Tower Road. 01424 442000. Bookman’s Halt, 127, Bohemia Road. 01424 421413. Horntye Park Sports Complex, Bohemia Road. 01424 716666. Please remember that you can receive a full-colour version for free, by e-mail. Just send your email address to john@johnhumphries.f2s.com
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Bohemia Village Voice No. 36. Saturday 9 September 2006.
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HISTORY OF BOHEMIA
YES! This is that cheap DRAPER - W.B.Taylor A large projection hoarding proclaims “YES! This is that cheap DRAPER - W.B.TAYLOR.” The signs for this business, shown in the photograph below of Bohemia Road in the early part of the last century, are painted on the outside of the
building at first and second floor levels, as well as the sunblinds and projecting from the walls. There’s even a flag. The road to the left is probably Newgate Road. Tram lines can be easily spotted in the road.
Nearly all the shops have blinds, something that seems to have largely disappeared. It looks like a sunny day, but the women are dressed in long black garments. There are very few vehicles, and no cars of course.
There seems to be only one gas lamp - it must have been fairly dark and threatening at night. Empress Art, 3/4, Tower Road, TN37 6JE. Colin Green. Tel. 01424 442000.
Bohemia Road (1915?). Centre of picture is draper, W.B.Taylor. (photo courtesy of Colin Green, Empress Art)
Grapevine 65 BOHEMIA ROAD It is heard that Maurice Dunford, owner of Security First at 65, Bohemia Road wants to let his shop and maisonette above. Mr Dunford also owns the buildings which house Café 67 and the Bohemia Lighting Centre. 15 TOWER ROAD Two maisonettes are for sale at this address, the lower one for £115,000 and the upper one for £125,000. What appears to be a three-storey building is, in fact a four-storey one. The upper maisonette is described by agents Andrews as an ‘exceptionally well-presented and newly refurbished three bedroomed first floor maisonette with fitted kitchen, fit-
Puzzle Corner ted bathroom, shower room, entryphone system and roof terrace.’ Andrews, tel. 01424 722122.
Q. Where, in Bohemia might you find this life-size model of an iguanodon? Answer next week.
BOHEMIA AREA ASSOC. The committee held its September meeting on Thursday this week at the YMCA. Full report next week. AUDI TT DAMAGED Sometime between 7:00pm on Saturday 2nd September and 11:00am the next morning, a wing mirror was broken on a blue Audi TT. Anyone with information about this incident, which happened in Magdalen Road, should contact the police on 0845 60 70 999 (24x7) or anonymously (also 24x7) on 0800 555 111. Please quote ref 657 of 3 Sept.
Where is this iguanodon?
Answer to last week’s puzzle: Last week’s question was “Where is Memorial House?” The answer is Upper Park Road, opposite Park Road Methodist Church. It is part of the newly opened ‘Bet Bet Bet’ bookmakers in Bohemia Road. But what was the building for? Local historian Edward Preston says “No one seems able to give a definitive answer to this question. It’s likely that the block of which it is part, was built in the late 1860s or early 1870s, and it may well have been a memorial to Prince Albert, who died in 1861. The memorial in Hastings town centre was built in 1864. I believe the statue of Albert still exists. It was on show to the public for some years in the greenhouses in Alexandra Park. I’m not sure if the clock itself is still around.”