18-08-2019, 01:04 AM
1
little bit of South coast history
This is the top of the hill that railway finishes up. This is overlooking Hastings towards Eastbourne
right behind this photo was
back in history when England was being invaded by the French or even the Spanish, huge signal fires were lit right along the south coast. if it was not possible to lite a huge signal fire they used one of these.
the top framework held the fire and so could even be seen in the far distance as in the top photo.
here is another one at Dover Castle
then of course there was also these martello watch towers also all along the South coast
every few miles there were the Castles ,too many to mention ,we have 3/4 near us
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we all have heard of 1066 and the battle of Hastings and what happened to King Harold.
But very little is known about 1065 so let me enlighten you.
I live not far from Bexhill on Sea and is where King Harold recruited his army. I have been told it was more or less where my house is now.
Well to cut the story short the first two to join were a spear thrower and an axe welder who were so good the King recruited them as his personal body guard.
The third man to try and join up was the village idiot whose job was to look after the animals in the fields.
The King apparently asked if he had ever used a weapon, the village idiot said no. So King Harold gave him a bow and arrow to try out
Well the village idiot aimed at a wall and he arrow bounced off then hit a tree and was lost..
King Harold said he could join his army but be at the back incase he had someones eye out.
18-08-2019, 02:33 AM
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Re: little bit of South coast history
I spent time in Brighton too. I worked for a company called "Brighton Asbestos Company" (bet they wouldn't call themselves that now) I was a typist who could drive trucks ( or a truck driver who could type) for a few months. I also played for the Brighton Arrows cricket team. This was all back in 1965! LOL!18-08-2019, 03:59 AM
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Re: little bit of South coast history
Originally Posted by Ciderman
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I spent time in Brighton too. I worked for a company called "Brighton Asbestos Company" (bet they wouldn't call themselves that now) I was a typist who could drive trucks ( or a truck driver who could type) for a few months. I also played for the Brighton Arrows cricket team. This was all back in 1965! LOL!
18-08-2019, 12:42 PM
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Re: little bit of South coast history
As a courier I visited Eastbourne on a couple of occasions, after I had delivered my parcels, and for the rest of the day, I walked up to beachy head on the coast path. Some beautiful walks around that area and now I'm retired I'd love to spend a week there and study the area in more detail....I also visited Brighton a couple of times, although I wasn't very impressed with it, a bit too over commercialised for my liking.
In the early to mid sixties my Dad would make the 300 plus mile drive from South Yorkshire down to Newquay every year for our annual holiday. No motorways in those days, and the Ford Anglia slashback was not the most comfortable of cars. We would take an old Roman road called the Fosse Way for most of the journey and It took us almost twelve hours.
They were some of the best beaches I had ever seen, and I watched the surfers on Fistral beach while listening to 'Good Vibrations' and 'God Only Knows' by the Beachboys...Who knows, perhaps I had been watching Keezoy surfing..
Porth Beach was our preferred sunbathing spot, the mouth of the river Gannel if I recall. When the tide was out it exposed a beautiful sandy beach, but as the tide came in we would advance up onto the rocks. The two headlands were about half a mile apart, and just in a joke my Dad said he would give me a pound if I could swim across...
Been the competitive lad that I am, I took his challenge seriously and sneaked down to the water's edge and dived in. I swam across and arrived at a private dock belonging to the hotel on the hill, a smartly dressed butler met me as I pulled my tired body out of the water. He was carrying a silver tray with a glass of orange balanced in the middle.
He explained that some of the guests had watched me swim across and clubbed together with my reward....After a rest and emptying the glass of orange I dived back in the water and made the return trip. Dad was livid.....and I never did get my pound, just a clip round the ear.....
....Happy Days....
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