Bohemia Village Voice

Then & Now by Ken Brooks

Around Hastings: Then & Now by Ken Brooks.
Reviewed by Bronwyn Pryde.
The second in the authors’ ‘then and now’ strand covers St Leonards, Silverhill and Ore Village. It is of the same high standard as the first book, again the most notable point being that the ‘then’ and ‘now’ images are taken from almost exactly the same viewpoint as each other which makes comparisons easier. What is also remarkable to note is how little some buildings have changed over 100 years or so and how much others have altered, some being completely demolished and the site redeveloped. The most striking example of this is that of Marine Court, which was the tallest residential structure in Britain at the time of its completion in 1938. Unfortunately a large terrace of buildings which were one of James Burtons’ finest works was pulled down in order to make way for it.
o Around Hastings: Then and Now by Ken Brooks. 104 pages, published 2004, £9.50. Available now from the Bohemia Village Voice office.