Bohemia Village Voice

Written by Sue King of the Voice

Hastings Revisited by Susan E. King. 128pp. Tempus Publishing. £12.99. Reviewed by Bronwyn Pryde.

Over 200 black and white photographs, along with a few line drawings make up this marvellous pictorial record of Hastings and St Leonards. The pictures were mostly taken around 1890-1910 and show many aspects of life in the town at this time. The book is divided into eight chapters covering the fishing community, tourism, farming and local crafts, shops and streets, childhood, leisure, transport and war. Each picture is accompanied by an explanation and there is a brief introduction explaining that the  purpose of the book is not to celebrate Hastings’ position of national historical importance but to ‘open a window on its everyday life over the past hundred years or so.’ That indeed it does and anyone with an interest in Hastings’ past should have a copy. It is available now from the Bohemia Village Voice office.