Category: News

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Newsletter 2024/2025

A belated New Year to you all!

We have been so involved with other projects and changes we are very late with sharing this Newsletter.

One of the major changes has been a change in the Fishermen’s Museum’s  Shipkeeper.  We welcome Stephen to our team and we hope that he’s enjoyed his first few months.

We said to goodbye to Shipkeeper Jan, who after 13 years decided it was her time to retire. We also said goodbye to Museum Assistants Sally-Ann and in January 2025 we will say goodbye to Kim after 22 years. We wish them all a long and happy retirement.

More news in the pages attached. Hopefully we will be quicker with the Spring Newsletter!

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Tripadvisor

We were very excited to see we are #5 of things to do in Hastings! See what people are saying about us by clicking on the icon…

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Christmas Cards 2023

In 2023 we are excited to announce a collaboration with artist Heather Stuart (www.heatherstuart.co.uk) for our Christmas Cards this year and we’ve had them printed, as usual, by Judges.co.uk.

There are two wonderful designs: ‘Gold, Frankincense and Mackerel’ and ‘Santa’s Little Helpers’ ©Heather Stuart 2023

Available from our website, the Fishermen’s Museum or Hastings History House.

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Lest We Forget

During World War 2, the fishermen bravely carried on with their trade, despite the ever present threat from the Luftwaffe, whose activities included mine
laying, and random attacks on any vessel that they spotted.

There were many incidents during the war, a few are noted below.

Photo taken by Mick Pelling
Photo taken by museum staff of the plaque on display on the East Wall

LEST WE FORGET

Happy Return RX198

On 29th March 1940,  whilst trawling the Happy Return caught a mine off of Rye Harbour. The mine exploded, sinking the boat, and killing the two fishermen Louis White, and Richard Eason.

Taken from the Hastings and St Leonards Observer newspaper 18/5/1940

EVG RX152

On 1st January 1942, James  ‘Grizzle’ Phillips was killed when the EVG  was strafed.

The EVG was to suffer again when on  17th March 1943, they caught a mine, and the boat was sunk, but three crew survived without serious injury.

Boy Billie RX61

April 10th 1943, the Boy Billie trawled up a mine off of Dungeness, Ned Muggridge, David Coussens and Charles Page were killed. The Boy Billie is remembered at the Merchant Navy and Fishing fleets memorial, Tower Hill London.

Sunday 23rd May 1943 was to see the loss of many well know Old Towners who were having a normal day at the Swan Inn until it was heavily bombed and destroyed. The names are listed here in the memorial service donated to the museum 

We wanted to end this short memorial with this tale of positivity from Dunkirk and although the rescued soldier wasn’t a fisherman he was rescued by a Hastings Lifeboat. 

It is believed that sometime between 2nd June and 5th June 1940 Roland Victor Thurlow, seen on the left of this picture, aged 26, was rescued by the Cyril and Lilian Bishop Hastings Lifeboat. (Thank you to Dorothy Bird for sending us her father’s story as we have never known anything about the soldiers rescued by the Cyril and Lilian Bishop so were delighted to learn of Roland’s rescue.

(With thanks to Mick Pelling from the museum for searching out these stories we don’t have on display in the museum.)

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Coronation 1953 Remembered

New exhibition at the History House for a limited time…Coronation 1953 remembered from the Hastings & St Leonards Observers of 6th & 13th June 1953

Also on display until June – Tush and Pat Hamilton’s model “Memories lost and forgotten of the Hastings Fishing Community”

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New website from Steve Peak about the history of Hastings and St Leonards-on-Sea

In December 2022, Steve Peak has put together a new website called Hastings History and has the story of the museum and the net shops as well as many other stories of Hastings and St Leonards-on-Sea. (See the links below.)

All books are available in hard copy from the Museum and the History House.

Happy reading!

https://hastingshistory.net/

https://hastingshistory.net/index.php/hastings-net-shops

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Christmas Cards!

All New Gallery

Now available from the Fishermen’s Museum and on our website shop these wonderful, exclusive cards designed by Tracey Konyu and printed by Judges.co.uk (Bexhill Road, St Leonards on sea). We’re sure you’ll agree this local collaboration is another winner!

The greeting inside is ‘Seasons Greetings’ and you get 4 of each design in each pack of 8 for £3.80. 

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Tracey Konyu Artwork

Click on each picture below for info and prices.

All Stock Available in Fishermen's Museum

We are very pleased to be chosen to stock Tracey Konyu’s exciting art work which captures the vibrancy of the Hastings Stade Fishing Quarter perfectly.

We are excited to announce we have some new pieces delivered this week in her new series! Each piece is an original piece of Art. It is a drawing onto reclaimed wood. 

There are two types from approximately 20cm by 20cm £30 or framed £45 of the boats.

There is a new line of pallet art which are lightweight and ready to hang on the wall. These are proving popular and Tracey has added smaller ones for £29.99 each featuring seagull, boats, net shops and even a deckchair! Then a larger one of the net shops at £45.

We will probably not have the exact ones showing in the images above as each one is unique, but you get an idea of what they’re like.

We also have fridge magnets at £3.50 each and coasters £18.50 for a set of 4 different designs or £5 each. Added to the ’round’ theme are the wall plaques that are larger than the coasters at £15 each.

These are all available from the Fishermen’s Museum and as with any kind of artwork, they are always better in the flesh!. If you’re not local please contact us either by phone 01424 461446 or email hastingsfishermensmuseum@googlemail.com to arrange payment and delivery. 

 

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