The town of Hastings, on the coast of East Sussex, was one of the
medieval Cinque Ports on the south-east coast of England, benefitting
from trade with Continental Europe. As the town developed into a seaside
resort in the nineteenth century with the arrival of the railway, the
adjoining settlement of St Leonards was built as an elegant new town to
attract wealthy incomers. Hastings still operates a fishing fleet today
and has grown into a large, culturally diverse town that welcomes many
visitors to its ancient streets, historic old town and beaches. In
Hastings & St Leonards: The Postcard Collection author Alan Spree has
drawn on a remarkable selection of old postcards to give a pictorial
record of life in these towns in the past, from the Edwardian period to
the end of the First World War. Although many landmarks have remained
the same over the years, there have also been many changes in Hastings
and St Leonards and the photographs show the towns and their communities
adapting and changing over the course of this period. This fascinating
collection of images will be of interest to those who have lived in
Hastings and St Leonards or know them well.
