Queens Road Hastings billboards 1960

© Harold Dilworth Crewdson

Graham Sherrington… plain simple photos aint they great what is there now?

Keith Veness… Graham, I think it was a petrol station and then a car sales Now a block of flats opposite Morrisons

Graham Sherrington… wow that far down from the memorial we did not move to Queens Road till 63/4 from the High Street. thanks

Peter Ellingworth… I believe this is 158 Queens Rd., which along with Nelson, Milward Rds. and St. Mary’s Terrace were the victims of a Nazi three fighter-bombers raid on 26th Sept.1940 in which fourty high explosive bombs were dropped, the targets being the nearby gas holders and rail lines.
Three people were killed and a number injured. (Source- ‘Hastings at War’ and ‘Historical Hastings’.)  I remember the site as a kid well- note how the overhead wiring for the former trolleybuses is still intact after they finished in May-June 1959. Didn’t it become a garage shortly afterwards lasting until well into the 1970’s?

Richard J Porter… Flats now, I think.

David Edwards… It was Little Joe’s car lot for years.

Nigel Sinden… David, It was when I first moved into Stonefield Road.

Peter Ellingworth… Further to my previous post: With further examination on Google, I believe 158 Queens Rd. is actually on the opposite side of the road to the photo, and during the raid of Thursday 26th Sept 1940 158 Queens Rd. and the property opposite ( the one in the photo), was destroyed along with others in the town as mentioned. I have just found my original copy that the Observer published of ‘Hastings at War’ which if anybody interested I will bring along when I get down, all being well to the next coffee meet. There are two photos of the damage on both sides of Queens Rd.
I believe this booklet was reproduced some years ago, can anybody enlighten me on that? It’s interesting to reflect on re -reading in this booklet how relatively defenceless Hastings was left until well into the war, as with the shortage of Ack-Ack guns these were mainly deployed in cities and industrial areas elsewhere. Also that Hastings’s post raids assistance programme set up by HBC was used as a yardstick for other towns.

John Butcher… l think the Germans got the best in their restoration as we were told there was a limit to repairs by Hastings council unlike many years after for princess anne.

Graham Sherrington… I have a copy of Hastings at War will see when it was printed. Thanks for the info on the photo.

Molly Russell – Toffs night club, Queen’s Road Hastings -1979

Mick Knights… Formally the Astral. Remember on the application form for membership one question was make of car. Taxi was a popular answer!!

Alan Esdaile… Remember Molly well and remember Toff’s. Toff’s was always busy and run well. Molly was my neighbour at one stage.

Graham Bradley… Remember Molly very well , great club so was the Astral with Jackie

 

Changing face of Queens Road area Hastings photos supplied by Anthony ‘Nan’ Morland

all photos © Anthony ‘Nan’ Morland

Gulf garage and gas showrooms,  Queens Road Motors, Albert Road’s magistrates building adjoining John Collier with ‘Nan’s green Metro in the photo, Gamley’s and Blockbuster.

Samantha Blake… (Queens Road Motors photo) Now supported living flats. I used to work in the flats there,  the residents that used to live at Osbourne House on the ridge xxx

Sam Rosewell… Samantha, my nan worked at Osborne House for years xx

Matt Thomas… Queens Rd Motors was one of the places that used to serve me cigarettes under age

Jacqui Murphy… Great photos!

Pauline Richards… (1st) And the Gas board!

Stuart Gurney… I started my gas board apprenticeship in that building

Chris Meachen… (1st) The signage of ‘Maintrack models’ just visible on the right

Terry Pollard… Chris, My wife and I bought Maintrack Model shop and I converted it into a cafe called “Two Teas”. We didn’t realise what a job it would be, there was wet-rot, dry-rot, rising damp, falling damp, rotten joists and floorboards, crumbling brickwork etc etc ad nauseum. Took me 3 months to gut it and refurb. It looked and worked brilliantly though, and was a proper money-spinner.

Chris Meachen… Terry, I used to work building and repairing models in the storeroom at the back. It was so cold and damp that paint wouldn’t dry properly in the winter. After the first year I transferred my workbench to my bedroom at home.

I’m still doing the same work, but now in a proper workshop..

Allan Fairhead… (3) I use to go to Sunday school there in the 50’s , just out of sight was Rix the jewellers.

Lee Dunton… (3) Thought so used to go to Saturday morning matinee there In the late 70s remember seeing the first star wars film in 78 !

Cliff Marchant… (3) Yes, its behind the white van on the corner. It was called the Gaiety, or it was when I used to go in the 60’s.

Tim Moose Bruce… (photo 3) In the background, the cricket pitch, before the powers at the time committed an act of architectural genocide and built that scourge of a shopping centre.

Gill Chambers… Y was that magnificent building knocked down

Angela Cupaiolo… (1) Many a phone call I made in that phone box

Trevor Mepham… Great photos, remember them well

Kevin Sherwood… Used to catch the 133 from the Gas Show Rooms to the Langham onto Elphinstone school. St Andrew’s chuch stood where the garage is so the photo is 1970+. And thats my phone box!

Jon McCallion… I bought a lovely Volkswagen beetle from that Gulf garage as I remember the guy who owned it was called Malcolm. How things have changed maybe for the worse

Jacquie Hinves… As a student nurse would catch the bus to St Helens from Queens Road or Hastings railway station. I remember the cricket ground , now some ghastly shopping mall and the council depot by the gas stations, where Morrison’s is. Grandad had his work area across the road.

John Henderson… I remember queuing in Albert Rd for the cinema.

Russell Field… Loved Gamleys

Dean Reed… look Blockbuster lol

Phil Szomszor… Loved a trip to Gamley’s as a kid! Great pics

Beshie-ann-Carver-carpenter… Loved Gamleys, used to just go in and wander around when I was bored, when I grew up in Cornwallis street.

Master Martin… Had the giant Lego animal in Gamleys was a nice memory

Steph Dorado… Oh my days Gamleys!!! an important part of many Hastings childhoods… just going in there felt like Christmas!

Ian Richardson… Much more better back then Internet shopping killed the shops although we all shop online now .

Ade Cirket… Went to Gamley’s with my eldest daughter

Lee Elliston… (1) Gas board depot and show room

Lynn Normoyle… (1) Such good times working there and some fun trips with the social club. Nice looking building, shame they demolished it.

Dave Styles…. (1) This garage was the first place I ever used my credit card. I filled my motorbike with petrol for under three quid.

Ade Cirket… (2) Worked there while at schoool

Pete Brazier… (2) My most favourite memory of this place was during the time the film Battle Of Britain was in the cinemas, there was a spitfire on the forecourt of the garage, (I wish there were some pics available). I remember that when it was collected, it had it’s wings removed and all put on a transporter, because it was late in the day they had to spend the night in the TA center Cinque Ports Way at Bulverhythe,  where my father was caretaker, (I had no camera at the time worst luck!)

Scott Woodcocks… Who remembers Cheap Jacks by the cricket ground, The Disc Jockey and i think it was Dimarcos by Woolworths and not forgetting Out Of This World

Chris Dunster… Lovely photos, visited Hastings when I was very young – 1980 maybe. Two petrol stations in Queens Road – one Gulf the other Shell but was one of them once BP? Did one have a car wash?? Childhood memories.

 

The Disc Jockey 57 Queens Road Hastings – 1966 receipt for a Lafleur flute

Supplied by Peter Ellingworth

Peter Ellingworth… Looking through some old receipts last night, I came across this one- somewhat stained- for a Lafleur flute my mother bought for my cousin’s 16th birthday. The cost was £29 & 15 shillings in 1966, which I should think equates today to something like £5-600?

Carol Arnold… Ah sis used to work in there.

Michael Armitage… My dad used to buy his records from the Disc Jockey, back when they were opposite Lewis Hyland. Later, one of the chaps working there, went off and started his own shop just  up from M and S, near Fludes! Can anyone recall his name, as he was a great chap, and we spent a fortune there over the years! I remember buying ‘The Savage’ by ‘The Shadows’ there, but dad bought Peer Gynt… Mind you, I bought my first guitar in the Queens Road shop – I think it cost £8.0.0! I think I saw the sales guy in The Witch Doctor a couple of years later…

Alan Esdaile… Michael, are you thinking of The Record Shop, with Jack and Sonia London?

 

 

The Disc Jockey, Queens Road, Hastings – receipt 1973 and keep smiling postcard

 

all supplied by Mo Elms

Donna Glover… My mum wrote this receipt she worked there

Shaun Pont… I remember Disc Jockey as being more expensive for singles (50p in 1973) probably because they were a chart return shop. Boots and Woolies sold chart singles for 40p and 45p around this time and Stylus were about 45p as well. Someone must have got a good deal!

Merv Kennard… That would be a djs discount.

Graham Matthews… Al always gave me a DJ discount when I was spinning a few in the 70’s.

Alan Esdaile… who remembers the Keep Smiling postcard that Alan put in the record bags?

 

I remember Wards looking like this and mens holiday wear

photo source: unknown

Advert 1968

opening advert 14th July 1951 supplied by Leigh Kennedy

Fiona Evans… So do I !

Arthur Sutherland… Love the headless sales assistant.

Pete Fisher… was dragged there to be fitted out with school uniform…

Alan Esdaile… so was I Pete, I was like Kevin the teenager from Harry Enfield!

Tony May… This looks to me like the interior of Apps at Silverhill.

Sue Bennett… When l was small l remember the lovely little drawers with delicate buttons & threads in them.I collected buttons & beads, etc too after that.

Julie Findlay-jones… Wish shops looked more like this now, very nostalgic.

Janine Anne Scott… Do you remember the distinct smell?

Jules Stretton… Me too

Carol Paffett… And Mastins

Pete Brazier… A bit like Grace Brothers Isn’t it

Tony Ham… You beat me to it, are you free My Humphreys? I’m free!

Jon McCallion….  I remember this too. Shame we can’t go back to it, it would be so much better.

Jacquie Hinves… That was downstairs in the Queens Road shop. Upstairs was the Children’s outfitters. I got my first uniform for Our Lady’s Convent in Filsham Road from there!

Judy Atkinson… And my dad’s shop had cabinets like this

Despo Hawkins… Me too

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