Sidney Little1885 - 1961

“A man with visionMuch more than the

Concrete King”

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© British Pathe

HISTORY RESEARCH PROJECT 

HASTINGS & ST LEONARDS  

UNEMPLOYMENT 

Problems, Solutions and Assistance 

1927 – 1938   

How the problems of unemployment between the years 1927- 1938 were resolved in the County Borough of Hastings, in both

the long and the short term. 

With particular reference to the use of Government Assistance on Capital Project, Local Authority Schemes and Charity help

  

Andre Palfrey-Martin BA(Hons)Queen Mary & Westfield College

University of London1991

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Boating Lake Old Town Underground Car Parking Front Line – Sea Defences Bathing Pool Sun Lounge Promenade – Upper and Lower [Bottle Alley] Water Supply – Hastings - Darwell Great Saunders Sewers and Water Infrastructure, pumping stations etc Slum Clearance Council Housing – Hastings, Hollington and The Bourne Creation of many Apprenticeships in Building Trades with Council Direct Labour St John’s Place – Museum extensions White Rock Baths Plans for Municipal Airport Front line extension plans old Towns to Firelight etc Two Tier Town Centre Post War Housing Major Projects Ore & Hollington Major road improvements

Some of Sidney Little’s ideas

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Born Carlisle 1885Father John – Engineer & Surveyor

First appointment Leeds CouncilBecame Member institute of Civil Engineers

(At the age of 25)

Further appointments Wallasey & SouthamptonAppointed Deputy then Borough Engineer - Ipswich

Appointed Borough Engineer & Water Engineer - Hastings30 July 1926

Later appointed as Town Planning Officer – an additional role

Retired from office 1950Freedom of the Borough 1960

Died 1961

Route to Hastings

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Borough Engineer: Phillip PalmerIn post 36 years

Overseen much of the towns development since late 19th century

Replaced in 1923Mr George Whitaker

Departed after 18 months to Cardiff

Hastings before Sidney Little

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46 Applicants

8 shortlisted

Little interviewed

Little took control of interviewCouncil decision

Little - Appointed

selection

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CLEAN WATERIN

FOUL WATER/SEWAGEOUT

JEWEL IN THE MUNICIPAL CROWN

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Culvert Work

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Great Saunders Dam Works

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Great Saunders Dam Works

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A Landmark

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Civil Engineering design and supervision Architectural design and supervision Town Planning Water Supply Highways & Footpaths Sewers, Drains and Tanks Street Cleaning & Refuse Collecting Maintenance of Sea-Front and defences Stores and storeyards Paving Stone Works at Rock-a-Nore Stade Maintenance Parking stations Public Conveniences Administration of Building Bye Laws Street & Decorative Lighting Building maintenance Municipal Buildings,

Council housing & Schools

And more..........

Staff 50-60

Administrative Technical [Engineers, Architects & Surveyors] Direct Labour Supervisors Direct labour Force, between 200 – 500,

including permanent Tradesmen and service staff, plus temporary for Capital projects

Departmental Organisation

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o The Nurses Home - Municipal Hospital, previous the workhouse until 1930 and then St Helens from 1948

o Council Housing estates both pre and post WW2 [1928 ongoing]o Municipal Office conversion in Wellington Square – there were a

great range of offices in the Square when Hastings Had Country Borough status, including Education, Engineers, Treasurers & Housing to name but a few

o Indoor Bowls facilities at White Rock Gardens o Work on St John’s Place as Museum and addition of Art Gallery &

Durbar Hall [Opened 1928, additions 1932]o Engine House & Chemical House, Brede Waterworkso The Hastings Crematorium [1939]o White Rock Gardenso Major highways throughout the town

Just Some of the Architectural involvements

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Reconstruction of the WhiteRock Baths

The Bathing Pool

Two of perhaps the best knownArchitectural projects

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Roads, Water & Refuse

ROADS

One Ongoing Project

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Ahead of his time – being Green

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Old Town Boating Lake site

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Old Town Boating Lake

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Old Town Boating Lake

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Old Town Boating Lake

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Old Town Boating Lake

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Carlisle Parade

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Carlisle Parade

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Carlisle Parade

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Carlisle Parade

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Carlisle Parade

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The Front Line.. continues

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The Front Line.. continues

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The Front Line.. continues

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The Front Line.. continues

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The Front Line.. continues

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The Front Line.. continues

The Front Line.. continues

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Moving further West.............

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Moving further west..............

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Moving further West..............

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Moving further West............

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Moving further West............

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Moving further West..............

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Moving further West.........

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Moving further West...............

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Bathing Pool

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Bathing Pool

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Bathing Pool

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Bathing Pool

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Bathing Pool

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Bathing Pool

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Bathing Pool

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Bathing Pool

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Bathing Pool

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Bathing Pool

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Bathing Pool

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From 1945

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From 1945

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From 1945

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From 1945

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From 1945

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From 1945

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From 1945

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1885 - 1961

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And finally – December 2011

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Alison Hawkins: Hastings Museum & Art Gallery Anne Scott: Hastings History House Hastings Reference Library Zoe Edwards : East Sussex County Records Office

Sources include:

Richard Pollard : “Sidney Little” Rod Osborne : “The Development of Hastings as a Seaside

Resort 1925-1950”  

Acknowledgements

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This has been a Two Donkeys ProductionFor

Scoobie Media Facilities©André Palfrey-Martin

Final credits

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