Eastbourne Chronology

1690 30 June: English and Dutch navies unsuccessfully engaged the French fleet off Beachy Head
1724 The Hon. Spencer Compton purchased Bourne (later Compton) Place
1747 Wreck of the prize ship Nympha Americanna at Beachy Head
1780 Arrival of George 111's children to stay at the Round House
1787 First guide to Eastbourne published by James Royer
1792 300 French émigrés landed at Eastbourne
1795 Circulating library and billiard rooms opened at Sea Houses
1801 December 31st Thomas Pitman born
1804 Construction of the Martello Towers began
1806 Building of the Great Redoubt commenced
1816 William Figg's map of Eastbourne drawn
1822 Lifeboat and Coastguard services established
1828 Thomas Pitman became Vicar of Eastbourne
1828 Thomas, 1st son of Thomas and Frances Pitman, born
1828 Thomas Pitman (son) born
1828 Victoria Dawes Pitman (daughter) born
1831 Henry Barnes Pitman (son) born
1834 Edward Hanbury Pitman (son) born
1834 2nd Earl of Burlington inherited the Eastbourne estate
1834 Belle Tout lighthouse brought into use
1838 Burlington commissioned Decimus Burton to drawn up a plan for the new town of Eastbourne
1838 Trinity Church/Chapel
1838 Fanny Bird Pitman (daughter) born
1839 Trinity Chapel opened
1840 Blanche, wife of 2nd Earl of Burlington, died
1842 Frances Jane Pitman (Thomas Pitman's wife), died
1843? Annie Emily Pitman (daughter) born
1844 Motcombe Pond became a reservoir
1847 James Berry planned a new town
1848 Sea wall constructed under James Berry
1849 May 14th First train arrived at Eastbourne Railway Station
1851 Burlington Hotel foundation stone laid. Builders become bankrupt
1851 Vestry Room built in Grove Road
1852 First Gas Works built in Wharf Rd.
1853 Disastrous wreck of the Dalahausie off Beachy Head
1856 Eastbourne Chronicle began publication
1856 Formation of a Burial Board at Ocklynge Cemetery
1858 Succession of the 2nd Earl of Burlington to the Dukedom of Devonshire
1858 Local Board set up
1859 Christ Church consecrated Parish assigned 1864
1859 Eastbourne Water Works Company formed
1859 Eastbourne Gazette first published
1859 Henry Curry becomes architect to the Duke of Devonshire
1862 Nicholas Whitley drew up plans for Upperton area for Gilbert estate
1863 Pier Company set up
1863 December 9th, Rev. Thomas Pitman (lst son) died aged 35
1863 Eastbourne Providential Dispensary opened in Devonshire Place
1864 William Leaf built the Workman's Hall in Seaside
1864 G.A. Wallis appointed Duke of Devonshire's Agent
1866 Site of Railway Station moved
1867 Eastbourne College founded
1867 Sewer opened (Ellery says 1866)
1867 St. Saviour's Church consecrated
1869 All Saint's Convalescent Home opened
1870 June 27th. Edward Hanbury Pitman (son) died aged 36
1870 St. John's Church
1870 Nicholas Whitley drew up first comprehensive plan of Gilbert Estate
1872 Henry Curry plans Meads
1872 June 10th. Henry Barnes Pitman (2nd son), died
1872 Pier completed
1873 Cavendish Hotel opened
1873 Devonshire Park and Baths Company formed
1874 Opening of Baths, Floral Hall and Devonshire Park
1875 Royal Sovereign lightship established
1876 Grand Hotel opened
1879 All Saint's Church consecrated
1878 Death of Princess Alice
1878 St. Andrew's Presbyterian (URC) Church opened
1880-1883 Duke finances the construction of the Western Parades
1880 Queens Hotel built
1881 Eastbourne Electric Light Company formed
1881 Bedford Well Pumping Station completed
1881 All Souls Church
1881 South of England Grass Court Tennis Championships first held in Devonshire Park

1882 Royal Parade and Sea Wall completed
1882 All Saints
1882 All Souls Church consecrated
1883 November 26th. St. Anne's Church consecrated
1883 Incorporation of the Borough of Eastbourne
1883 Prince of Wales visit June 30th
1883 Theatre Royal built
1883 Princess Alice Memorial Hospital opened
1884 Devonshire Park Theatre opened
1884 October 9thTown Hall foundation stone laid
1885 Ceylon Place Baptist Church built
1886 October 20th Town Hall opened
1886 Saffrons Cricket and Football ground opened
1887 Queen Victoria's Jubilee Year
1887 Royal Eastbourne Gold Course opened
1888 Willingdon Railway Station opened (Hampden Park)
1889 July 30th Fanny Locock nee Fanny Bird Pitman (daughter) died at Harrogate
1889 Fairfield Court built
1890 May 13th Thomas Pitman died
1891 Death of 7th Duke of Devonshire
1891 November 30th Victoire Dawes Pitman (1st daughter) died aged 63 at Eastbourne
1891 Separate Eastbourne Police Force set up
1892 Borough set up Committee to investigate possibility of constructing a Harbour at Langney Point
1894 St. Peter's Church designed by Curry
1895 Ashes of Friedrich Engels buried at sea off Beachy Head
1897 Friston Water Works opened
1897 Eighth Duke of Devonshire becomes Mayor
1898 William Terriss Memorial Life-boat House built
1902 Statue of William, 7th Duke of Devonshire, unveiled
1904 Technical Institute opened. Gore Chalk pit constructed as Italian Gardens at Holywell retreat. Philip's opened as Chapel-of-Ease to Christ Church
1906 Gilbert recreation ground opened (Seaside) Tivoli Cinema opened
1907 8th Duke of Devonshire died at Cannes
1908 9th Duke of Devonshire gave Motcombe Gardens to Town
1910 Eastbourne Borough Council Act brings in Hampden Park (Willingdon Parish) - re-applied for County Borough status 1911 - County Borough status granted 1st April 1911. St. Michael's church built (10th C of E)
1913 Carew Davis-Gilbert died Manor House up for sale St. Andrew's, Norway completed (11th c of E)
1916 April 17th Annie Emily Pitman (3rd daughter) died aged 73 at Tunbridge Wells
1918 Municipal Secondary School moves to 'Eversley Court' girls to 'The Glen'. First Council houses built on 140 acres off Victoria Drive 10 acres near the Archery Tavern. Ratton Estate sold
1919 Ald. J.C. Towner died leaving his pictures and money for building an Art Gallery
1921 Unemployed employed at Holywell - including Tea Chalet, Princes Park including Boating Lake, Gildredge Hospital, garden at the Redoubt Eastbourne Herald first published
1922 Gilbert Manor House bought for £19,000
1923 Towner Art Gallery opened. Devonshire Baths purchased by the Town
1926 The Downland Act for the preservation of the Downland
1927 All Saint's Church nave burned down
1929 Duke and Duchess of York (King George VI) unveiled commemorative seat to the Downland purchase Floral Hall purchased by the Borough
1930 St. Mary's Hospital opened
1931 A22 Road scheme started using unemployed miners
1935 New Bandstand and Parade improvement
1938 Borough extended to include the purchased Downland; also Willingdon, Westham, Jevington, East Dean and Friston. Police HQ opened in Grove Road St. Elizabeth's consecrated (13th c of E) Death of 9th Duke of Devonshire
1939-45 World War II - 671 high explosives - 15 flying bombs - 3 enemy aircraft shot down - 200 killed 506 severely injured - 581 slightly injured - 475 houses destroyed - 1,000 seriously damaged - 10,000 slightly damaged - The Seafront, Wish Tower are gun posts
1940 September 11th - General evacuation of Eastbourne due to threat of German invasion - First bombs fell 7th July - Technical Institute damaged by bombing - SS Barnhill bombed off Beachy Head
1968 Sussex Police formed
1974 Local Government reorganisation - Eastbourne lost County Borough status
1975 Duke of Devonshire promotes Crumbles Harbour and Village Bill

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