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Edwardian Bexhill |
Much of Bexhill was built in the late Victorian era, but the Edwardian era (1901 to 1914) saw a number of important events in the towns history.
| 1901 | The first Drill hall was built, now demolished. |
| First Bexhill local bus service, using 14 seater Daimler buses, very unusual in 1901. | |
| Mixed bathing allowed in Bexhill. | |
| 1902 | Bexhill becomes an "Incorporated Borough" and is able to elect a Mayor. |
| Gustavus Green set up workshops in Reginald Road to design and build motor car engines, these were later used to power aircraft and torpedo boats. | |
| 8th Earl De La Warr held the first international motor race along the sea front, then private land and exempt from the 12 mph national speed limit. The races were won by the Frenchman Leon Serpollet in a steam driven car called "Easter Egg" at a speed of 55 mph. | |
| Bexhill West Station and Sidley Station were opened with the construction of the new branch line from Crowhurst. | |
| Bexhill Central Station opened, the original 1891 station faced onto Devonshire Square but could not cope with the large number of visitors and children attending boarding schools in Bexhill. It was moved to it's present location facing Sea Road and the original platforms extended to serve it, making the station famous for very long (16 carriage) platforms. | |
| 9th August, the town celebrated the coronation of King Edward VII with processions, bonfires and fireworks. | |
| 1903 | 8th Earl De La Warr elected mayor. |
| Cantelupe Road Police station and Magistrates Court opened, these have now been converted into homes. | |
| A concert hall was built in Egerton Park, this is now Bexhill Museum. | |
| First Bexhill Horse Show on Whit Monday. | |
| 1904 | Clock Tower on West Parade opened to commemorate Edward VII's coronation. |
| 1905 | Collington Halt and Cooden Beach stations opened. |
| 1906 | Mayor's ceremonial chain presented to the town by Baron Brassey. |
| Egerton Park extended. | |
| Tramway built running from Hastings to Cooden. Part of the route this followed was later to become Cooden Drive. (The trackway running from the Ravenside roundabout towards the Pebsham tip is the original route of the Hastings section of the tramway.) | |
| 1907 | King Offa School built, then known as Down County School. |
| Bexhill granted a "coat of arms". The motto "Sol et Salubrittas" means "Sun and Health". | |
| Bexhill's first public bowling green was opened in Egerton Park | |
| 1908 | The Town Hall extended. |
| 1910 | Central Parade developed. |
| Bexhill's first cinema, The Bijou, opened. After several name changes is became known as the Savoy, closed in 1954 and was demolished in 1993. The vacant site is next to The Bar One pub in Town Hall Square. | |
| Skating rink opened in Buckhurst Road, now the site of the telephone exchange. | |
| Whindown House was opened as a school for German boys. | |
| 1911 | The "Colonnade" opened. |
