A chronological history of Eastbourne
1690 On 30th June the English and Dutch navies were unsuccessful as they fought the French off Beachy Head
1724 Bourne Place was bought by Hon. Spencer Compton which later became known as Compton Place
1747 The prize ship ‘Nympha Americana’ was wrecked off Beachy Head
1780 George III’s children stayed at the Round House
1787 This year saw the first published guide for Eastbourne
1792 300 immigrants landed at Eastbourne from France
1795 Circulating libraries and billiard rooms opened up at Sea Houses
1804 Work started on the building of Martello Towers
1806 Work on the Redoubt began
1814 Old Town saw the opening of St Mary’s schools
1816 William Figg had his map of Eastbourne published
1822 Lifeboat and coastguard services were set up
1834 The Belle Tout lighthouse at Beachy Head became operational
1839 Holy Trinity Chapel opened
1849 The railway line between Polegate and Eastbourne opened
1851 Eastbourne Gas Company was formed
1853 The Dalhousie became wrecked off Beachy Head
1856 First publication of the Eastbourne Chronicle
1858 Succession of the 2nd Earl of Burlington to the Dukedom of Devonshire
Local Board set up
1859 Seaside had the Christ Church opened
The Waterworks Company formed
The first publication of ‘Eastbourne Gazette’
1863 In Devonshire Place the Eastbourne Providential Dispensary opened
1864 In Seaside the Workmen’s Hall was constructed by William Leaf
1866 The railway station was moved to a different location
1867 Eastbourne College was founded
This year saw the consecration of St saviour’s Church in South Street
1869 All Saints’ Convalescent Home opened in The Meads area of Eastbourne
1871 First publication of Eastbourne’s Directory by Gowland
1872 The construction of the Pier was finally finished
1873 The Cavendish Hotel was opened
1874 Devonshire Park opened
1875 The Royal Sovereign lightship was established
1878 Opened up this year was the St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church which had been designed by F.J. Barker
1881 The first South of England Grass Court Tennis Championships was held in Devonshire Park
The Electric Light Company for Eastbourne was formed
1882 Completion of the Sea Wall and Royal Parade
1883 Borough of Eastbourne was incorporated
Princess Alice Memorial Hospital was opened
In Seaside the Theatre Royal and Opera House opened
1885 The Baptist Church in Ceylon Place opened
Town Hall opened
1886 Saffrons Cricket and Football Ground opened
1887 Golf course opened
1888 What is now known as Hampden Park railway station opened up
1891 Eastbourne Police Force set up
7th Duke of Devonshire died
1892 Committee selected by the Borough to consider possibility of a harbour at Langney Point
1895 Friedrich Engels’ ashes buried at sea off Beachy Head
1898 Lifeboat house built in memory of William Terriss
1901 Hampden Park opened
1902 New lighthouse at Beachy Head in use
1903 Novelist Edna Lyall died
1904 Name change of the Theatre Royal in Seaside to Royal Hippodrome
Library and museum opened
1906 Cinema opened in seaside
1908 8th Duke of Devonshire died at Cannes
1911 Hampden Park became part of Eastbourne and the town became a County Borough
St Michael’s in Upperton Road finally opened after taking 11 years to build
1912 The sinking of The Ocean (a P&O liner) when it struck the barque Pisagua
New church of St Andrew’s Norway built
1921 First publication of Eastbourne Herald
1923 Marquess of Hartington opened the Towner Art Gallery
1926 Chatsworth Estates Company set up
1927 All Saints’ Church in Carlisle Road burnt down
1930 St Mary’s Hospital opened
1935 King George V and Queen Mary stayed at Compton Place
1937 RNLI museum opened at Grand Parade
1938 9th Duke of Devonshire died
New police HQ opened in Grove Road
On Victoria Drive the St Elizabeth’s was consecrated
1940 SS Barnhill bombed off Beachy Head
Eastbourne was evacuated due to the threat of German invasion
Willingdon House burned down
1944 St Elizabeth’s Church damaged by flying bomb
1948 Freedom of the Borough given to Winston Churchill
1949 Princess Margaret stayed over at Compton Place
The Beryl Tollemache lifeboat was launched
Eastbourne College of Further Education founded
1950 10th Duke of Devonshire died at Compton Place
1957 Willingdon County Secondary School opened by Lord Hailsham
1960 Redoubt considered to be scheduled as an ancient monument
1961 Eastbourne Civic Society founded this year
1962 The Borough bought the Royal Hippodrome
1963 The opening of the Congress Theatre at Devonshire Park
1965 New library opened
Eastbourne Civic Society bought the Windmill at Polegate
1966 South Cliff Tower, Meads completed
1967 The windmill reopened in working order
1968 Trust Houses Ltd bought the pier for £170,000
1970 Fire leaves the Pier theatre badly damaged
1971 The Danish firm Christiani & Nielsen complete the building of the Royal Sovereign light tower at cost of almost two million pounds
1974 Jack Jones lays the foundation stone at the TGWU building
1975 Parliament defeat the proposal for a new harbour and development scheme at Langney
Redoubt restoration begins
1976 First phase of new District Hospital opened
1981 Duke of Devonshire opens the Arndale Centre in the town centre
Fire damaged Eastbourne College Big School
1985 Civic Society opens Eastbourne Heritage Centre
1988 Modified Eastbourne Harbour Bill approved
1990 MGM Multiplex Cinema opens at The Crumbles Centre
The Tourist Board vote Eastbourne as a ‘Top Resort’
David F Bellotte member of the Liberal Democrats wins the by-election
1993 Crumbles Sovereign Harbour opened
1994 25 miles south-west of the Royal Sovereign the Greenwich light vessel automatic station is established
2014 Fire badly damages the pier
