East Sussex ‘Then and Now’: August 1914 - March 1915

‘Then and Now’ images

Kieron Pelling has created a series of images especially for the East Sussex World War 1 website which overlay original photos taken during the period 1914 to 1919 with contemporary photos taken in the same place. This wonderful series, called ‘Then and Now’, can be seen in the gallery below. Read more about Compelling Photography and see more of Kieron’s beautiful work on his website, Compelling Photography.

Do you have a photo we could add to the series?
Do you have a photograph taken between 1914 and 1919 that shows how East Sussex was affected by the war? Could we use it to create a ‘Now and Then’ image? More about sending us an image at bottom of the page.

: St John’s Ambulance Brigade

: 2nd Home Counties Brigade, RFA, leaving for the War

: Hastings RFA Reserves – Marching back to HQ

: Welsh Borderers at the Highland Hotel

: The 5th Cinque Ports Battalion of the Royal Sussex Brigade

: Welsh Borderers at 23 Bexhill Road

: Bridge Building in Alexandra Park

: Farewell to Hastings

: RAF Cadets Wellington Square 1919

WW1 – THEN AND NOW PHOTOS TAKEN IN HASTINGS AND ST LEONARDS

1) St John’s Ambulance Brigade

Officers and Men of the St John’s Ambulance Brigade stand outside of their former Hastings headquarters. This building stands by the junction of Albert Road and Castle Hill Road.

Original Image from: Hastings & St Leonards Pictorial Advertiser (August 13, 1914)

2) 2nd Home Counties Brigade, RFA, leaving for the War

The Right Section of the 2^nd Home Counties Brigade leave Hastings for the War. The image shows the brigade moving along the A259 at White Rock, past what is now the Pig in Paradise.

Original Image from: Hastings & St Leonards Pictorial Advertiser (August 27, 1914)

3) Hastings RFA Reserves – Marching back to HQ

The 5^th Battery Sussex Royal Field Artillery Territorials Reserve marching back to HQ after playing football on Horntye Fields. Representatives from the district beat a Hastings and Eastbourne team 5-1. The image shows the group marching down St Paul’s Road in Hastings

Original Image from: Hastings & St Leonards Pictorial Advertiser (October 15, 1914)

4) Welsh Borderers at the Highland Hotel

Some of the 7^th South Wales Borderers billeted at the Highlands Hotel in Boscabel Road, St Leonards.

Original Image from: Hastings & St Leonards Pictorial Advertiser (February 11, 1915)

5) The 5th Cinque Ports Battalion of the Royal Sussex Brigade

The colours of the 5th Cinque Ports Battalion of the Royal Sussex Brigade were temporarily laid up at the Holy Trinity Church in Hastings. The image shows the battalion marching through Robertson Street after the service.

Original Image from: Hastings & St Leonards Pictorial Advertiser (February 25, 1915)

6) Welsh Borderers at 23 Bexhill Road

Some of the 7^th South Wales Borderers staying with the family of Mrs Clark at 23 Bexhill Road, St Leonards.

Original Image from: Hastings & St Leonards Pictorial Advertiser (March 4, 1915)

7) Bridge Building in Alexandra Park

B Company of the 11^th Battalion Welsh Regiment upon their trestle bridge built over a pond in Alexandra Park, Hastings

Original Image from: Hastings & St Leonards Pictorial Advertiser (March 4, 1915)

8) Farewell to Hastings

Cardiff Pals gathered at Wellington Square, Hastings before marching off to war.

Original Image from: Hastings & St Leonards Pictorial Advertiser (March 25, 1915)

9) RAF Cadets

This photograph was owned by Cpl / then Flt Cadet John Arthur Wilson MM who is featured in this postcard, and who dated in on the reverse 26 May 1918. The cadets were staying at Howard House in Wellington Square, Hastings. From this website

About Compelling Photography
Compelling Photography is a website that shows Kieron Pelling’s photography. Most of his photos are based in or around Hastings and East Sussex, but also from his travels overseas.

Kieron’s interest in the history behind places and people led him to start creating the Then and Now series of images. Shortly after Hastings Pier burnt down, he discovered the work of Russian photographer Sergey Larenkov. Larenkov’s ‘Link to the Past’ images showed how powerful the technique can be. Kieron’s first Now and Then image was one of Hastings Pier; half burnt and half in its prime.

Since then Kieron has created many such images, including a series specially for the East Sussex World War 1 website.

Then and Now Images
Do you have a photograph taken between 1914 and 1919 that shows how East Sussex was affected by the war? Would it work for a ‘Now and Then’ image? Send it to us and it could be chosen to create one.

There are some requirements for these images:

1. Is there something in the old photograph that is still present today? A building, landmark or road that is still recognisable ties the modern scene in with the old.

2. Can the modern day photographer stand where the original photographer stood? 100 years has passed, so trees have grown and buildings have been demolished.

3. The photographer will not usually be able to access buildings to take photographs from height.

4. Is the environment safe for the modern day photographer? For instance traffic was much different in 1914!

If you think you have an appropriate image, please send a high resolution scan in jpeg format (at least 300dpi*) with a description of the image and information about the location.

*This resolution is required so that the image is large enough to place over a modern day jpeg and retain good detail.