Alderman Henry Martin

Race Stand Trustee.
Member of the Sussex Board for Local Examinations
Vice President for Brighton Volunteer Fire Brigade
Connected by marriage to Mr George Hawkins, "formerly Traffic Managerof the LB&SCR (London, Brighton and South Coast Railway)". Major G W Hawkins RA was his nephew. Source: Funeral Report in Sussex Daily 1/5/1885.

Brighton Directories give his occupation as "Saddler and Harness Maker to the Queen and Royal Family"

1813: Modern Biography, Frederick Boase, Vol 2 Pub Frank Cass, 1965 p767 has birth as 10.5.1813 at Ringmer. However, the 1881 census return gives his place of birth as Steyning, Sussex and his age as 67 (giving a DOB circa 1814). His obituary in the Sussex Daily News gave his DOBas10/5/1813 at Ringmer.

1822: Date of Birth 10/5/1822 came from Dr R Grey and the Brighton Times Album.

18??: As a boy played cricket in the middle of the day in the street in front of his father's North Street Premises

18??: A Town Commisioner (as was his father before him) and was an Oversee (of the poor?)

1851 January: Challenged Thackery during his lecture "The Four Georges" at the Town Hall. Source: Life in Brighton by Clifford Musgrove, ISBN 0 571 09285-3

1852&53: Elected Director (of the workhouse?)

1854&55: Elected a member of the Board of Guardians of the Poor
Probably the only glimpse the poor people had of the better part of the building was when they were summoned before the BOARD OF GUARDIANS in the impressive court-like boardroom. This was either to plead theircase or be severely reprimanded for being caught doing part-time workwhile drawing Public Assistance
http://www.bygones.org.uk/page_id__232_path__0p2p14p.aspx

The Workhouse, a spacious building, was erected in 1820: it is situated on the Dyke-road, and is capable of receiving 600 inmates. The board of guardians meet every Tuesday. A new workhouse is now (1866) in the course of erection, and forms an extensive pile of buildings, situate on the Race Hill, about a mile north-east of the town: it covers anarea of 7 acres of land: cost of building, £31,147.
http://steve.pickthall.users.btopenworld.com/ssx1867/brighton1867a.html

1854 May: Elected Councillor for Pavilion Ward on the Incorporation of the Town Hall in May 1854 and continued to represent the ward untilhis death

1856-58: Churchwarden

1859: Alderman from January 1859 to his death

1864-65: Steward and one of the auditors of the Brighton Fat Stock Show.

1865 November: Elected Mayor of Brighton and Chief Magistrate.

1866 Easter Monday: Officiated "at the then annual Volunteer Review on the Downs in the presence of the Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince George and Princess Mary of Cambridge, Prince Hohenlow, Prince Teck, and a host of nobilities. The occasion was in all respects most successful, and the Prince of Wales afterwards expressed himself to that effect in a letter to the mayor. At its conclusion the Royal Visitors and their suite, together with the Corporation, were entertained to a sumptous luncheon in the Royal Pavilion."

1866: Opened West Pier 6/10/1866 Source: Newspaper Cutting, Brighton and Hove Gazette 20th July 1974)

1865-1866: Major Of Brighton
Occupation: Saddler, Councillor, Alderman

1866: Officiated at start of work 17/2/1866 on the Kemp Town branch of the LB&SC Railway and at a ceremony to mark the completion of the line on 6/8/1869, receivin a massive silver trowel from the contractorsto mark the occasion. Source: Press Cutting "100 Years Ago" from localpaper dated 8/8/1969.

1866: On the expiration of the Alderman's year of office, the town presented him with a massive candelabra, epergne and plateau as well as a salver in appreciation of his services.

1866: He presented a full length portrait of himself to the Town and in 1885 this was hanging in the Council Chamber.

1871: Author of "History of Brighton and its Environs", second edition published 1871 by John Beal of East Street, Brighton. He gave a copy of the book to Earl de la Warr.

1873: Magistrate from 23/1/1873 to death.

1875: Cartoon of him in Case II (item 1) in Brighton History Room of Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, Church St, Brighton. 10/12/1822. Cartoon is entitled "Senior Alderman" and is no 25 in the Brightonian series circa 1875. The Brightonian was the magazine of Brighton College. Item No 2 in the same case is a cartoon entitled "A Satirical Cartoon of Brighton Legislation" (from the Brighton Figaro?) circa 1890. A number of prominent individuals are featured in this, Henry Martin occupies a prominent position in the bottom centre; he is depicted sitting on a hobby horse, the body of which is formed from a book entitled "History of Brighton"

1878: The "Brighton Times Album", a supplement to the Brighton Times of 25/10/1878 was devoted to Alderman Henry Martin. This was a monthlyseries that featured prominent local people with biographies, a pastedin "Talbotype" photograph by Messrs Hennah and Kent of 108 King's Road, Brighton and facsimiles of their signatures. (These notes came fromnotes by Henry's grandson from Dr Ronald Grey at Emmanual College, Cambridge). The Brighton Times says in 1878 there were 7 Henry Martins,all eldest sons of eldest sons (presumably including his some Henry born in 1850; I think that at this date there was only a line of 5).

1879 7th June: The Sussex Daily News on the 25th Anniversary of the Incorporation of the Town reported "only two of the whole number [of councillors] are in the Town Council now; namely Alderman Henry Martin and Alderman Mr R M Webb and only the former has been in office continuously for the whole of the 25 years"

1881 Census: PRO HO 1094, folio 39, page 2: address was 5 Powis Square, Brighton

1881: Listed in Deacon's Court Guide, Gazeteer and County Blue Book, page 195 as living at 5 Powis Square, Brighton

1885: See Sussex Daily News Saturday 25/4/1885 p6 col 3&4 which contained an extensive obituary and Friday 1/5/1885 page 8, col 3 which hada long report of the funeral the previous day and listed many of the mourners. The LB&SCR closed its workshops (nearly 1000 railway staff lined the funeral route), the railway steamers at Newhaven flew their flags at half mast and some Brighton shops closed out of respect.

1891 Census 5 Powis Square lists Agnes Martin, Head, living on her own means, age 65 born Sussex, Hastings & Catherine Bingham, companion,wid, 61, born Cornwall.


Day pier was toast of the town

From the archive, first published Wednesday 8th Jan 2003.

It is almost 140 years since the West Pier in Brighton packed the seafront with spectators, as Yvonne Williams' old newspaper picture shows.

When Yvonne heard the historic structure had collapsed, she dug into her and husband Terry's collection of Brighton mementoes to find a newspaper cutting from the day it opened.

On 13 October, 1866, the pier was the toast of the town.

It was called 'one of the finest structures in Europe' and its Victorian elegance was described as 'an ornament to the town'.

Ironically, newspaper reports also applauded the pier for its 'solidarity of construction', which they rated as unrivalled.

Yvonne, a grandmother of Telscombe Cliffs Way, Telscombe, could not help comparing reports from the time with our reports about the pier's tragic collapse.

She and her partner Terry, an avid collector of Brighton memorabilia,found the old framed cutting in a car boot sale.

The couple are regulars at car boot sales but they could not have realised then that their framed article would become such an important reminder of a time when the pier stood proud and firm.

Yvonne said: "It's so sad the pier has been allowed to fall into its current state.

"It made me go and find this cutting and see how it was in its heyday."

The cutting, from the Illustrated London News, details the splendour of Eugenius Birch's creation and the lavish celebration that followed its official opening.

MPs, the Mayor of Brighton, Henry Martin, workmen carrying flags and banners, the coastguard and two military bands formed a procession to the head of the pier.

Speakers praised the 'plainness yet beauty' of its structure and its 'lightness of appearance'.

One commented: "The solidarity of its construction and the amount of its accommodation is quite unrivalled."

The report records how the pier had seating for more than 2,000 people and how the lower level could accommodate bath chairs.

It mentions how ornamental houses and weather screens were situated so 'promenaders could sit sheltered'. And it comments on the usefulness of the landing for steamers and boats under the head of the pier, which could be used 'at all stages of the tide'.

During the celebrations, the Royal Standard was hoisted over the pierand a 21-gun salute fired.

The mayor 'expressed the hope the public might find on the pier health, amusement and pleasure'.

The opening was followed by a banquet at the Royal Pavilion and an 'illumination by fireworks'.

Accompanying the piece is a sketch of the celebratory scene, completewith promenaders in their finery and VIPs on horseback.

Yvonne said: "I used to go to the pier as a child. I remember playingin the paddling pool and looking at the pier and thinking what a wonderful thing it was.

"I always thought it was more beautiful than the Palace Pier. It had more character.

"It's terrible that nothing has been done for all these years. Despite its sad state, I would like to see it rebuilt. It's such a huge part of Brighton and Hove."
http://archive.theargus.co.uk/2003/1/8/143061.html

Built in 1866-9 by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway Company under an Act of May 1864, the KempTown branch line was opened principally to fend off a possible rival line into eastern Brighton. The first turf was cut by the mayor, Henry Martin, on 17 February 1866, and the line opened on 2 August 1869. It was a single track, 1 mile 726 yards long, leaving the Lewes line 1,606 yards from Brighton at Kemp Town Junction; the short section from the junction to Lewes Road Stationwas doubled in July 1895. The journey from Brighton was therefore over2.3 miles long, about twice the distance by road.

http://www.mybrightonandhove.org.uk/page_id__8192.aspx