Two Eastbourne societies celebrate landmark anniversaries

Members of the Eastbourne Society and Eastbourne Local History Society got together last week to celebrate two big anniversaries.
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The Eastbourne Society and the Local History Society came together on October 14 at the Welcome Building.

The Eastbourne Society was founded 60 years ago with the aim of protecting the town’s built heritage and the Local History Society started 10 years later to encourage interest in the town’s past.

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Andrew Blackman, the Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex, and Lord Burlington, son and heir of the Duke of Devonshire and Patron of the two societies, both attended.

Left to right: Chris Leach Chair of Eastbourne Society, Russell Owen, Chair Eastbourne Local History Society, Lord Burlington, Andrew Blackman,Lord-Lieutenant of East Sussex, David Tutt, Robert Cottrill. Photo from Andy Butler. SUS-211020-145218001Left to right: Chris Leach Chair of Eastbourne Society, Russell Owen, Chair Eastbourne Local History Society, Lord Burlington, Andrew Blackman,Lord-Lieutenant of East Sussex, David Tutt, Robert Cottrill. Photo from Andy Butler. SUS-211020-145218001
Left to right: Chris Leach Chair of Eastbourne Society, Russell Owen, Chair Eastbourne Local History Society, Lord Burlington, Andrew Blackman,Lord-Lieutenant of East Sussex, David Tutt, Robert Cottrill. Photo from Andy Butler. SUS-211020-145218001

Lord Burlington delivered a talk tracing his family’s connections with Eastbourne since the 18th century and the pioneering work of the 7th and 8th Dukes in establishing Eastbourne’s roots as a modern resort.

Richard Crook, a trustee of the Eastbourne Society and its architectural advisor, presented on the early growth of Eastbourne featuring some maps showing the town’s layout.

Richard then accompanied Lord Burlington and the society members to the east side of Devonshire Park for the formal renaming of the peripheral footpath as the Burlington Walk.

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The revival of the raised walkway, funded by the Eastbourne Society with the support of the Borough Council, has been supervised by Richard, with restoration of globe lamps in the original style and Victorian style seats.

The afternoon concluded with a cream tea in the Welcome Building’s Shackleton Hall.