We have a very interesting programme of events coming up in 2026. All talks will take place in the Durbar Hall at Hastings Museum & Art Gallery, Bohemia Road, Hastings TN34 1ET and are open to all. Advance booking is not usually necessary.
We are very grateful that all of our speakers are happy to share their time and knowledge with us at no cost to the Association.

Members-only Events
We have two events this year which will be for members only with advance booking. Details will be sent to members in the monthly newsletter nearer the time.
In April we have a visit to the Mint House in Pevensey and the adjacent store where museum artefacts for which there is no display room in the Museum are kept.
In May, we have been invited to a guided tour of the Hastings Contemporary gallery.

Saturday 25^th April:
2pm A talk by Andrew Blackman and Haydon Luke on Fairlight Place
Fairlight Place is one of the oldest and most important buildings in the district. It is part of old Fairlight, high up but set back from the cliffs, off Barley Lane, that ancient thoroughfare leading down into Hastings Old Town.  It is a Grade II listed building, the listing dating from 1951 – one of the earliest in the area.  It is mentioned in Pevsner’s Buildings of England and in numerous other publications.
Andrew and Haydon will unfold the remarkable story of a very special building which has, over the years, hosted many well-known people as diverse as the Duke of Wellington, Louis Philippe (the last king of France) and Cecil Rhodes. In more recent times the house became near derelict and the talk will include the striking account of its rescue and restoration.
Entrance £5 to Association funds

May:
Regrettably, the annual Robert Tressell Walk led by Trevor Hopper, author of ‘Robert Tressell’s Hastings: The Background to “The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists”‘ will not take place this year due to ill health.

Sunday 14^th June:
2pm A talk by Barbara Atkinson on The Brede Steam Giants
Entrance £5 to Association funds

Saturday 11^th July:
2pm The ‘No Hills’ Old Town Walk with Judy Cubison, Old Hastings Preservation Society
Meeting place to be confirmed.
Entrance £5 to Association funds

Sunday 20th September
2pm A talk by Ken Brooks on the history of the RNLI
Entrance £5 to Association funds

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PREVIOUS EVENTS

Sunday 8^th March:
2pm A talk by Elaine Luke on local author, Malcolm Saville
Entrance £5 to Association funds

Sunday 25^th January:
We enjoyed a very interesting talk by Steve Dine from Empress Coaches
an interesting and varied talk about a company that has been very much part of the fabric of Hastings over the last 97 years complete with some fascinating photographs; from its beginnings and through the 1930s, its operation through the dark times of World War two and the boom years of the 1950s and 60s to the present day when Empress has diversified and adapted to ensure the company continues to thrive.