A-Z of Bexhill-on-Sea: Places-People-History

Bexhill is a town in East Sussex with a high percentage of retired people, but it is much more than a retirement community. It was developed by the 7th Earl of Sackville as a seaside resort in the late nineteenth century and gained a reputation for health and longevity. It was also the birthplace of British motor racing, the first resort to allow mixed bathing, the town where color television was invented, and the venue for Bob Marley's first gig in the UK. The town has been immortalized in a Goon Show sketch by Spike Milligan and celebrated by native Eddie Izzard. "A–Z of Bexhill-on-Sea" reveals the history behind Bexhill, its streets and buildings, and the people connected with the town, including smuggling, its link to Agatha Christie, and its connection with the US state of Delaware.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 96 pages
Publication date: 15 August 2022
Publisher: Amberley Publishing

Bexhill, a town in East Sussex, is known for having one of the highest percentages of retired people in the country. However, it is a town that does not deserve its reputation as a place where God's wait. The town was developed by the 7th Earl of Sackville in the late 19th century as a seaside resort and gained a reputation for health and longevity. It was also home to around 300 independent schools before the outbreak of the Second World War.

Bexhill has always been a pioneering place. It was the birthplace of British motor racing, the first resort to allow mixed bathing, the town where color television was invented, and the venue for Bob Marley's first gig in the UK. The town has been home to a wonderful array of fascinating characters, including pioneering motorcycling rector Canon Basil Davies and a hoax inventor of a death ray.

Bexhill has been immortalized in a Goon Show sketch by Spike Milligan, who trained with the army there in the Second World War, and celebrated by native Eddie Izzard, who put a replica of the coach from The Italian Job on the roof of the town's art gallery.

A-Z of Bexhill-on-Sea reveals the history behind Bexhill, its streets and buildings, and the people connected with the town. Alongside the famous historical connections, there are unusual characters, tucked-away places, and unique events that are less well-known. Readers will discover tales of smuggling, the town's link to Agatha Christie, and its connection with the US state of Delaware among many other fascinating facts in this A-Z tour of Bexhill's history.

Fully illustrated, this book will appeal to all those with an interest in this historic East Sussex seaside town.

Weight: 280g
Dimension: 166 x 233 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781398110731