Bedford Arms, Hastings

The Bedford Arms was established in Queen’s Road, Hastings in 1865. It was both a hotel and public house. At 12pm on Saturday 5th October 1940 the building was directly hit by a high explosive bomb, one of 12 such bombs dropped by a lone German bomber. They struck Queens Road, Milward Road, Wellington Road, Cricket Ground, Stonefield Road and Wallinger’s Walk

Annie Payne and Lionel Goodwin were in the hotel when it was hit and both died there. Amos Prior was killed by shrapnel outside. Two other people were killed in Queens Road during the raid; George Martin and Florence Stones.

The only photograph I could find of the Bedford Arms as it once looked is this one.

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