Bohemia Village Voice

Author David Russell

Most books on pubs tend to be of the ‘Good … Guide’ and will list beers, food and number of bars. David Russell’s new book does none of this but instead describes our local pubs in their historic and social context and he does it in a very readable way. There is a multitude of well-researched facts and anecdotes here, which bring to life the chosen pubs. We are told about items as diverse as the Nag’s Head’s part in the St Leonard’s bonfire society, the FILO once sold draught milk(!) and the Palace Bars (now the Pig in Paradise) using electricity in 1894 from dynamos installed in caves behind the building. A couple of minor gripes – there is no general index and the book clearly has dates up to 2009 but the title would suggest otherwise.  
What better than to support the furtherance of public houses in today’s society, by visiting one of the open premises from David’s book and reading the relevant chapter whilst partaking of refreshments there?
o The Pubs of Hastings & St Leonards 1800-2000 by David Russell has just been published. Illustrated by James Gray and Jean Hope. 232 pages. ISBN 0 9562917 07. Copies are available from Bohemia Village Voice office, 79, Bohemia Road, TN37 6RJ. Price: £10.99 or direct from the publishers at hastings.pubs@gmail.com  tel: 01424 200227. Reviewed by Alan Jeffries

Pubs in Bohemia
David has included three Bohemia pubs in his book: the Wheatsheaf, the Dripping Spring and the North Star. He has kindly given permission for the Voice to publish extracts in future issues about these three pubs plus several more not included in the book: The Tower Hotel, the Prince of Wales (now the Labour Party HQ), The Bohemia Arms (now Siam Property), The Hearts of Oak, The British Workman (the first ‘temperance pub’ to be opened in the South of England) and Bernie Thurloe’s Off-Licence (now home of local historian Edward Preston at 63 Bohemia Road).