Bohemia Village Voice

View of Bohemia Road. Busy shops, lots of pedestrians and no traffic. Turning to the left is Newgate Road.

By Edward Preston (Nov 2008)

The community which had become established in Upper Bohemia developed as one of the most successful shopping centres in St Leonards, with a range of shops covering almost every conceivable service. In more recent times, although the range of shops has declined, there being no longer a butcher or candlestick maker, most essential services remain, and Bookman’s Halt, among others, still attracts customers from far afield.

The attractiveness of Upper Bohemia as a shopping centre will hopefully be maintained, for two shops, numbers 77 and 79, having fine fronts and interesting interiors were awarded listed building status in 2004, and no. 79 has been refurbished [as the ‘Voice’ offices].

In recent times, Bohemia proper has become home to the central police station, to the law courts, the register office, the fire station, the ambulance station and now has a garage and supermarket, and the cricket ground at Horntye Park. One other service, which sadly has been lost to the locality, was that of the Buchanan Hospital. This had originated in 1881 at no. 24, Southwater Road, as the Buchanan Cottage Hospital for treating severe cases referred from the Eye Department of the St Leonards Homeopathic Dispensary.

Then in 1884, on land given by Mr C. C. Eversfield, the Buchanan moved and became a General and Eye Hospital. Gradually developing and expanding, it was not until the middle of the 20th century that the Buchanan became the maternity hospital for the town.

Edward Preston