Development of the De La Warr Pavilion – Chronology
1884 Herr Stanislaus Wurm and his White Viennese Band hired until 1899
1887 Pier proposal off West Parade
1887 Victoria Hall opened
1895 York Hall opened
1898 a company was formed to build a winter garden on the Kursaal site
1896 Kursaal opened
1898 Pier proposal off Egerton Park
1899 Herr Moritz Wurm’s Blue Viennese Orchestra hired for the season
1900 Jimmy Glover becomes manager of Kursaal
1900 June 20th future 9th Earl born
1901 Pier proposal off Channel View.
1903 Band Fund formed to help pay the De La Warr Orchestra
1905 Cadow’s Cadets perform in Egerton Park
1905 Bar added to Kursaal
1907 Public Health Amendment Act “Penny Rate” allows expenditure on entertainment
1907 “Bexhill Winter Gardens Ltd” formed to get a winter garden on Brockley Road
1907 Pier proposal off Devonshire Road by Council
1907 Christmas Edition of B-o-S Ob’ “Parable of the Cursehall” cartoon
1908 Kursaal sold to Mr Claude Johnson
1908 Park Pergola opened in Egerton Park
1909 Entertainments Association formed, included council members and public
1909 Poppies concert party perform in Park Pergola or the Park Shelter Hall if wet
1909 Approval given to build Central Parade
1909 Christmas Edition of B-o-S Ob’ “Battle of the Bands” cartoon
1910 May, roller-skating rink opened in Buckhurst Road
1910 Daily film shows at Kursaal
1910 The Bijou opened by Collard and Kinsella
1910 July, Central Parade opened
1911 Colonnade opened
1912 Storm damage to seafront
1912 The 8th Earl attempts to form a company to run the Kursaal
1912 Christmas Edition of B-o-S Ob’ “Something like an attraction” cartoon
1913 Council buys East Parade, De La Warr Gates torn down in December
1913 Christmas Edition of B-o-S Ob’ “Everybody’s wanting it” cartoon
1915 8th Earl De La Warr dies
1921 unsuccessful attempt to open the former roller-skating rink as a winter garden
1923 April, Commercial Association resolve that an entertainments hall needed on seafront
1925 Corporation Act allows public expenditure on entertainment facilities
1925 Extensive alterations to the Kursaal
1926 Adams, Thompson & Fry commissioned to write General Development Plan
1927 Council bid to buy the Kursaal fails
1928 Outer promenade for Colonnade began
1929 Outer promenade for Colonnade finished
1930 General Development Plan published
1930 General Development Plan – includes plan for entertainments Pavilion
1930 Jan, Cllr A. Turner Laing outlines his proposal for a £50,000 Entertainments Hall, design by Tubbs & Messer
1930 August, coastguard station closed
1932 Philip York and his Country Players begin repertory at the Kursaal
1933 April, 9th Earl proposes a £50,000 scheme – almost universally supported
1933 Park Pergola closed
1934 Model built for public inquiry in order to secure loan
1935 March, visit by King George V and Queen Mary
1935 May, commemorative plaque laid by Earl De La Warr
1935 July, municipal scheme for swimming pool in Colonnade, later rejected
1935 October, Council buys the Kursaal – it now owned all the seafront
1935 December, Royal opening by Duke and Duchess of York
1936 June, Earl declines Freedom of the Borough
1936 November, Bernard Shaw attends a production of his play ‘The Millionairess’
1940 Bomb damage to Pavilion
1944 Dilapidation report by Johannes Schreiner
1955 Metropole demolished
1961 The council stops shops in Egerton Park theatre
1963 Harbour scheme proposed and dropped
1972 Lift, wheelchair ramp and fire-screen installed
1986 The De La Warr Pavilion is listed as a grade I building
1989 Pavilion Trust formed
1990 Repair work begins
2000 Council attempts to sell building
2001 The Pavilion is not sold and Lottery money is applied for
2002 Funding secured
2003 Restoration work begins