A handbook for Hastings, St. Leonards, and the most remarkable places in the neighbourhood 1864

Editor: We're looking at "A Handbook for Hastings, St. Leonards, and the most remarkable places in the neighbourhood" published in 1864. It seems unassuming—a simple printed book—but there’s something comforting in its age, like holding a whisper from the past. What jumps out at you when you see it? Curator: It’s interesting how something so seemingly functional can hold so much history, isn’t it? To me, it speaks volumes about the Victorian obsession with documenting and cataloging their world. This wasn’t just about practical travel, but about shaping perceptions of place. It's like a time capsule, almost daring us to step back into that era. Does the typography or layout evoke any feelings or questions for you? Editor: It's a little bit stiff and formal, not the way we experience travel or place today. Everything is a bit serious, I suppose. I can imagine it sitting in someone's carpetbag as they trekked through Sussex! But, maybe it also promised reliability in an uncertain age? Curator: Precisely! Imagine Victorian England—a society grappling with industrialization, rapid social change. These handbooks weren't just guides; they were anchors. They sought to bring order and understanding to a world feeling increasingly chaotic. Now, the very materiality of the object – the aging paper, the typography, creates its own poetry, don’t you think? Editor: That makes perfect sense. Thinking about that historical context transforms how I view a simple guidebook. Curator: Indeed! We began with a physical object, and from there moved back in time! All thanks to some decaying paper, ink, and glue.