Rock & Sons Hastings

[1909]

Rock & Sons seems to have been a significant presence in Hastings for most of the 19th century. Does anybody know what happened to them, and in particular any link with Rock, Hawkins & Thorpe in Tunbridge Wells?

[charlotteCH]

Welcome to rootschat.

Sorry I can't give you info as an answer  to your questions but maybe if you emailed the Hastings Library they may have a Local Studies section that will have the info you want.
Worth a try
Good luck,
charlotte

[1909]

Thanks Charlotte. That's a very sensible suggestion.  Chris

[Chris in 1066Land]

Hi 1909

Welcome to Rootschat and especially the Sussex Boards - one of the best on here.

By Rock & Son were you referring to Rock & Son Carraige works in White Rock - if so, yes they are very famous in Hastings History and they won a Gold Metal at the Great Exhibition of 1851 at Crystal Palace with a new design of a carraige called 'The Diorapha'

Prior to the Crystal Palace Exhibition, a smaller exhibition of items was held at Messrs Rock and Sons carriage showroom at White Rock on 26/7 February. Children of Hastings Union Workhouse were taken to Crystal Palace by train on July 31.

They also had one of the first conveyor built production lines in history with raw materials entering the premises on the ground floor and gradually being added to as they rose up the three floors of the building in a lift (preserved and still working) until it got to the top where it exited as a complete carriage

Sadly the old building was converted to flats last year - but the outside is still the same

Chris in 1066

[charlotteCH]

1909, You've hot gold with Chris in 1066's answer and all that info.

You8 should be able to get a pic of the outside of the buildings.. and maybe more at whichever planning authority gave permission for the new flats.

charlotte

[Chris in 1066Land]

1909

This is the building that was Rock & Son (The Archway that says White & Norton was the front entrance to the building/works) from an early 1900's picture. 
White & North used to say Rock & Son

Also attached is a present day picture of the exit from the lift at the back of the building where the completed carriages came out.

In the cliffs at the back of the building (you can only get to them through the building) are some caves that were used by Rock and Co who as well as being a carriage maker was also an Inventor and he was experimenting in building Refridgerators.
Candle stubs are still in place in niches in the wall that he used to provide light whilst he worked.  These pictures were taken as I had access to the building whilst they converted it to flats.  Long thin tunnels lead to a wide open space with clear fresh water.

Hope that has helped

Chris in 11066

[Chris in 1066Land]

Hi again

Picture 1 is from an old album of Hastings and St Leonards and dates from about 1870 - the smoking chimney belongs to Rock & Son ( their furnace for bending metals) on the corner of Roberston Street (Stratford Place)

Picture 2 shows that same chimney taken from the road above during modernisation into flats.  The Grey roof is the actual factory building and the lift was on the right of the picture. (factory was an L shape) The white/cream buildings are actually on the sea front and were showrooms and offices etc.

Picture 3 shows how sympathetic the conversion to flats was - allowing for the age and shape of the building.

Hope that helps to put everything into context

[charlotteCH]

Chris in 1066Land,

Those pics are marvellous... and the first of Straford Place gives a real feel for it in early 1900s .

charlotte

[1909]

Hi Chris in 1066 land,

Thanks for those great pictures.
The reason that I was asking about Rocks was that I was doing a little article about carriage makers in Tunbridge Wells. I've done it now, but I never did find out why Rock moved to Tunbridge Wells, and which member of the family it was. I have attached it to this post in case people are interested.
I am still interested in the subject - once you start on something you can never give it up completely, but I wonder how I indicate to readers of this forum that the urgency has lessened. Perhaps just by saying that.

Thanks again for the pictures.

Chris (1909)