Omega,
I'm not sure whether you have these of not, but the following are listed in burials for St Mary's, Eastbourne:
RIDDLE, Alex, 77, South Street. Buried Dec 18 1833
RIDDLE, Mary, 49, Wish. Buried May 10 1837
I'm not sure who Mary is, but it is interesting that she is listed as living at "Wish".
There are two books written by George Chambers that give some insight into the derivation of the name "Wish." The first is
HANDBOOK FOR EAST-BOURNE, PEVENSEY & HERSTMONCEUX CASTLES, "WILMINGTON PRIORY, MICHELHAM PRIORY, BEACHY HEAD, HAILSHAM, AND THE NEIGHBOURHOOD. ALPHABETICAL DIRECTORY OF PRIVATE RESIDENTS AND BOOK OF REFERENCE FOR EVERYBODY.
This is available through Google Books. The "Wish" is mentioned several times throughout the book but two mentions are worth showing here:
This word is said to be a corruption of "Wash," and to signify a "wet place." If so, it is very appropriate, for there are evident indications that at no very distant period there was an inlet of the sea here. Perhaps it ought to be said that there used to be "evident indications," for these are almost obliterated now in consequence of the equilisation of the levels here, brought about in connection with the Duke of Devonshire's building operations. There was formerly a stagnant rush-grown pool, which the late Mr. D. Gilbert thought might be the remains of a Roman navala, or wet dock, formed artificially by that enterprising people, a natural harbour being wanting. (Suss. Arch. Coll., is.., 156.) "At low water in front of the Wish, large piles are standing, which tradition ascribes for the support of a pier head in former times, to guard the ships which were at anchor in the Wish or harbour." (Sir W. Burrg/l.) The drain now to be seen here is not a sewer, but the inlet to the Baths.
A visitor writing to a local Newspaper in 1861, said:—"I venture to think that this supposition is a mistake, and that the ' Wish ' is probably a corruption of ' Gnichet,' a wicket or passage in the main entrance, and which bears allusion to Guiche, and finally corrupted to ' Wish/ Now, looking around the country, and seeing the number of villages, seats, &c., with Norman-French names, I think there can be no doubt of the origin of the 'Wish' being the Norman-French 'Guichet;' if so its name would harmonise better with the lovely scenery than the 'Wash.'"
The second book is: Eastbourne Memories Of The Victorian Period 1845 To 1901
And Some Other Things Of Interest, Divers. By George F Chambers F.R.A.S.
Published By V. T. Sumfield Station Street Eastbourne. Circa 1910
It is available at
http://www.sussexhistory.co.uk/eastbourne-memories/eastbourne-history.htmland through the Internet Archive (and also at openlibrary.org)
This book gives a description of the "Wish"
I do not know that it is worth while to say much about footpaths and narrow occupation roads now either discarded or swallowed up in modern roads, but from a point just opposite No. 8 The Terrace, the roadway, now a mere back road for the convenience of the houses at the back of Cornfield Terrace, once marked the line of the " Shomer Dyke," a drain draining the South Street houses and having its outlet near the Wish. Eventually the dyke (ditch) was filled in and the narrow road formed which still exists robbed of its Mid-Victorian name of " Shomerdyke Road." Previously to this The Wish was reached by a narrow road starting from South Street and following nearly or quite the line of what is now College Road. Here a branch to the E. led to the sea-shore near the Wish Tower, and a branch to the W. past some farm buildings known as " Hollands Barn " to " Prentice Street " and up to Meads.
There is also an illustration of the Wish Tower in 1840 that will give some idea of the surrounding area
http://www.sussexhistory.co.uk/eastbourne-memories/eastbourne-memories%20-%200031.htmRegards
Mark
