Friends of Hastings Cemetery

During the nineteenth century, subscription libraries were common institutions. People paid a subscription or short-term fee to access books and newspapers, or perhaps relax and play billiards.  Sometimes, as a side venture, such libraries published local maps and guides.  That was the case with Diplock’s Library, which published a local guide to Hastings (a continuation of a practice that Barry had observed when he operated the library). William Jr. also made a number of other improvements to his library by the sea, at least according to his own guide:

“The Royal Marine Library. . . was established in the year 1791, by Mr Barry.  The Library has received considerable improvements since it has been conducted by Mr Diplock, in the increased number of new books, with the addition of nine daily and six weekly papers, besides every new work deserving encouragement, which, with the periodical publications and other accommodations, together with its fine situation, render it a pleasant, convenient, and agreeable lounge. Over the Library is a very good Billiard Room, from which there is a fine view of the sea.

That ‘fine view of the sea’ would become a bone of contention in a long-standing feud that the Diplocks had with Thomas Brandon Brett, when, apparently to improve the view of a fair weather resident, the Diplocks removed the balcony from the building.
http://davidoflaherty.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=diplock
Roger Diplock, ‘Up the Social Ladder,’ Sussex Family Historian, Vol 3 (3), December 1977, 74.                                                                                             ______________________________

William Diplock (Junior) started work in what had been Powell’s library before taking over Barry’s in 1828.   Earlier, in 1826, with James Breeds jnr. & Others, he was involved in an incident of abusing of the Watch .

In 1840 he married Eliza Sarah Langham, the eldest daughter of solicitor J G Langham.  Eliza Diplock’s father was Lawyer Langham who lived at 1 High Street from 1838 to 1876. He was known as the ‘Smugglers Lawyer’.  James was succeeded in the firm by F A Langham and the firm is now Young, Coles and Langdon.

1851 CENSUS has this household at 46 Wellington Square, Hastings:
William Diplock. Head. Married. Aged 40. Librarian and Stationer. Born Brighton,
Eliza Sarah Diplock. Wife. Married. Aged 36. Born Holborn, Middlesex
James Langham Diplock. Son. Aged 10. Scholar. Born Hastings, Sussex
Fanny Bramah Diplock. Daughter. Aged 7. Scholar at home. Born Hastings
William Thomas Diplock. Son. Aged 5. Scholar at home. Born Hastings
Elizabeth Parker Diplock. Daughter. Aged 4. Born Hastings,
Arthur Morris Diplock. Son. aged 2. Born Hastings
and two visitors

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Diplock, William continued