Friends of Hastings Cemetery


On the night of Friday 14 December 1894 WMG went to bed at his usual hour. The next morning, his daughter Annie Louise went to wake him, but could not rouse him.


Mr C B Gabb, of Wellington Square, Hastings, who had been his long time medical advisor was immediately called. On examination  he stated that life had been extinct for some hours.  For a few days prior to his death Glenister had been confined to his house by "a light indisposition", but has been able to carry out all the duties of his office.


Soon after his death, his daughter Annie Louise who had found him dead, was committed to Hellingly Mental Institution, where she remained until her death on 8 August 1928.

Funeral - William Montagu’s funeral was a very grand affair.  At the request of the Mayor, and as a mark of the great respect in which the townspeople held the late Chief Constable, the funeral was public one.


It was held on 20 December 1894, starting at 1.30pm, with the coffin borne from his house by six policemen, and placed on an open carriage drawn by four black horses.  Draped over the coffin were the Union Jack and the Police Force flag.  The hearse was followed by thirty to forty carriages with representatives of the various societies and activities which WMG was connected with at some time during his life.


The procession passed through the streets of Hastings, passing through many thousands of mourners, with the households showing their respect by lowering blinds or putting up black shutters.  It was just before 3.00pm when the procession was seen winding its way up to the cemetery gates, passing the police lined up in single file on either side of the road, with firemen taking up similar positions outside the church doors.

Glenister established the Volunteer Fire Brigade in 1861 ‘and soon had under him a staff of forty-four men, with three engines stationed in different parts of the town’.    In founding the Fire Brigade he was helped by J. J. Mason.   He enlisted the support of local paper editor, W.J.Ransom.   At the inaugural meeting, Glenister produced a list of 80 would-be volunteers.  Also in 1861 he offered St Leonards the services of the Hastings Fire Brigade without charge, this was accepted and an honorarium given annually to Hastings.

The Brigade was much respected locally and won several competitions.   His sons and grandsons served the Brigade in various capacities, one grandson, S. C. Glenister (Treasurer for 4½ years), was in the official party when the Brigade was handed over to the professionals.


In 1861 William Glenister  and a Mr Merryweather co-patented the very first twin hand pump action fire tricycle (the forerunner of modern fire engines).  Glenister and his fire tricycle, with the name Glenister-Merryweather emblazoned on the side, took a prominent part in the Oxford demonstration in 1887.

William Montagu Glenister, p.3

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