Local history photographs in libraries

We have collections of photographs in many of our libraries showing images of historical East Sussex.

Photos of the local area

Rye, Quayside
Rye, Quayside

Here is a small selection of our local area photographs showing places and events that happened in East Sussex.

  1. Hastings Pier fire 15 July 1917
  2. Eastbourne, Western Central Birdcage Bandstand
  3. Eastbourne, Holywell 1963
  4. Rye, Old Monastic Buildings
  5. Rye, Ypres Tower and Steps
  6. St Leonards, Sun Lounge and Marine Court
  7. Battle, High Street and Abbey
  8. Eastbourne, Devonshire Baths
  9. St Leonards, Bathing Pool 1930s
  10. Hastings, Balloon ascent 1883
  11. Hastings, Town Hall 1880s
  12. Rye, Quayside 1890s

To see more photos, go to libraries historical photos on Flickr.

Hastings, Town Hall
Hastings, Town Hall
Battle, High Street and Abbey
Battle, High Street and Abbey

Buying copies of our local area photographs

You can buy copies of these photos for private use for a small charge:

  • £3 for images sent by email
  • £3 for images printed on ordinary paper
  • £5 for images printed on photographic paper

To order copies, please email your contact details and the number and title of the photo you are interested in to library.enquiries@eastsussex.gov.uk.

When we have confirmed your order, please post a cheque made payable to 'East Sussex County Council' to:

Hastings Reference Library
Brassey Institute
13 Claremont
Hastings TN34 1HE

Hastings, Balloon ascent
Hastings, Balloon ascent
St Leonards, Bathing Pool
St Leonards, Bathing Pool
Eastbourne, Devonshire Baths
Eastbourne, Devonshire Baths

Mounted prints – buy pictures of historical East Sussex

Bring history alive with beautiful prints of old East Sussex, specially selected from our local history collections in libraries.

There are 13 images of Eastbourne, Hastings, Lewes and Rye to choose from:

  1. Eastbourne, Ivy Terrace
  2. Eastbourne, Terminus Road
  3. Eastbourne, Grand Parade
  4. Eastbourne, Beachy Head Lighthouse
  5. Eastbourne Pier
  6. Rye, Land Gate
  7. Rye Harbour
  8. Hastings Beach
  9. Hastings, Pelham Crescent
  10. Hastings, view from West Hill
  11. Lewes, view from Lewes Castle
  12. Lewes, High Street, School Hill
  13. Lewes, view from Baxters Library

Each print has been created professionally by hand:

  • printed in a dark room, keeping the colours from the original photograph
  • displayed in hand-cut cream card mounts
  • fits in any A4 picture frame, so you can put it on a shelf or hang it on a wall
  • has information about the image, such as the photographer and date, on the back.

Buying our mounted prints

Each print normally costs £12.25, but you can now get them for just £6 in our half price sale.

You can buy them at the following libraries:

You can phone the library first to check if the prints are available and arrange to collect them. Please quote the number and title of the print you're interested in.

If you can't visit these libraries, ask us about making other arrangements by emailing your details to library.enquiries@eastsussex.gov.uk.

Beachy Head Lighthouse
Beachy Head Lighthouse

Using our images in publications

If you are interested in using our photographs in a publication, from books to posters, please email library.enquiries@eastsussex.gov.uk.

Become a local history volunteer

Many photos in our libraries have been donated by local people and don't have dates or locations recorded on them.

If you're interested in local history, you could help identify these photos and organise our collections. Find out how to become a local history volunteer:

You can also help to identify historical photographs at our East Sussex Record Office – please see Where, when, who – can you help?

Donating your photographs

We welcome donations of local studies material at our libraries, including photographs and other items. If you would like to share information or photographs with us, please contact library.enquiries@eastsussex.gov.uk.