Guest Story: Jennifer Batey in 1960

This August, we were delighted to welcome John Rawlinson and Jennifer Batey to The Grand Hotel for a leisurely stay in Eastbourne. During their visit, they met with our Marketing Executive, Milly, to reflect on a very special connection Jenny has with The Grand, dating back to 1960.

At the time, Jenny was just 20 years old and working for the Postal Service in Canterbury. She was honoured to be selected as a representative on the 1960 Consultative Committee for Postal Studies, an international conference held right here at The Grand Hotel. The event brought together around 100 employees from postal services across the globe for a six-week programme.

Jenny fondly recalled her daily routine: attending committee meetings during the day, then diligently typing up reports and documents in the evenings to prepare for the following sessions. Despite the workload, she also had the opportunity to enjoy the social side of the conference. She shared with us remarkable mementos, including invitations to official dinners with the mayor, a farewell party, and several elegant receptions. Alongside these were photographs, a hotel information booklet, a menu from the time, and even a letter she wrote home to her mother. In it, she humorously described the “ghastly food” (which referred to one meal of spaghetti and scallops, she kindly attributed to the challenge of catering for so many international delegates), while also praising the excellent service she received throughout her stay.

One highlight of Jenny’s return was visiting the Compton Ballroom. At first, there was some uncertainty about whether this was the same room from her 1960 conference photographs, as large screens had once transformed the space. But a glimpse of the original pillars in her image confirmed it.

Sixty-five years later, Jenny’s memories of this time remain vivid, and it was deeply meaningful to have her revisit The Grand, this time with her Friend, John, for his very first stay, and without the long hours of work.

As we celebrate our 150th anniversary this year, it was an honour to welcome Jenny and John. Stories like theirs resonate deeply with our team, and we hope they inspire others to share and relive their own cherished memories of Eastbourne and The Grand Hotel.