Our Story
The past.. Where did it all start?
The Parsons newspaper empire began modestly, with bookseller Isaac Parsons printing The Rye Chronicle on a hand press in a garden shed in 1853. By 1866, this had morphed into a version of the Hastings Observer newspaper and was being run by Isaac’s son Frederick James Parsons in partnership with Suffolk printer Henry Cousins. By the late 1870s, Parsons had built his new company headquarters at 14 Claremont and the Observer was Hastings’ leading newspaper. Parsons and Cousins dissolved their partnership in 1875 and the name of the firm reverted to FJ Parsons.
After Frederick’s death in 1900, his son Joseph took over as chairman and managing director. With increasing expansion, Parsons had begun to run out of space for work and machinery and needed new premises. Despite advice to leave the town centre, Joseph Parsons engaged local architect Henry Ward to design a new building that would hugely expand the Parsons enterprise within the vicinity. Delayed by the First World War, the massive six-storey Observer Building was carved into the cliff face and opened in 1924 for the continued production of local news, as well as publishing many journals and periodicals. Throughout the 20th century, the Parsons empire continued to grow, including through purchases of houses for OB workers. The final extension took place in 1969 with the building of the nine-storey office, Rothermere House on Cambridge Road (now Rock House - the first Hastings Commons property). By the time Rothermere House was completed, the workforce numbered around 800 across all sites with 180 members of staff based at the Observer Building.
The technological transformation of the print industry in the 1970s and 1980s led FJ Parsons to sell out and the last of the staff moved out of the Observer Building in 1984, leaving what had once been an impressive and bustling building empty and increasingly derelict.
The past.. Where did it all start?
The Parsons newspaper empire began modestly, with bookseller Isaac Parsons printing The Rye Chronicle on a hand press in a garden shed in 1853. By 1866, this had morphed into a version of the Hastings Observer newspaper and was being run by Isaac’s son Frederick James Parsons in partnership with Suffolk printer Henry Cousins. By the late 1870s, Parsons had built his new company headquarters at 14 Claremont and the Observer was Hastings’ leading newspaper. Parsons and Cousins dissolved their partnership in 1875 and the name of the firm reverted to FJ Parsons.
After Frederick’s death in 1900, his son Joseph took over as chairman and managing director. With increasing expansion, Parsons had begun to run out of space for work and machinery and needed new premises. Despite advice to leave the town centre, Joseph Parsons engaged local architect Henry Ward to design a new building that would hugely expand the Parsons enterprise within the vicinity. Delayed by the First World War, the massive six-storey Observer Building was carved into the cliff face and opened in 1924 for the continued production of local news, as well as publishing many journals and periodicals. Throughout the 20th century, the Parsons empire continued to grow, including through purchases of houses for OB workers. The final extension took place in 1969 with the building of the nine-storey office, Rothermere House on Cambridge Road (now Rock House - the first Hastings Commons property). By the time Rothermere House was completed, the workforce numbered around 800 across all sites with 180 members of staff based at the Observer Building.
The technological transformation of the print industry in the 1970s and 1980s led FJ Parsons to sell out and the last of the staff moved out of the Observer Building in 1984, leaving what had once been an impressive and bustling building empty and increasingly derelict.