ition ed ▁their ▁Member ▁of ▁Parliament ▁compla ining ▁of ▁damage ▁to ▁their ▁houses , ▁and ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 9 0 1 ▁Kings bridge ▁R ural ▁District ▁Council ▁wrote ▁to ▁the ▁Board ▁of ▁Trade ▁compla ining ▁of ▁damage ▁to ▁the ▁road . ▁In ▁September ▁ 1 9 0 1 ▁a ▁new ▁Board ▁of ▁Trade ▁inspect or ▁concluded ▁that ▁further ▁severe ▁storm s ▁could ▁cause ▁serious ▁damage ▁and ▁recommended ▁that ▁d red ging ▁be ▁stopped . ▁On ▁ 8   J anu ary ▁ 1 9 0 2 ▁the ▁d red ging ▁lic ence ▁was ▁rev oked . ▁During ▁ 1 9 0 2 ▁the ▁level ▁of ▁the ▁beach ▁recovered , ▁but ▁ 1 9 0 2 ▁winter ▁brought ▁more ▁storm s ▁and ▁damage . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 6 ▁January ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁a ▁combination ▁of ▁e aster ly ▁g ales ▁and ▁exception ally ▁high ▁t ides ▁bre ached ▁H alls ands ' ▁def ences , ▁and ▁by ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁that ▁year ▁only ▁one ▁house ▁remained ▁habit able . ▁The ▁vill agers ' ▁fight ▁for ▁compens ation ▁took ▁seven ▁years . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁Pat he ▁News ▁news re el ▁foot age ▁from ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁the ▁last ▁inhab it ant ▁of ▁the ▁village ▁was ▁Mrs . ▁Elizabeth ▁P ret te j ohn . ▁ ▁Pres ent ▁day ▁ ▁The ▁site ▁of ▁the ▁old ▁village ▁at ▁South ▁H alls ands , ▁is ▁closed ▁off ▁to ▁the ▁public , ▁although ▁South ▁H ams ▁District ▁Council ▁has ▁built