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| copyright © J.Middleton These splendid houses are to be found on the west side |
Background
Sackville Road covers an ancient route that ran northwards from the village of Hove, which was situated in the area of present-day Hove Street. In times past the route was called variously Hove Drove or Hove Hyde, the latter name being used at an inquest held in March 1853 to describe the pathway leading northwards from Old Hove Street. No doubt many years ago the pathway was trodden by smugglers hurrying along under cover of darkness after unloading their booty on the beach. There were several hiding places locally, including an old Malt-house, a cave on the corner of Old Shoreham Road, and even St Andrew’s Old Church. It was because Hove was a notorious spot for smugglers that the Coastguard Station was built.
The road began to take on a more respectable appearance in the 1880s when some houses were built on land owned by the Vallance Estate, many designed by Lainson & Son, who were the architects to the Vallance Estate. In December 1880 the owners and ratepayers of houses in Hove Drove sent a petition to Hove Commissioners asking that the road might be re-named Sackville Road. The reason put forward was that the word ‘Drove’ was frequently confused with The Drive, and thus letters went astray. In addition, they did not like the word ‘Drove’ at all – it sounded down-market, gave strangers the wrong impression, and even perhaps affected the value of their property. Their wish was granted.
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| copyright © J.Middleton This photograph is of houses on the east side |
The house-holders certainly picked an aristocratic name, but it also had a local resonance because the Sackville Estate owned swathes of land in Aldrington. The Sackvilles were also Lords of the Manor of Hangleton from at least 1597, and the family were patrons of St Nicolas Church, Portslade, from 1880 to 1981.
A Dodgy Builder
In January 1882 builder Edmund Turner was in trouble with Hove Commissioners. He had been reported for infringing bye-law 50 in the construction of three houses on the west side of Sackville Road. He was reported to the authorities because he had built front walls, part walls, and back walls, which were not solidly put together with mortar. By March 1882 he was convicted of infringing the bye-law, and the order was given to demolish the houses.
Road Widening and Pavements
In 1882 the question arose of the possible widening of the road between Byron Street and the railway. It took some months to come to an agreement with the interested parties, but in July 1882 there was a satisfactory arrangement concerning the land on the west side with the trustees of the Vallance Estate, while in December 1882 an agreement was reached with George Freeman for land on the west side from Clarendon Road to the railway arch.
Meanwhile, Hove Commissioners decided that when the land was legally theirs, the banks would be removed, with the soil being utilised to make paths in Hove Cemetery.
In 1888 the average width of Sackville Road was 19-ft, but it could vary between 17-ft 6-in to 25-ft.
In 1891 Hove Commissioners decided that Sackville Road north of the railway ought to be widened. The Railway Company were willing to give up some land on the east side, and the Stanford Estate were also in agreement, providing compensation was paid to the tenant. But the trustees of the Vallance Estate proved to be more difficult. They would only agree to give up some land on the west side, if at the same time Hove Commissioners undertook to widen Church Road between St Aubyns and Hove Street.
While these negotiations were going on, the surveyor suggested that a new sewer ought to be laid from the railway arch to the intersection of Newtown Road, then in the course of being built. When the bank on the east side was removed, the soil could be used as in-filling where the Western Lawns were being established.
In 1892 Hove Commissioners were again in communication with the trustees of the Vallance Estate to request permission to remove sufficient earth from the bank to enable a foot-path 3-ft wide and 6-in wide to be made between the road and the fence.
In April 1896 Hove Commissioners stated that if the trustees of the Vallance Estate were willing to give up some land so that the road would be 50-ft wide north of the railway, they would undertake to construct a new sewer with ventilating shafts, remove surplus soil, and make up the road. This agreement was dated January 1897 and was signed by the following people:
Emma Kate Vallance
H. J. R. Livesay
W. S. Livesay
In 1895 some new paving with artificial stone slabs was laid for a distance of 330-ft on the east side, south of Blatchington Road, at a cost of £207.
In March 1901 an agreement was drawn up between Hove Council and Mrs E. T. Stanford to widen the road on the east side.
In 1906 a trial was made with tarred Macadam in Sackville Road, north of Blatchington Road.
In 1926 it was decided that the surface of the road would have to be lowered for a length of 150-ft
south from the proposed new
railway bridge in order to meet the requirements of the Ministry of
Transport. It was proposed to lay creosoted deal blocks at a cost of
£2,656.
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| copyright © J.Middleton Early 1900s photograph before tarred Macadam was laid |
Water Pillar
In 1891 a water pillar was erected in Sackville Road opposite Blatchington Road; it was for street-watering purposes.
In 1893 the Revd A. G. L. Bowling requested that the water pillar opposite the vicarage might be removed. The Commissioners replied that they would move it to the other side of the road opposite Coleridge Street.
Street Lighting
In 1894 Parsons & Sons wrote to Hove Commissioners asking for additional lighting to be installed in the street opposite their new houses on the east side. The surveyor reported that there was no lamp on the west side between Church Road and Portland Road. The trustees of the Vallance Estate had agreed to erect street lamps as and when houses were built fronting Sackville Road. The Commissioners therefore decided to instal one street lamp, and send the bill to the trustees. This agreement was dated 15 April 1880, but it was not the last time the trustees dragged their feet. For example, in December 1896 the Commissioners had to remind them to lay a pavement and install some lamp-posts, while in March 1899 the trustees were informed that seven new houses north of the railway were occupied but there was still no pavement.
In November 1897 it was decided to place a lamp north of the railway arch, and another one on the corner of Portland Road. In June 1898, at the request of Mr S. T. Lewonski, an additional lamp was placed north of the railway arch.
However, many people considered that just two lamps between the railway arch and Old Shoreham Road was not enough, and complaints were made. The surveyor produced an interesting report on the scale of development in that area. He stated that in the streets running to the west, fourteen houses were occupied, twelve were ready for occupation, while ten were in the process of being built. Since the occupied houses were somewhat scattered, the surveyor suggested that two additional lamps should be installed at a cost of £14.
In January 1900 it was stated that there were 31 gas-lamps between Church Road and the railway arch, and two more were to be installed; all of them were to be fitted with new Sunlight Jena lamps with a suspension chimney combination.
In 1903 a new lamp was provided at the corner of Old Shoreham Road, and another on the east side near the entrance to the Railway Goods Yard.
In 1923 Hove Council decided to
install electric street-lamps as far north as Coleridge Street.
Trees
In March 1895 the surveyor stated that Messrs Parsons & Sons had donated some trees, which would be planted on the west side of the road opposite the houses in the process of being built by Parsons.
In 1902 it was decided that trees
would be planted from Portland Road to the railway arch at a cost not
exceeding £40.
Edward Newsom and the Bus
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| copyright © Royal Pavilion & Museum, Brighton & Hove The Sackville Road to Castle Square bus, this journey cost 2 pence in 1902. |
In 1898 when Edward Newsom was seven years old, he moved to Hove with his family from Tunbridge Wells. His proud boast was that he was a passenger on the very first bus to trundle down Sackville Road. In 1916 Newson passed his driving test and he just kept on driving even at the great age of 105 in July 1996; he claimed never to have been involved in an accident. He was also believed to be one of the oldest men still working because until June 1996 he ran a letting agency renting out garages and workshops around Brighton and Hove. He lived in Radinden Manor Road, and was a great-great-grandfather.
Traffic Census
On 3 August 1926 a traffic census was taken in Sackville Road, which showed the road to be surprisingly busy with no less than 2,346 vehicles using the road during the day. The total was made up of the following:
583 motor vehicles (but no buses)
313 horse-drawn vehicles
13 horses
1,050 bicycles
159 motor-cycles
108 hand-carts and barrows
Sackville Railway Bridge
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| copyright © J.Middleton The railway bridge was photographed in March 2021 |
The original bridge was
constructed in 1840 when the road was little more than a country
lane. However, with the development of housing in the area, and the
growth of traffic, the old bridge created a dangerous bottle-neck.
On 4 May 1908 George John Cooke wrote to Hove Council to emphasise the dangerous state of the railway arch. He pointed out that all the heavy traffic from the Goods Yard came down the hill with the skid-pan on, but when they reached the foot of the hill at the railway arch, the skid-pan was removed, thus halting all the traffic behind. He enclosed a petition calling for immediate action signed by 183 inhabitants. The letter also revealed that pedestrians going up or down the road were in danger because their view of traffic was blocked by the buttresses. It was difficult to hear approaching traffic because of the noise generated by the railway or road traffic.
Hove Council forwarded the petition to the directors of the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway. Their reply was dated 10 June 1908. They were quite willing to alter the bridge, but it would be necessary to replace the brick arch with an iron superstructure. Such a bridge would be expensive to maintain, and so the cost ought to be borne by Hove Council. No doubt there was much spluttering in the Council Chamber when this news was digested. Their reply was that they could not see their way to taking further steps at the present time.
However, local people were not going to be fobbed off so easily, and another petition was soon on its way, signed by 233 people. The railway company suggested two ways of improving the situation as follows:
Plan 12,754 – This was a comprehensive plane that involved the removal of the brick bridge, the construction of new abutments with a new superstructure costing around £5,000.
Plan 12,756 – This was a cheaper compromise that kept the old bridge but installed a side archway on the west side for pedestrian use, and would cost around £900.
Since Hove Council was expected to shoulder the entire cost, it is not surprising that the cheaper option was chosen.
In order to ascertain the volume of traffic passing through the railway arch, a traffic census was conducted on 28 August 1911 with the following results:
4,570 pedestrians
634 horse-drawn vehicles
600 bicycles
215 hand-barrows
70 motor vehicles
In September 1911 the Borough Surveyor produced a full description of the railway arch. He stated that the width of the road underneath the bridge was 25-ft, and this included the footpaths on either side, which measured 3-ft. At the centre of the arch, the headroom was 14-ft. The width of the road to the south was 60-ft, while the road north of the arch was 50-ft; the footpaths in both areas had a width of 10-ft.
Also in September 1911 the Works Committee resolved that a scheme should be adopted to provide two archways for pedestrian use measuring 9-ft in width and 12-ft in height at a cost of £1,800.
On 23 January 1913 this decision was rescinded, and instead the Town Clerk was to offer the railway company £3,000 to construct a new girder bridge.
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| copyright © Royal Pavilion & Museum, Brighton & Hove Brighton Herald 8 November 1913 |
In October 1913 Hove Council consented to the construction of a new girder bridge, and in 1914 it was agreed that their contribution should be £3,750. Then the First World War intervened, and nothing was done about the bridge.
It was not until 1920 that the
matter came under consideration again. But of course, everything had
changed by then. The railway company pointed out that if the original
proportion of expenditure was kept, then Hove Council would be liable
to stump up £9,000. This was too much for the council, and the plans
again went into abeyance. By 1923 the council’s putative
contribution had risen to £11,250. It was not until 1927 that the
venerable brick bridge hit the dust, and a new girder bridge
constructed. There was more headroom too, the height being 15-ft
6-in.
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| copyright © J.Middleton Theses houses are near the railway bridge |
Sackville Trading Estate
The old British Rail Goods Yard once occupied this site, and contained such amenities as Corral’s Coal Depot, and a large shed in which to ripen bananas. The first development of the site occurred in 1965 with the work being carried out by Linkwood & Company of Crawley.
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| copyright © D.Sharp 'Corralls for Coal' depot, October 2012 |
Then a more modern Trading Estate was constructed in the 1980s, and in March 1986 it was stated that it was flourishing after a mere sixteen months, and there was only one unit remaining unoccupied. There were twelve units on the site, ranging from 4,500 sq-ft to 32,666 sq-ft.
Vokins had a battle with Hove planners in their quest to use a warehouse as a retail furniture outlet. The council maintained that the estate was supposed to be for industrial use rather than retail, although a DIY store and a carpet store were already there. At the third attempt, permission was finally given, and Vokin’s opened there in November 1985. Other famous local names were also present on the estate, such as Le Carbone, and Rayner’s moved there in 1986.
In May 1998 there was a re-launch
of a store to be called Landmark, but it was only some 50-yds from
Vokins, while DFS were due to open a new store at Goldstone Retail
Park. The gamble did not work, despite some 1.25 million letters
being sent out to people within a 50-mile radius of the store. In
October 1999 Landmark announced they would be closing at the end of
the month and re-locate to Brighton. Meanwhile, Halford’s was said
to be considering a move to the estate.
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| copyright © J.Middleton This photograph was taken in 2009 and shows the site where once the late lamented Goldstone Football Ground used to be. |
In June 2008 Brighton & Hove City Council rejected the £100million plans put forward by developers Parkridge for 180 homes, offices, and a restaurant on the site, because it was too overcrowded. Parkridge then set to work on another version, this time for only 92 homes, with offices, shop, a supermarket and a new public square. Planning permission was granted in March 2010, and in February 2011 it was stated that work would start soon. But nothing happened. There was a drop in the market value for retail space, and so this made the whole project unviable. The council granted them a time extension three years later, and around the same time the National Coal Pensions Board purchased the site.
However, by 2017 a new developer had appeared on the scene and they were Mountbank; their plans would cost £200 million to implement. The first images of the new scheme were shown in March 2019 on the 3.6 hectare site, and the company had been working on them for the last ten years. There would be a new street at the south end near the railway, 12 blocks of flats consisting of four- to six-storeys, and it was hoped to include 40 per cent of social housing. But apparently these plans were never submitted.
In April 2019 Moda Living produced new plans, which would cost £260million to implement. The number of homes proposed was an astonishing 1,000. But in July 2019 these plans were rejected by the council. Moda Living, now in partnership with Mayfield Village, came back with new plans in November 2019. There would be 581 flats, 260 retirement flats, shops and offices – there would also be a tower-block of up to fifteen storeys. It did not take long before nearby residents expressed their disapproval, especially the crucial lack of parking spaces for 800 houses while being super indulgent to the cycling fraternity with 585 cycle-parking spaces, not o mention cycle clubs.
In
March 2020 the plans were approved, albeit with a bit of tweaking –
there would now be 564 flats for rent, and 260 retirement flats;
there would be 10 per cent of affordable housing, and 56 of the flats
would be offered for rent at 75 per cent of their market value. It
was stated that there were 9,100 people
on
the council waiting list, and this scheme ‘does not help them’.
The ‘affordable’ element works out as five studio-flats, twenty
one-bed flats, 27 two-bed flats, and four 3-bed flats. Apparently,
the original plan was turned down partly because there were too many
studio-flats. The Planning Inspector was supposed to hear the appeal
against the plans in April 2020.
At last the new buildings were nearing completion in 2024. The Argus
published three excellent images
taken by a drone that reveal just what a huge scheme the Moda
operation has been; it will provide no less than 824 new homes, of
which 564 will be for rent.
copyright © M. Horscroft
Thankfully, it seems that care has
been taken in the design and it is not another boring set of
high-rises because the six buildings are of different heights and
angles, the tallest being fifteen storeys high. A studio flat would
cost £1,300 per month but there is a discounted rent on ten per cent
of homes if the process went through the auspices of Brighton &
Hove City Council. Every flat is also fully furnished.
In addition there are many amenities available to residents ranging from dance and fitness studios, personal trainers for fitness, co-working spaces, lounges, private dining room, cinema room, and 24-hour concierge.
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| copyright © J.Middleton View from Sackville Road of Moda development |
The outside environment has also been considered with sixty per cent of the 8.8-acre site dedicated to gardens. The company has earmarked £450,000 for public art, inviting local artists to paint murals. In addition money was donated to help fund the ‘Flight of the Langoustines’ on Hove sea-front.
Peter Kyle, Hove’s MP, enjoyed working with Moda Living, and was delighted with the results saying it was a ‘refreshing and rewarding experience.’ (Argus 3/2/24 / 19/2/24)
An Unfortunate Accident
On Friday 13 February 1976 a large transporter travelling in Sackville Road somehow managed to knock a tree over which then crashed on top of Bob Allen causing terrible facial injuries. In fact, his injuries were so severe that doctors initially gave him 48 hours to live. But he was made of tough material, and he survived. Specialists rebuilt his face but he lost the sight of one eye. Bob Allen was born in India, and for 31 years her served in the British police force, rising to the rank of superintendent; for the last decade of his career he commanded the Hove sub-division. In 1981 he was elected a Hove councillor and in 1985 he became Mayor of Hove. He and his wife Wendy had two sons and two daughters, and she became chairman of the Brighton Community Health Centre. She died in April 1990.
House Notes
Number 2 – According to Porter, Fred Parsons lived in this house, and had a yard at Providence Place – where Cornelius House is today, next to Hove Library. He was responsible for building works in the following roads:
1902 / 1904 – Tamworth Road
1904 – Scott Road / Marmion Road
1908 / 1909 / 1910 – Silverdale Road
1909 – Glendale Road
1909 – Wilbury Crescent
1910 – Old Shoreham Road
1910 / 1912 / 1913 / 1914 – Lyndhurst Road
1913 – Pembroke Avenue 1913 / 1914 / 1922
1914 – Silverdale Avenue
1914 – Wilbury Villas
1922 – Wilbury Avenue
Number 6 – Leslie Hilsden, (born 1909) the Band leader, pianist and an early pioneer of radio broadcasts, lived at this address in 1947.
Hilsden was a professional dance pianist at the age of 16 and in the following year he made his first broadcast from 2LO (forerunner of the BBC) In 1927 he broadcast frequently from N.B.C. (New York) where he was Studio Pianist, Assistant Producer and Programme Engineer. He probably broadcast from more foreign radio stations than any other dance pianist, these included, Hawaii, Japan, China, India, Eqypt, Cuba, Australia, Canada and America. He was present in the Havana Studio when the announcer was shot dead by a Cuban revolutionary.
Number 9 – In June 1897 Dutton Briant, on behalf of the owner who was leaving the area, auctioned the contents of this house on the premises including the following items:
Bedroom suites in mahogany, walnut, and oak, Massive iron and brass bedsteads, Goose-feather bolsters and pillows, Marble-top basin stands, Secretaire bookcase, Turkish, Wilton, and Brussels carpets, Skin rugs, Walnut drawing room suite upholstered in Utrecht velvet, Brilliant plate chimney-glasses, Semi-grand Steinway pianoforte, Inlaid occasional chairs, Mahogany dining room suite upholstered in morocco, 7-ft mahogany sideboard with plate-glass back, Bronze ornaments, Dresden, Sevres and oriental china, Pair of Satsuma vases, Massive marble clock, Fine grandfather clock in mahogany Chippendale case, Carved oak hall furniture, Sewing machine, Washing and wringing machine, Mowing machine, Garden roller and Usual basement furniture
Annie Parlane Macpherson (1825-1904) retired to Hove in 1902 and died in this house. She was a Quaker, although born in Campsie by Milton, Stirlingshire, Scotland, her life’s work revolved in trying to better the lives of poor youngsters in the East End of London. She made it her mission to rescue them from squalor and in the process founded homes for them. She became convinced that for many, a better life awaited them in Canada. But at least she did not just wave them good-bye on the quayside, but accompanied them all the way and finally clocked up an astonishing 120 journeys. In Canada the children were placed in good homes or apprenticed to a trade. As if this was not quite enough industry for one woman, she also involved herself in other good works, founding a Home of Industry in Spitalfields, and the Bridge of Hope as a refuge for women.
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| copyright © J.Middleton Number 9 Sackville Road |
Numbers 5, 7, & 9 – In around 1927 the Queen’s Nurses moved from 71 Blatchington Road to 9 Sackville Road. From 1949 the premises expanded to include number 7, and by the 1970s they were occupying all three houses. In 1928 Hove Council had an agreement with the Queen’s Nurses at Hove that they should home-nurse patients with infectious diseases such as measles, ophthalmia, diarrhoea, polio and whooping cough. However, the expansion of boundaries brought new responsibilities to the Queen’s Nurses, and Hove Council hoped that West Blatchington might be added to their area, as well as the council houses on the Portland Road site. It was decided that if residents in Preston Rural (soon to come within Hove boundaries) needed the services of the nurses, they should pay the fee.
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| copyright © J.Middleton A close-up of the unusual decorative detail on one these houses |
On 21 March 1938 the Mayor of Hove, A. W. Hillman, presented the Hove Queen’s Nurses with six new bicycles to replace their old bone-shakers. This presented a marvellous photo opportunity and several shots were taken of the nurses on their new bikes as well as the old ones. One photograph has been reproduced in the Argus at least twice in recent years. In 1944 the Queen’s Nurses at Hove made 26,945 home visits.
The Queen’s Nurses were established in 1887 to benefit the poor, and the royal family took a great interest in the organisation. Queen Victoria had followed the career of Florence Nightingale, who was also involved in the project. Indeed, it was Miss Nightingale’s practical suggestion that the nurse’s uniform should also include a waterproof. The uniform consisted of a blue-and-white striped dress with dark blue collar, cuffs and waistbands, plus a dark blue cloak.
Number 11 – According to Porter, writing in 1897, Charles Blandford & Son were based at this house. They were builders and decorators who had been engaged in extensive building operations at Hove since 1873. In 1880 they move to the Portland Road area. Some of their later work was as follows:
1895 – Pembroke Crescent, Pembroke Road, Rutland Road, Coleridge Street
1896 – Arthur Street
1914 – Pembroke Crescent
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copyright © National Portrait Gallery |
A
brief list of his publications:-
England: its people,
polity, and pursuits. 2 vols. 1879.; England: her
people, polity, and pursuits, 1880 edition.
Randolph
Spencer-Churchill, as a product of his age. Being a personal and
political monograph. 1895.
Social transformations
of the Victorian age: a survey of court and country. 1897.
British sovereigns in the century. 1901.
Gentlemen of the House of commons. 1902.
King
Edward and his court. 1903.
Society in the country
house. 1906.
The story of British diplomacy: its
makers and movements. 1908.
Masters of English
journalism: a study of personal forces. 1911.
Anthony
Trollope: his work, associates and literary originals. 1913.
Club
makers and club members. 1914.
Great Victorians:
memories and personalities. 1916.
City characters
in several reigns. 1922.
Number 37 - This house on the east side was built in 1894 by Mr A. Lewer. It is incredible to note that in 1996 the residence was still in the occupation of the same family, with three generations having lived there. The house is called Chessington because it was the grandmother’s place of birth. The family have endeavoured to preserve as much of the original décor as possible. The black-and-white tiled path leads to a large front door with stained-glass insets at either side. The interior door looks much the same, being carefully restored to match the other one. The hall floor is covered with original tiles laid in diamond and square shapes with a shade of biscuit being the predominant colour plus blue and taupe, while the diamond shapes are dull red. The magnificent drawing room is around 35-ft and stretches the whole length of the house. It seems that this room was always intended to be this size, and, for example, had never had folding-doors as seen in the Brunswick area. At least there is no indication of such a divider at ceiling level where there is no break in the elaborate coving and decorations. There are two identical and large ceiling roses, and two identical fire-places of cast-iron painted white – the effect is surprisingly delicate. Above the mantle-pieces hang two mirrors of the same design framed in carved and gilded wood.
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| copyright © J.Middleton This house has some original architectural details inside |
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| copyright © J.Middleton A detail of the entrance piers of number 37 |
The front room on the south might have been used as a gentleman’s smoking room, or a billiard room. The fireplace is large and more masculine in appearance. It was constructed of rose-pink marble with orange flecks with tiles chosen to harmonise with the orange flecks – the effect is somewhat curious. The ceiling and the large mirror echo the design of the drawing room. The morning room – once the preserve of the ladies – has a most unusual fireplace composed of slate with a decoration of incised lines with fluted panels at the top. The tiles are deliciously feminine – perhaps best described as rose floribunda. The mirror is not part of the original décor, and came from a girls’ school in Dyke Road that closed – perhaps it was Westcombe. In the scullery, now the kitchen, the old service bell-box has remained on the wall, although the little bells have long since been dis-connected.
Number 47 – Dr Halle Marsten (1894-1953) lived at this address for at least a couple of years in the 1930s. She was born on 22 December 1894 at Heap Bridge, near Rochdale, and her original name was Alice Eleanor Slatter. However, her parents marriage was so unhappy that her mother decided she had no other option than to flee the marital home with Alice and her brother Jack. She adopted the surname Marsten to cut links with the past. But leaving her husband had repercussions on the children because there was no money available for a private education. Jack had to leave school as soon as he legally could, and take up an apprenticeship. Alice had long dreamed of becoming a doctor but she had to fund her studies herself by taking menial jobs, and scrimping and saving. During the First World War she worked in a health food shop at Brighton, and later moved to London in a similar post so that she could attend evening classes at Regent Street Polytechnic. At long last in 1927 she registered as a medical student at Charing Cross Hospital, and at the same time changed her name to Halle Marsten. In 1934 she qualified as a medical practitioner. She moved to Hove and set up her first practice in her mother’s house at 56 Brittany Road. But this was short-lived because her mother died the following year, and she then decided to join the practice of Dr Dupree at 100 New Church Road, Hove, living for a short while at 60 Clarendon Villas before moving to 47 Sackville Road.
On 29 July 1937 she married Dr Roy Newton. The couple met quite romantically by chance on 17 January 1934 on the London to Brighton train; he was commuting daily from Hove to study for his Ph.D in plant physiology, while she was returning home after taking a post-graduate course in London. The couple moved to 3 Albert Mansions in Church Road, Hove, above Combridges. During the Spanish Civil War she volunteered to care for Spanish refugee children who arrived at Hove in some numbers and stayed at Girton House. During the Second World War she was appointed medical officer to Portslade Mobile ARP unit, and brought it up to a high level of efficiency. At weekends she served as medical officer at Hove Hospital, besides continuing her practice.
Dr Marsten was much loved by her patients, and in the days before the NHS she found it difficult to send out the bills because her patients were so grateful. Part of her success was no doubt due to the time she was willing to spend listening to her patients. Thus her ideal consulting time was never less than half-an-hour, by which time she felt she had a true picture of the situation. In May 1946 the couple moved to 102 New Church Road. Dr Marsten feared that with the arrival of the National Health Service in 1948, her time with her patients would be curtailed, and so she resigned. By 1949 the couple were in Malaya where Dr Newton had a post with the rubber industry, and Dr Marsten took up medicine again with children at a welfare centre. Three years after their return from Malaya, Dr Marsten died suddenly 31 August 1953
Numbers 63 / 65 – The 1891 census recorded that a girls’ school called Girton House occupied the premises. There were two governesses, three pupil-teachers, and fourteen girls, and Gertrude Beney ran the establishment. Later on, the school moved to premises in Kingsway, on the corner of Sackville Gardens.
Number 71 – Charles Stratton Loadsman ran a successful dairy business later on, but he started out in humble circumstances in Shirley Street where the family – he and his wife had three sons and two daughters – probably lived over the shop until they could afford grander premises on the corner of Portland Road and Sackville Road. In those early days, a familiar sight was one of his daughters pushing a barrow containing a shining milk-urn around the streets of Hove. He went on to become president of the Brighton, Hove & District Dairymen’s Association. Loadsman was a member of the Aldrington Club in Portland Road. He also served as a councillor for Goldstone Ward, a post he held continuously for 28 years, and in 1934 he was elected Mayor of Hove. There were around 160 guests at the mayoral banquet and Mrs Loadsman wore a gown of black velvet with a yoke of silver brocade and a corsage of pink carnations. The was a second mayoral banquet when he remained mayor for another year, and there was a similar number of guests with all the catering being done by Forfar’s. Loadsman died aged 75 in November 1944.
Number 103 – In the 1920s this house was purchased for £800 on behalf of St Barnabas Church, and was used to house the assistant clergy. It was sold in 1978.
Number 107 – The house stood on a plot of land measuring 18-ft by 64-ft. Property transactions were as follows:
17 January 1880 George Freeman sold the house to Charles Blandford
5 May 1881 Charles Blandford sold it to Charles Gibbs
14 November 1889 Charles Gibbs and the mortgagees sold it to George Hounsell
The nest transaction was not until 21 June 1939 when Kate Hounsell, widow, of Andover, sold the house for £700 to Barclays Bank in their role as trustees of Hove Hospital. The house was to be used as a nurses’ home.
Number 122 – In 1920 it was stated that the house was used as an office for the Refuse Department of Hove Council, and it was also the place where the dustmen ate their meals, and took their baths. The Refuse Superintendent lived there rent-free, and his daughter received 10/- for her work as a clerk. However, it appears that she did nothing except answer the door and pick up the telephone. It was decided to dispense with her services. The telephone was disconnected, and no doubt the typewriter was removed because it had never been used. In 1922 the tenancy of the house was terminated, and MrPickard, Refuse Superintendent, moved to Coleridge Street.
Number
172
– On 31 December 1912 somebody at this address wrote a message on
the back of a postcard featuring Hove Coastguard Station and
addressed it to Mrs Glover at Eastbourne. The message ran ‘Many
thanks for card and good wishes. I never send Christmas cards now as
I had a terrible Christmas 5 years ago but I most sincerely wish you
all a very happy and prosperous New Year’.
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| copyright © J.Middleton |
Miscellaneous
Bridge House – In 1936 Hove Council erected some ‘flats for aged persons’ with the rent being a modest 6/6d a week. In 1983 work started to build an extension on the site of a demolished house, and the premises were re-named Wood House.
Bungard’s
Funeral Directors
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| copyright © J.Middleton
Bungard’s occupy premises on
the corner of Coleridge Street and Sackville Road
|
In 2016 this old firm had the rare distinction of celebrating the 110th anniversary of its founding, with the business still being run by the founder’s descendants. It all started off with Oliver Bungard, a stonemason, who in 1906 conducted the company’s first funeral.
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| copyright © Royal Pavilion & Museum, Brighton & Hove Brighton Herald 6 June 1908 |
The family details are as follows:
Oliver Bungard died in 1919, and was followed by his two eldest sons
James Oliver Bungard (died in 1941)
Ernest Bungard (died in 1928)
Hervey Arnold Bungard, son of James Oliver Bungard (Hervey retired in 1971)
In 1939 Leonard Whittle married Margaret Bungard, one of the twin daughters of James Oliver Bungard, and she helped to run the business while he was away on active services
Rupert Hervey Bungard, Hervey Arnold’ son, joined the firm in 1970, and retired in 2000
James Whittle, joined the firm in 1968, and retired in 2012
Richard Whittle ran the firm from 2012, and in 2016 was the proud father of a son who might carry on the family tradition.
Dogs’ Home - Although the address was given as Sackville Road, the Dogs’ Home was actually part of the council Works Depot at the end of Leighton Road. It was certainly in operation in 1910 when some 119 stray dogs ended up there. Bur residents in Prinsep Road complained about the howling of the dogs. In August 1911 it was decided to discontinue keeping dogs at the site. Instead, Hove Council came to an agreement with a vet living in Osborne Villas to take charge of stray dogs for a fee of 3/6d ; there would be an additional shilling whenever he was directed to poison a dog (probably with prussic acid.)
Gordon House – Ernest Clifford Mann lived in Gordon House where he celebrated his Golden Wedding in February 1936. He settled in Hove in 1919 after spending 30 years working on electrical concerns all over the country. In 1888 he had joined the firm of Crompton & Co, and in 1892 worked on the installation of an electricity supply at Hove. He also helped to bring electricity to Harrow, Canterbury, Notting Hill, and Westminster.
Hove
Hospital
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| copyright
© J.Middleton This old view was posted in 1907 |
In 1885 a site was purchased on the west side of Sackville Road on which a new building was erected by the firm of J. T. Chappell, and designed by architects Clarke & Micklethwaite. At first the establishment was known as the Brighton, Hove, and Preston Dispensary, Western Branch, and it was officially opened on 3 December 1888. It finally became known as Hove Hospital in 1918, and closed down on Christmas Eve 1997. The premises were converted into residential use and named Tennyson Court. (See below)
St
Barnabas Church
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| copyright © J.Middleton St Barnabas is rather a difficult church to photograph owing to its north-facing frontage |
This church was designed by the celebrated architect John Loughborough Pearson who was also responsible for All Saints Church, Hove, and Truro Cathedral. The foundation stone of St Barnabas was laid on 27 May 1882.
Sackville Nursing Home – Doreen Edith Valiente (1922-1999) known famously as the ‘Queen of the Witches’ died in this nursing home. She was given a Wiccan funeral before being cremated at Brighton where she had lived since the 1950s. No doubt she would be highly amused to know that her name appears on one of the Brighton & Hove buses. She wrote books, and especially notable was the one outlining the history of witchcraft in Sussex called Where Witchcraft Lives (1962). She also maintained that in Margaret Thatcher we had the re-incarnation of Queen Elizabeth I. She was the patron of the Centre for Pagan Studies, leaving it all her material relating to witchcraft.
Salvation Army Citadel – Although technically speaking, the entrance to the citadel is not in Sackville Road, it is such a massive presence in the road that it deserves a mention. Also on the south side of the building in large letters proclaiming ‘Young People’s Hall’, there is a flight of steps leading to Conway Street, much frequented by bus-drivers going to and from the garage.
The Salvation Army was founded in 1865 by William Booth (1829-1912) universally known as The General. But it did not acquire its familiar name until 1877. The organisation was not generally welcomed, and for example, there were riots at Worthing, disturbances at Brighton, while at Hove Captain John Henry Pope of the Salvation was assaulted. The Hove Corps was founded in April 1882, and the Portslade Corps was founded in August 1882. In 1940 Adjutant Harry Lee and his wife took command of the Hove corps, while in March 1990 it was stated that the Hove Citadel was celebrating its centenary, and they were busy raising money in order to purchase new instruments for the bandsmen – they needed a double bass, cornets, tenor horns, euphoniums, trombones and drums.
For 45 years the Salvation Army Band staged a concert outside Hove Hospital for the benefit of the patients at 10. a.m. on a Sunday morning. Their last hymn was played in November 1997, before the hospital shut its doors for good.
Tennyson
Court
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| copyright
© J.Middleton The erstwhile hospital is now known as Tennyson Court |
In January 1999 the plans were turned down, and the company appealed against the decision. Then First Steady teamed up with the Samuel Lewis Group who had experience in providing affordable housing. For example, in 1991 the Group consisted of four registered housing associations, and managed 4,500 homes. New plans were submitted to the council for 37 flats, and a contribution would be made of £50,000 towards parking improvements and traffic management. There were to be 24 flats for rent, and thirteen flats under shared ownership. The scheme also received £2million from the Housing Corporation and the council. By August 1999 there was a large notice-board outside the premises proclaiming The Samuel Lewis Housing Trust Ltd and City and Counties Housing Association working with Brighton & Hove Council. The name Tennyson Court was chosen in keeping with other literary names in the Poets’ Corner area.
Hove Planning Approvals
1881 – Lainson & Son for Mr Marston, six houses on the west side
1881 – Thomas Lainson for Mr Blandford, six houses
1881 – Lainson & Son for Mr Blandford, three houses (plots 7-9)
1881 – Lainson & Son for W. Whiteman, five houses (plots A, B, C, D, and E)
1891 – R. Humphrey & Sons, five houses, numbers 35, 37, 39, 41, and 43
1891 – Lainson & Son for Mr Rodwell, one house (number 114)
1892 – Clayton & Black for Revd A. G. Bowling, new vicarage for St Barnabas Church
1892 – T. Lainson & Son for Mr Blandford, two houses (numbers 116, 118
1892 T. Lainson & Son for Mr Chadwell, four houses (numbers 120, 122, 124, 126)
1893 – J. Parsons & Sons, six semi-detached houses on west side
1893 – T. Lainson & Son for Mr Chadwell, four houses (numbers 128, 130, 132, 134)
1894 – A. Lewer, six houses (numbers 33 to 43) with stables at rear of numbers 37, 39, 41, 43
1894 – T. Lainson & Son for A. E. Lewer, one house on east side
1895 – Clayton & Black for C. Blandford, pair of semi-detached villas on west side
1895 – Clayton & Black for V. Young, pair of semi-detached villas on west side
1895 – T. Lainson & Son for A. E. Lewer, three houses
1895 – Clayton & Black for C. Blandford, two detached villas on west side
1895 – S. Hopkins, two detached villas, west side
1896 – Clayton & Black, ten houses
1896 – G. M. Jay for J. T. Collings, seven houses, two shops, west side, north of railway
1896 – Clayton & Black for S. Hopkins, one house, west side
1896 – Clayton & Black, two houses
1896 – G. M. Jay, two houses, east side
1896 – Parsons & Sons for E. G. Hunter, coach-house and stable, rear of number 39
1897 – G. M. Jay, two semi-detached houses, one detached house, west side
1897 – G. M. Jay for S. T. Lewonski, thirteen houses, west side
1897 – G. M. Jay for S. T. Lewonski, one house corner of Poynter Road, one house corner of Landseer Road
1898 – Clayton & Black for C. Blandford, shop, house, and bake-house, west side
1898 – Clayton & Black for Mr Lidbetter, shop and house
1900 – Clayton & Black for Mrs Creese, detached villa
1900 – W. C. F. Gillam for A. H. Elsom, one pair semi-detached villas, west side
1901 – B. James for A. Chadwell, one house, and a shop and house on corner of Landseer Road
1902 – E. Vinall for Dr Benham, one house, east side
1903 – E, Vinall for S. M. Lampard, one house, east side
1905 – C. Blandford, house and shop, east side, number 155A
1912 – J, Parsons & Sons, one pair semi-detached houses, numbers 19 and 21See separate pages for the following: Hove Hospital and St Barnabas Church
Sources
Argus (21/7/09 / 1/11/16 / 20/3/17 / 8/9/19 / 30/11/19 / 2/12/19 / 5/3/20)
Encyclopaedia of Hove and Portslade
Hove Council Minutes
National Portrait Gallery
Porter
, H. History
of Hove (1897)
Royal Pavilion & Museum, Brighton & Hove
Wojtczak, H. Notable Sussex Women (2008)
Copyright © J.Middleton 2021
page
layout an additional research by D.Sharp