Judy Middleton 2001 (revised 2019)
copyright © J.Middleton This lovely view of Blatchington Road was taken in the days of light traffic and was posted in 1911. The amazing roofline of the building on the left is much the same today. |
North Place was the original name of this road. In those days house owners were given a large key along with their deeds and this key opened the wicket gate into Hove Drove, later re-named Sackville Road.
There used to be malt houses here
but after the death of John Brooker Vallance in 1851, they were demolished.
One of the earliest transactions
took place in 1854 when in two separate deeds dated 11 January 1854 George
Gallard agreed to lease 6 and 7 North Place to William Chapman, Brighton
victualler, for 21 years at £9 each.
In the 1870s some of the houses
were listed as being in Conway Terrace but by 1879 that name had been dropped
and all the houses were numbered in Blatchington Road. At one time Blatchington
Road extended further east but in November 1879 it was decided to re-name the
eastern part Eaton Road.
The 1876 Ordnance Survey Map
shows the north side of Blatchington Road to Goldstone Villas was almost
completely built up with trees behind the houses.
In February 1878 it was noted
that there were 428 inhabitants in the road and in December 1878 the road
between Hove Drove and Hova Villas was declared a public highway.
The Sanitary Inspector was kept
busy ensuring the privies were fully connected to the water supply. He found
that the following properties could not flush their privies properly.
1879 – numbers 42, 44, 60,
62, 66 and 70
1888 – numbers 59, 70 and
94
1891 – numbers 24 and 48
The houses were built as private
residences and, for instance, in 1877 Charles Nye, junior, built two pairs of
semi-detached houses.
But utilisation of lower floors
as shop premises started early on. In April 1897 the Hove Echo remarked
that conversion of residences into shops proceeded apace and at present the
east end was undergoing this transformation.
In 1907 a shopkeeper was taken before the
magistrates for selling counterfeit food. On analysis a half-pound of butter
turned out to be entirely margarine while the Demerara sugar was in fact
ordinary sugar artificially coloured.
Street Lighting
In 1889 the existing gas street lamps were re-arranged and
four new ones added. But when Alfred Hedger was knocked down and killed on 31
October 1892 the inquest heard the area was badly lit. The coroner therefore
wrote to Hove Commissioners who in turn asked the surveyor to look into the
matter. The surveyor reported that in his opinion the road was already
adequately lit.
In 1900 two new lamps were added
and the position of six others altered. In addition sixteen new gas burners
were introduced, being of the new Sunlight Jena suspension combination. The
improvements cost £24-4s
In 1923 Hove Council decided that
electric street-lights should be installed in Blatchington Road.
Electricity
It seems the electricity main had
been laid on the south side of the road. This was fine for those who lived on
that side but problems arose when owners on the north side wished to enjoy the
benefits of electricity too. In October 1926 the owner of number 43 requested a
connection to the electricity supply. The powers that be duly noted that there
had been five previous requests from that side of the road and that it was
really time to lay electricity mains on the north side.
Pavement
In 1895 a new pavement of artificial stone slabs was laid
on both sides of the road at a cost of £1,130.
Pillar Box
In 1914 a pillar-box was placed in the pavement opposite
the Post Office because the wall-mounted letter-box was inadequate.
Trees
In 1925 a petition signed by 53 tradesmen in Blatchington
Road asked Hove Council to fell the 22 trees that were on the north side. They
said the trees were a danger to traffic and bus company Tilling’s had stated
they would not arrange for omnibuses to go along the road until they were removed.
The Council agreed to have the trees felled.
Hawkers
In March 1926 another petition was handed to Hove Council
and 45 tradesmen signed this one. They drew the Council’s attention to the
congestion of traffic caused by hawkers and the consequent danger to the public
in view of the double bus service.
The Watch Committee consulted the
Chief Constable and it was decided to issue an order that no costermonger,
hawker or other person could use the street after 10 a.m. on any morning except
Sundays to sell fruit, vegetables, flowers, toys, or any other articles from
trucks, barrows, or baskets.
Recent Times
In 1990 Blatchington Road was subject to sixteen weeks of
road works. It was no help when just as road repairs were about to begin, the
water main was found to be leaking badly and causing cavities to open up
underneath the road’s surface. Of course the main had to be replaced.
Traders were already annoyed in
March and by April they reported they were losing trade. Bill Smith, owner of
Hove Decorating Centre, said his trade was down by 30%.
Chris Wells, boss of Truffle’s
chocolate shop, said that even in the week before Mother’s Day his takings were
£500 down.
Leon Krial of Blake’s Pharmacy
had recently spent a great deal of money refurbishing his shop, only to see
trade plummet by 40%.
Mr S. Forodi of the coffee shop
Cup ‘O’ Chino said he was losing £1,000 a week.
Kaveh Masrour of Favourite Fried
Chicken said he might have to cut down on staff.
On 27 June 1990 the Mayor of
Hove, Councillor Francois Dupre, officially re-opened the road, and led in a
small procession of vehicles including a veteran open-top car and a vintage
bus.
Notes on Houses, Shops and Businesses – North side
Number 7 – In around 1927
Mrs E. Tollfield founded an establishment known as Central Commercial College
and later as Hove Commercial College. You can still see a very faint
advertisement painted on the west wall of the house specifying that short-hand,
typewriting and book-keeping were taught there. In around 1929 Miss G. Richardson
became principal and the business stayed in operation until 1934. In 1935 Miss
Richardson still lived in the house but there was no mention of a college.
Number 19 – In 1874 Alfred
Nisbett ran a school for young gentlemen here.
Number 49 – If you needed
to move house then the firm of Scarratt’s was a well-known name at Hove to
contact. The huge removal van needed a couple of strong horses to pull it and
some equally strong men without bad backs to heave the furniture about.
copyright © Robert Jeeves of Step Back in Time Scarratt’s ran a household removal firm and in this photograph the proud family, plus family dog, line up in front of an impressively long vehicle. |
Number 71 – The Queen’s
Nurses occupied the premises from 1908 to 1927 when they moved to Sackville
Road.
Number 83 – In 1887 Mrs
Wheeler ran a school for young ladies in this house.
Number 85 – A Vokins’
Store opened here in 1974. William Henry Vokins founded the family business in
1882 at Brighton after his doctor had advised him to move to the coast for the
sake of his health. He had previously worked at Peter Robinson in London where
a Mr Leeson also worked. The two men became partners and purchased Soper’s
Emporium, a famous Brighton shop, at 32 North Street, Brighton, which then
opened for trade as Leeson & Vokins. Number 32 closed in 1997. The firm
also purchased 21 North Street, Brighton in the mid-1950s and there was another
branch at 44 Ship Street. Other stores opened in Rustington in 1994 and in
Newhaven in 1998. Meanwhile the North Street premises closed in around 1997 and
a new store opened in Western Road, Brighton.
In October 2008 it was stated
that a new business called Green’s Organic would be opening within six weeks or
so in the old Vokins’ store. The business partnership of husband and wife Najeh
and Yasmin Ali were behind the venture. The couple also owned the Sahara
Restaurant in Western Road, Brighton. It had long been their dream to open a
shop selling organic vegetables but they had been waiting for suitable premises
to become available. They had grand schemes for the new store that would be
arranged under international headings such as Indian, Arabian or Caribbean;
there would be a gluten-free range and organic vegetables; they planned to
stock 70 different sorts of honey and 175 different blends of tea; there would
be a deli, a halal meat counter and a cafeteria upstairs; no plastic bags would
be available but customers would be offered re-cycled paper bags. The business
could not have been the success expected because by 2015 Oxfam had acquired the
premises from which to sell furniture and larger items unsuitable to stock in
their smaller charity shops. But you can still see the hopeful green paint on the
upstairs exterior together with the vertical banner announcing ‘Green’s
Organic’.
copyright © J.Middleton Numbers 83 and 85 Blatchington Road. Vokins used to occupy the premises where Martlets Shops is today. |
Number 87 – F. Wright,
upholsterer and cabinet-maker, established his business in this shop in 1880
and by 1896 he had expanded into the adjacent shop. The business was still in
operation in the 1960s.
copyright © Norman Shaw This bill with its elaborate letterhead was dated 16 June 1898 and it was sent to Mr Shaw who ran Shaw’s Stores on the south-east corner of George Street and Church Road. |
Number 89 – G. Mence
Smith, oil and Italian merchant, once had a business here and there was another
shop in Brighton.
Number 99 – This was once
home to the Co-op Laundry, which lasted until around 1972. Crown of India restaurant
was here in the early 1990s but the owner went bankrupt in 1993. By 1995
Bryden’s D.I.Y. occupied the premises and they are still in operation in 2016.
Bryden’s used to have a shop in Brighton too but this has closed.
copyright © J.Middleton Brydens D.I.Y. maintains a colourful display outside the shop and a myriad of useful items inside. |
Number 101 – In around
1927 the Co-op Butcher was established here and stayed until the early 1960s
when the Co-op Footwear Department took over; it was closed by 1972.
Number 111 – In 1879 W.H.
Shoosmith ran a school for young gentlemen here.
Numbers 113-119 –
Originally this corner site was a garden belonging to numbers 2 & 4
Goldstone Villas, which the West Brighton Grammar School occupied in the 1890s.
Then in 1898 shops were built on the site.
Freeman, Hardy & Willis, shoe
sellers, occupied number 117 in 1899. They later moved to George Street where
they continued business until around 1990
By the 1930s Kelly & Sons, butchers, occupied numbers 113-119 while the Cliftonville Press Company, printers, ran their business from numbers 117-119. According to old-timers, you could see the printing machines clanking away through the windows.
These shops were later demolished
to make way for a large Woolworth’s Store, which opened on 19 February 1938. It
is interesting to note that the 1,000th Woolworth’s Store opened in
Boundary Road, Hove on 22 May 1958. In February 1988 the Blatchington Road
store celebrated its 50th anniversary, assistants donned fancy dress
and manager Phil Studdert dressed up in top hat and tails. The Mayor and
Mayoress of Hove, Councillor John and Mrs Anne Broadley, cut the ribbon, and
the first 50 customers through the door received a free glass of wine. Woolworth’s
closed in January 2009.
By 2015 Peacock’s occupied the
site.
Notes on Houses, Shops and Businesses – South side
Number 2 – There was a
grocer’s shop on this site from before the Great War until the 1960s when Mr
Perkins took over. In 1965 Mr Perkin travelled south from Newcastle; his first
shop at Hove being at 266 Portland Road. By 1968 he was established on this
site at Blatchington Road. He was a dealer in china and glass as well as being
a picture-frame maker and he was a member of the Fine Art Guild. Mr Perkins’
son later ran the business but he retired in 1987 although the shop continued
to trade under the same name. In 2001 the business specialised in artist’s
materials and it could offer over 100 different styles of frame from stock. The
business never had to advertise and received many orders from a broad. By 2016
the business was called Frame of Mind.
Number 8 – It is
interesting to note just how long this shop sold meat. G.W. Priestley was an
early occupant. By 1935 it was still a butcher’s shop but run by J.H. Dewhurst
and in 1954 it was still the same name above the shop.
Number 10 – Gigin’s Bakery
ran a long-established business here; they were on the site in 1935 and were
still operating in 1954. Gigin’s had their bakery premises on the corner of
Franklin Road and Station Road, Portslade, and around the back the horses that
pulled the delivery vans were stabled, looked after in the 1930s by Welsh-born
Mr Pugh, the ostler. In 1938 Portslade-resident George Ellis worked a delivery
round for Gigin’s at Hove with a clever horse by the name of Colonel who knew
the route well. If George took too long in making a delivery, Colonel was wont
to trundle on to the next port of call despite the brake having been applied.
On one occasion the round was shorter than usual and Colonel was not pleased at
being expected to go in his stable earlier than he wished and so he took off
and trotted around the block, returning well pleased with himself.
Number 14 – In December
1890 it was reported that some ducks and chickens were being kept in a back
yard, which as a consequence was in a foul state. The owner was given seven
days in which to remove the animals and cleanse the yard thoroughly
Number 36 – In the 1920s
the Woodbine Stores were located here. In December 1992 the Leader published
a photograph dated around 1928 that showed John Ward, rounds-man, and his
mobile egg shop. The vehicle’s body was in the shape of a large egg resting on
a curved wall while the cab part looked like a little house complete with
pitched roof. Mr Ward worked for the Woodbine Stores whose name appeared on the
egg together with the price charged for eggs, which was 2/9d a dozen.
Number 42 – In December
1880 it was stated legal proceedings were being taken against George Spicer for
exposing for sale at his shop a quantity of pork unfit for human food.
Number 48 – Jack Howard
established his business just before the Great War and he sold fishing tackle.
In 1920 Hove Council issued him with a motor-boat licence for fishing sorties
limited to eight persons. During the winter months Jack Howard sold second-hand
furniture and eventually this became his main trade. The business passed to his
son, also called Jack, and when Jack died in 1978 it went to the third
generation John Howard. By this time the shop was selling new furniture and had
been doing so for the previous 25 years. The shop closed early in 1987 and was
sold to a property developer.
Number 52 – Ken Lane’s
bookshop was situated on the corner of Belfast Street next door to Jack
Howard’s premises. Ken Lane ran it from 1960 to 1985 and before that he was
manager of Combridges Antiquarian Bookshop, 70 Church Road, Hove. Outside the
shop in Blatchington Road there were two wooden trolleys painted yellow full of
books at bargain prices that were wheeled out every morning. Ken’s speciality
was the circus of which he had an enormous knowledge, a library of relevant
volumes and many albums of newspaper and magazine cuttings.
After Ken retired the shop became
a Wimpy Bar.
copyright © J.Middleton This photograph was taken in March 1985 and shows Ken Lane’s bookshop at number 52 with Howard’s premises next door. |
Number 64 – In 1992 it was
stated that David Jones had been a jeweller and watchmaker for over 40 years.
On 22 November 1992 there was a smash and grab raid at lunchtime. Two men drove
up in a stolen car, used a sledgehammer to smash the window, and then scooped up
rings, bracelets, necklaces and brooches worth £5,000. Mr Jones said that over
the last few years there had been four unsuccessful break-ins and some items
had been stolen on three other occasions. In 2016 the shop was shuttered.
Number 68 – After the Second
World War the Co-op Chemist took over an existing chemist’s business that
William John Davis used to run in the 1930s. The Co-op chemist stayed until
around 1974.
copyright © J.Middleton The original Co-op at 78 Blatchington Road was tiny compared to the modern store. |
Number 78 – The Brighton Co-operative Society opened a small store here in around 1908 but later became
a large presence in Blatchington Road. Today the Co-op is still there although
it is now numbered from 78 to 82.
copyright © J.Middleton This recent photograph shows the modern Co-op store. Note the green livery on the name board. In May/June 2016 the corporate colour was changed back to pale blue together with the re-adoption of the old ‘four-leaf clover’ logo. |
Number 82 – The 1871 census records James Stoneham working as a baker and living in
premises in Victoria Road, Brighton. However, the head of the household
was Frederick Knowles and it seems probable that young Stoneham was
still learning his trade, and Knowles became a well known name in the
local bakery world. Sometime between 1871 and 1881 Stoneham decided to
branch out on his own account and set up his bakery in the corner
premises at 82 Blatchington Road. Remarkably, Stoneham was still in
business in 1911. It seems that the expanding Brighton Co-operative
Society must have approached him at some point because by 1921 the
premises were listed in the Directory as being the Co-op Bakery although
Charles Sharpe Stoneham, one of James’s sons, was still living at this
address. James died in 1924 and in 1925 number 82 had acquired the more
romantic description of being called the Co-op Confectionary Department.
Although today we associate the term ‘confectionary’ with sweets, in
those days it probably meant the business was offering fancy cakes to
Hove folk.
Numbers 84-88 –
Sainsbury’s Supermarket opened in 1966. In 1971 Sainsbury’s decided to open
their shop on Good Friday for the first time. Until then it had been normal
practice for all shops and businesses to close on Good Friday. Revd Willy
Oesler from nearby Holy Trinity Church was particularly upset by this
innovation and he led the picket line of fellow Christians outside the shop in
Blatchington Road as a protest.
The shop was popular but
management felt the premises were somewhat cramped and during the 1980s
actively sought for an alternative site in Hove. The shop in Blatchington Road
closed on 24 October 1991 and a new store Be Wise soon occupied the premises.
Sainsbury’s Superstore opened on a new site in Benfield Valley on 27 October
1992. Whereas the Blatchington Road site occupied 6,800 square feet, the new
superstore was spread over 38,000 square feet.
Number 90 – Mr Lyons
established Lyons’ Textiles 1952 specialising in curtains and window blinds; in
2000 his two sons were still running it. In May 2007 it was announced that
Lyon’s Textiles would be closing after a stretch of 55 years making it one of
the longest established Hove businesses. Melvyn Lyons, aged 63, left school in
1960 and started work in his father’s shop straight away. He said he had been
involved in nothing but textiles all his working life and it would be a real
wrench to let it go. But he thought it was time to retire and have a rest. His
wife Judi would also be putting up her feet because she was retiring from
Shoreham College where she had a teaching post.
Number 94 – This corner
site has long been occupied by a greengrocer and fruiterer and in fact has only
changed in recent years. In around 1921 James Goldsmith ran the shop and the
business was still in his name in 1935. By 1954 the name above the window was
Ernest Ward. Shopkeepers in the area were a close-knit community; James
Goldsmith married Lily Flowers, daughter of George Flowers, saddler and harness
maker, of 64 George Street, Hove.
Number 100 – This site was home to dairymen for years. For example, in 1896 M.
Gladman was in charge, his business later being known as Gladman’s
Dairies; then William Cooper & Son were the dairymen from at
least 1921 until around 1938. This interesting photograph shows the
type of bottle used in his milk business.
Cornford’s is a long established funeral director at Hove. But it was not always on this site. William H. Cornford started his business at 50 George Street and the firm only moved to Blatchington Road in the 1980s. Back in 1900 a typical funeral cost in the region of £9-17s. For this sum you could expect a coffin of English elm, French polished, lined with fine swansdown, fitted with eight solid brass handles, brass inscription plate and brass closing screws. There would also be a glass funeral car drawn by a single horse, and two mourning coaches plus the appropriate drivers and bearers.
copyright © J. Etherington
William Cooper & Son of 100 Blatchington Road |
Cornford’s is a long established funeral director at Hove. But it was not always on this site. William H. Cornford started his business at 50 George Street and the firm only moved to Blatchington Road in the 1980s. Back in 1900 a typical funeral cost in the region of £9-17s. For this sum you could expect a coffin of English elm, French polished, lined with fine swansdown, fitted with eight solid brass handles, brass inscription plate and brass closing screws. There would also be a glass funeral car drawn by a single horse, and two mourning coaches plus the appropriate drivers and bearers.
It is curious to have three
undertakers on the same side of one road but Cornford’s was in the area first.
Church Hall – This
building is unusual in Blatchington Road in being still in use for its original
purpose. In 1823 some people connected with the Union Street Chapel in Brighton
attempted to form a Sunday School at Hove. John Vallance, who was a deacon at
Union Street Chapel, provided them with an outhouse where they could hold
Sunday School and prayer meetings. But when John Vallance died in 1833 the
group ran into difficulties. Eventually twelve people pooled their resources
and purchased a piece of land for £380 in the ‘new town of Cliftonville’. The
building was duly erected and opened in 1861. On 13 August 1863 the
Cliftonville Congregational Church was officially formed. But the congregation
continued to use this building for worship until their new church in Ventnor
Villas was finished by 1870. The hall was sometimes known as Ventnor Hall. For
a number of years this enclave was the only non-conformist establishment at
Hove.
Number 102 – This property
was built in around 1860 as a private house but later was occupied as a school
for ladies. In 1897 it became the Conservative Club. Before this acquisition
members had met at Ventnor Hall and Sir Edward Sassoon was the president. In
the 1950s an extension was built on the side of the house that steward Charles
Burstow had formerly used as a garden and where he kept chickens.
In 1997 the Conservative Club was
celebrating its centenary in the premises by having an almighty row as to
whether or not women should be allowed to become members for the first time.
The female sex made up 43% of the club’s membership but had never been
permitted to vote on any matter concerning the club. Frank Huntback, editor of
Hove Conservative Club’s Newsletter, was a leading campaigner for change. He
said ‘There is a feeling now that not allowing women to vote in 1997 is a bit
outdated.’ In November 1997 male members voted by 85% to allow women to become
full members. Hove Conservative Club was believed to be one of the last in the
land to give women equal rights.
In September 2008 it was
announced that Hove Conservative Club would be closing down. Lifestyles had changed
and many members no longer frequented the club but the crucial fact was a
disastrous venture into the property market. It seemed a brilliant idea at the
time – taking out a loan to pay for refurbishing the club’s quarters while at
the same time converting the top three floors into three luxury flats. What
could go wrong? The flats duly went on sale for an asking price of £375,000
each but unhappily there were no takers. The property market had slumped while
the introduction of home information packs had led to the market being flooded
with properties. Barclays Bank had been happy to lend the Conservative Club £1
million but there was no way the Conservative Club would be able to re-pay the
loan. One disgruntled member who wished to remain anonymous opined that it had
been ludicrous to try and sell up-market flats without any provision for
parking.
Numbers 104-106 – In 1911
George Henry Squier purchased the properties on the corner of Hova Villas that
had been built in 1873 and by 1874 were occupied by a grocer and tea dealer.
The premises were originally numbered 2-4 Blatchington Road before the road was
re-numbered. The Squier family ran the Eaton Wine Stores on this site from 1911
to 1973. They also sold a special tea called Hijat developed by Commander Batts
Brown of Eaton Gardens who owned a tea plantation in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and had
invented a special process to reduce tannin to a minimum. This product was sold
for a short time during the 1930s but the Second World War killed off the
trade. G.H. Squier’s son Derek joined the RAF for the war but afterwards he
returned to manage the store. In 1973 he and his sister as joint directors
decided to retire and the business was sold to Courage & Co; they ran an
off-licence called Arthur Cooper & Co from the premises. For some years
during the 1990s the premises were boarded up and finally in 2001 they were
renovated as living accommodation.
Please note the following have separate
articles on the ‘Hove in the Past’ website :-
Charity Shops
Number 36 – Age Concern
used to be located here. In November 1999 Hove YMCA opened a shop called
Revised Electrics.
Number 47 – The Oxfam
Bookshop opened in 1995 and it is still in operation in 2016. An Oxfam Charity
Shop was located at this number in 1974 but by 1997 it had crossed to the south
side at number 42.
Number 73 - SC Baby Aid
opened in April 2001 and closed in early 2016, moving to premises in Portland
Road instead.
Number 74 – Save the
Children opened in around 1987. On 7 October 1997 the Princess Royal visited
the shop; she is patron of the charity.
Number 85 – Martlets Shops
Number 97 – Martlets shop;
now Café
Number 111 – Red Cross
Cafés and Restaurants
Number 12 – The Sea Horse
Fish Bar was there in 2000 and is still there in 2016.
Number 14 – Halangers
Bistro. There has been a restaurant here since 1984. In February 1995 chef
Andrew Trezise and his wife purchased it but kept the same name. All meat, game
and poultry used are free-range and organic.
Number 15 – Conway’s Café
was here in 1954.
Karim’s Tandoori – In 1974
it was known as the Curry Centre Takeaway. Karin’s was opened in June 1987 and
Din Mohammed was the owner with his brother Musa being the chief chef. Family
recipes were used. In June 1993 it was stated that Mohammed had introduced
Balti dishes that originated from the Punjab region. In November 1988 a lady
sitar player performed on Saturday evenings. In 1999 Karim’s was refurbished
and Mohammed thought it was the first Indian restaurant to have its own
website. But the restaurant had gone by 2016.
Number 19 – Singapore
Kitchen was established in around 1971 and it was still functioning in 2000.
Number 38c – Frank R.
Taylor ran a café here in 1954.
Number 32 – First Cup,
coffee and cakes, here in 2016.
Number 52 – Wimpy Bar was
established here in the 1980s but later moved to the other side of the road at
number 105. By 2016 Rumours café occupied the premises.
Number 58 – Ramsbottom
Fish and Chips, a family-run business was established in 2011 and is still
there in 2016.
Number 59 – Hungry Seagull
replaced Snax Café and opened on 14 August 1999. The theme was Brighton &
Hove Albion Football Club and memorabilia lined the walls ranging from
photographs to Albion shirts. Peter Ward, ex-Albion star, launched the café.
Jason Saunders, 26, and Lucy Walsh, 24, both of Henge Way, Portslade were the
brains behind the venture; they received money from the Prince’s Trust to set
up this business and also invested their own savings. Unhappily, the café only
survived for a brief seven months before Mr Saunders closed it for personal
reasons. The premises went on sale as a business on a three-year lease for
£17,500. Hidden Pantry was there by 2016.
copyright © J.Middleton This photograph shows Lizzie’s Sandwich Bar (number 61) and Hidden Pantry (number 59). |
Number 61 – Lizzie’s
Sandwich Bar opened in around 1990 and is still in business in 2016.
Number 67 – Mrs Ivy E.
Myers ran a café here in 1954.
Number 70 – Amici, café
here in 2016.
Number 83 – Fortune House
was there in 2000 but was gone by 2016.
Number 97 – C.H. Robinson
ran a pie shop here in 1954. By 2016 it was Café 97.
Number 99 – Crown of
India; the owner was declared bankrupt in July 1993. Bryden’s D.I.Y. had
replaced it by 1995.
Number 105 – Continental
Café and Sandwich Bar opened in 1996. Wimpy replaced it and by 2016 it was
Cottage Chicken.
copyright © J.Middleton It must be unusual to have two establishments specialising in chicken right next door to each other. But KFC has been here since the 1970s. |
Number 107 – Kentucky
Fried Chicken has been on this site from at least 1974 and in 2016 it is still
in operation.
Number 109 – Cup ‘O’ Chino
opened in 1987 and was still in operation in 2016.
Street Directory 1935 – Shops
and Businesses
North Side
1. Theodore Charles Pocock, physician and surgeon
3. William Underdown, haulage contractor
21. S.I. Davis, teacher of music
25. Herbert Ernest Pearmain, musical instrument dealer
35. Mrs G. Hilton, apartments
49. Scarratt Brothers, furniture removers
57. Mrs Mable Smith, dressmaker
65. Albert Edward Kettle, decorator
69. David Hood Torrance, dentist
73. George Cottrell, tailor
79. Mrs Gertrude Hunt, ladies’ tailor
83. Thomas Henry Mills, furniture
dealer
85/87. F. Wright & Sons,
furniture removers
89. David Collins, grocer
91. S.G. Bradshaw, cycle agent
95. Charles Smith, stationer
95. Charles Edward & Frank Bridle, boot-makers
97. A.E. Sole & Co. estate agents
99. Reliability Stores Ltd. wireless stores
101. Brighton Co-operative Society,
butcher
103. Home & Colonial Stores
105/107. Howard Brothers,
furniture dealers
109. C.W. Woolgar, baker
111. A.W. Hockin & F.G. Cashmore, chemists
111. William Stickland,
hairdresser
copyright © Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton & Hove A March 1915 Brighton Graphic advert for Kelly & Son. |
113/115. Kelly & Sons, family butcher
117/119. Cliftonville Press Co.
Ltd.
South Side
2. Nunn & Son, stationers, confectioners and tobacconist
4. A. & E. Banks,
wireless dealers
4a. Decora Wallpapers
6. Bristow Brothers,
leather merchants
8. J.H. Dewhurst, butcher
10. Gigins Ltd. baker
12/14. C.L.L. & F.J.B. Taplin, greengrocers
18. N.D. Brook & Sons, cabinet ironmonger
20. Joseph Edgar Smallwood, boot-maker
copyright © Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton & Hove A 'Buy British' advert from the September 1915 Brighton Graphic |
22. Leon Mitzman, watch-maker
24/26. William Page, greengrocer
28. Robert H. Adhemar, builder
28. J. Hay & Son, wireless stores
30. Mrs H.B. Birch, confectioner
32. Frederick William Fielding, butcher
34. Mrs Florence M. Bailey, tobacconist
36. S.B. & M.O. Dupree, grocers
38a. Economy Dry Cleaners
38. Gordon Brown, seed merchant
40. Frank Sturt, confectioner
42. Joseph Brown & Sons, tailors
44. Percy Mainstone, greengrocer
46. Richard Eveleigh, book-seller
48. Jack Howard, fishing tackle
50. John Sheppard, dairyman
52. Frank Harvey, grocer
54/56. Hamilton & Son, pork
& beef butcher
58. J. Cooke & Sons, boot and
shoe-maker
60/62. Still & Sons, draper
64a. Iris, florist
64. Rutland Sanitary Laundry
64. C. Walker, accountant
66. James Smithers Sears, draper
68. William John Davies,
dispensing chemist
70. Henry Gedge, watchmaker
72/74. Timothy Whites (1928)
chemist
76. Alfred Louis, hairdresser
78. Brighton Co-operative
Society, grocer
80. Alfred Collins, greengrocer
82. Brighton Co-operative
Society, confectioner
84. F.J. Miller, furniture dealer
86. Walter Horace Baber,
hairdresser
88/90. Percy & Frederick
Pigott, tailors
92. Charles Alfred Wiseman,
tobacconist and Post Office
94. James Goldsmith, fruiterer
96. Lipton, tea merchant
98. H. Ogden, confectioner
100. William Cooper & Son,
dairyman
102. Hove Conservative Club,
Cecil J. Saunders, Hon. Sec. / Charles Burstow, steward
104/106. Eaton Wine Stores
Street Directory 1954 – Shops and Businesses
North Side
1. A.R. Thompson & Partners, advertising agents
15. Conway’s Café
41. Mrs Margery A. Gardiner, chiropodist
43. Adéle, ladies hairdresser, proprietor Mrs A. Atkins
45. S. Rothbart, ladies outfitters
59. A.W. Deed, wool stores
61. Mrs S. Lenz, gowns
61a. Mrs Phyllis Taylor,
tobacconist
65. Kettle, builder & decorator
67. Mrs Ivy E. Myers, café
69. David Hood Torrance, dentist
79. E.G. Brown, furniture dealer
83. T.G. Burford, fishmonger
85/87. F. Wright & Sons
(Hove) Ltd. house furnishers
89. A. & D. Collins, grocer
91. D.P. Fenner Ltd. chemist
93. Mrs. A. Smith, stationers
95. Frank Bridle, boot-maker
97. C.H. Robinson, pie shop
99a. Miss King, dressmaker
99. Brighton Co-operative
Society, laundry
101. Brighton Co-operative
Society, butcher
103. Home & Colonial
Stores
105. Hall & Warner Ltd.
decorator’s merchant
107. Serre Achille Ltd. dyers
& cleaners
109. C.W. Woolgar, baker
111. Kelly & Sons, beef &
pork butcher
113/119. F.W. Woolworth
South Side
2a. Griffiths Stores, family
grocer
2. Nunn & Son, confectioner
4. Channel Rug Shop, carpet retailer
4a. Suzette, gowns and millinery,
proprietor Mrs B. Dayrell
6. Bristow Brothers, boot & shoe repairers
8. J.H. Dewhurst, butcher
10. Gigins, bakery
12/14. Reed & Chapman,
fruiterer
16. Northampton Shoe Repairer
18. N.D. Brooks & Sons, cabinet ironmongery
20. William Edgar Smallwood, boot maker
22. E.J. Odom, practical watch and clock maker
24/26. Standing & Funnell,
greengrocer
28. Mrs Ann Kerridge, radio dealer
30. Cecil Charles Rich, confectioner
32. Powells, high-class butcher
34. Norman Pollins, furrier
36. S.E. Holden, florist
38d. Southern Typewriter Service,
proprietor B.P. Colchester
38c. Frank R. Taylor, café
38a. Stanley M. Topper, tailor
38. J. Ryder, upholsterer and bedding manufacturer
40. Frank Sturt, confectioner
42. Joseph Brown & Sons, tailors
44. Percy Mainstone, greengrocer
46. Mrs. E.L. Hughes, bookseller
48. Jack Howard, furniture dealer
50. Jack Howard, proprietor S. Hewetson, fishing tackle maker and pet
food dealer
52. Mrs D, Wallington, dressmaker
54/56. Hamilton & Son,
butcher
58. J. Cooke & Sons Ltd. boot & shoemaker
60/62. Still & Sons, draper
64a. Iris, florist, proprietors Misses
Edwards & Dunford
64. Kerbro Products Ltd. lamp-shade maker
66. W.J. Francis, electrical engineer
68. Brighton Co-operative Society, chemist
70. W. Stickland, ladies hairdresser
72/74. Timothy Whites &
Taylors Ltd.
76. A. Louis, hairdresser
78. Brighton Co-operative Society, grocer
80. A. & D. Collins, greengrocer
82. D. Dowling, upholsterer
82. Saville Cleaners Ltd. dyers & cleaners
84. Hove Adelphi Snooker Club, R. Seymour
84. F.J. Miller & Son, furniture dealers
86a. Homade Bakers
86. Maurice, ladies hairdresser
88. P. & F. Pigott, tailors
90. Lyons Textiles
92. Harry Yates Long, tobacconist and Post Office
94. Ernest Ward, greengrocer
96/98. Lipton Ltd. tea merchant
100. William Cooper & Son, dairymen
102. Hove Conservative Club, Albert
Martin, Hon. Sec.
104/106. Eaton Wine Stores
Shops and Businesses – May 2016
North Side
1. Brennan Herriot & Co. Accountants /
Hove Media Centre / Murray Media / Conservatives / Acupuncture and Massage
Actually.
19. Singapore Kitchen
29. Remnants (Closed).
37. Express Repairs
41. Hove Flowers Ltd.
43. Southern Technology Laptop Computers
45. R. & R. Electrical
47. Oxfam Bookshop
49. City Practice Dental / Durstone Gibb,
chartered accountant
61. Lizzie’s Sandwich Bar
77. YMCA Dialogue
75. St Mary’s Phone Centre
73. Baby Aid (closed)
71. Tai Hair and Beauty
83. Fortune House
87. Martlets Charity Shop
89. Blatchington Road laundrette
91. My Pharmacy / Blake’s Pharmacy
93. AI News
95. Mosaic Hair and Nails
copyright © J.Middleton This photograph shows the shops from 87 to 93 Blatchington Road in April 2016. |
97. Café 97
99. Bryden’s D.I.Y.
101. Hove Cycles
103. Klodhoppers (children’s shoes) closed. Cats Protection charity shop opened in June 2016.
105. Cottage Chicken
107. K.F.C.
109. Cup ‘O’ Chino
111. Red Cross Charity Shop
113-119. Peacocks, clothes shop
South Side
2. Frame of Mind
2a. Joeie’s Convenience Store
4. Empty shop
6. Wolf & Dagger
8. Taboo, Adult Boutique
10. Jasmine’s Well-being Centre
12. Sea Horse Fish Bar
14. Thai Connection
16. Tax Assist Accountant
18. Bobby & Dandy, Vintage Leather
20. Teresa Baker & Michelle Tanner, mother &
daughter funeral directors
22. Ladies That Do.
24. Department, Flea Market
26. Sam Church, hairdresser
28. H’s Barber Shop
30. Nail Star
32. First Cup, café
36. Stone (closed)
38. The Caring Lady Funeral Director
40. Trutex of Hove, school-wear
Oxfam Charity Shop
42-44. Juggs Indian Furniture and Gifts
copyright © J.Middleton These are some of the interesting items to be discovered at Juggs. |
46. Run (closed)
48. Boutique Dress Agency
50. Poppets, toys and clothes
52. Rumours, café
54. Iceland Frozen Foods
58. Ramsbottom, fish and chips
60. Blatchington’s Ltd., carpet and flooring retailer
64. D.L. Jones, jeweller (closed)
66. YMCA Charity Shop
68. Coral, betting shop
70. Amici, café
74. Save the Children, charity shop
78-82. Brighton Co-op supermarket
84-88. QS, store
90. Barber & Frank, men’s barbers
92. Post Office
94. Wine me Up
96. Johnsons Dry Cleaners
98. Magic Hair Design
100. W, Cornford, funeral director
Sources
Argus
Encyclopaedia of Hove and Portslade
Directories
Hove Council Minutes
Information about James Stoneham kindly supplied by John Scrase
Information about James Stoneham kindly supplied by John Scrase
Middleton, Judy Brighton & Hove in Old Photographs –
A Second Selection (1994)
Middleton, Judy Britain in Old Photographs : Hove (1996)
Thanks are due to Robert Jeeves of Step Back in Time 36
Queen’s Road, Brighton, BN1 3XD for allowing me to reproduce five of his
wonderful photographs
Copyright © J.Middleton 2016