Hove in the Past: St Leonards Road, Hove

Judy Middleton 2003 (revised 2022)

Background

The first mention of St Leonards Road in the Minute Books of the Hove Commissioners did not appear until 5 April 1894. Then it was stated that under the Private Street Works Act of 1892, a provisional estimate meant the sum of £1,201-9-4d was chargeable to the property owners in the road, of which £632-12-3d was for paving. Not surprisingly, some of the owners objected to the cost. The Borough Surveyor conceded that only a few houses had been built, and therefore the resolution was dropped. However, the Borough Surveyor said he would work out exactly what qualified as essential work.

Perhaps the Borough Surveyor had a heavy workload because it was not until 21 October 1897 that he came back with his next report. The following statistics are taken from that report:

St Leonards Road was 1,271-ft in length

On the west side 32 houses had been built, total frontage 716-ft

Of these 32 houses, 28 were occupied

On the east side, only six houses had been built and occupied including one on the south corner of Shoreham Road (Kingsway)

copyright © G. Osborne
The east side of St Leonards Road looking south to Shoreham Road (Kingsway) in Edwardian times

On the 5 October 1899 the Borough Surveyor reported that there were now 62 houses in the road, with 57 of them being occupied, and a further eight in the course of construction. He calculated that the vacant land would be enough space for 28 more houses. It is interesting to note that in May 1897 building land in the road could be purchased for 98 shillings per foot.

As regards administration, the road was a bit of a mess because while some houses were numbered, others relied just on names. Confusion was perhaps confounded by Mrs Scott’s house at number 18 being called ‘St Leonard’ while Mrs S. Leonard resided at number 22. Worthy of note are the wonderfully-named The Misses H. Slogget who lived at Millbrook.

Not surprisingly, in 1901 the road was re-numbered.

Street Lamps

St Leonards Road must have been rather gloomy in the early days because in 1897 there were precisely two lamps, one at the north end, and the other at the south end. The usual practice at the time was for home-owners to pay for the erection of a street-lamp, which would then be lit by gas at the expense of the authorities. In 1897 the Borough Surveyor suggested that the owners might like to provide three more street-lamps on the west side. But it seems the householders were in no hurry to come up with the necessary funds. However, by February 1899 there were two additional lamps on the west side, and the Borough Surveyor was somewhat annoyed in October of the same year that Hove Council had not kept to their side of the bargain, and he pointed out that a supply of gas had been promised back in February.

Property Developers

Many of the houses are fine examples of a Victorian villa, solidly built of yellow brick with imposing entrances, gables, and other decorative details. In February 1903 St Leonards Road was declared a public highway.

It is interesting to note that an early developer of houses in St Leonards Road and St Leonards Avenue was a certain Dr Burnett, the father of the celebrated novelist Ivy Compton-Burnett. A favourite Sunday afternoon stroll of Dr Burnett was to walk from his house in The Drive, and along the road to see how his properties were developing. You could say he is still keeping an eye on things because he is buried in St Leonard's Churchyard marked by a cross of rose-marble.

In August 1898 John Blaker of Stanley House, Portslade, asked Hove Council to lay a pavement in front of two houses in St Leonards Road called St Dunstan Villa and Glenthorpe Villa, and also a pavement in front of his property in Seafield Road, and send him the bill.

Miss R. E. Mackey was also a property developer, which was relatively unusual in those days. Five houses were built on her behalf in 1899, and 1901.

Fire Brigade

It appears that Hove Fire Brigade kept a hose-reel in a shed in the road, and on 27 August 1902 it was stated that this hose-reel would be moved shortly to a new shed in Station Road, Hove, (later re-named Boundary Road).

Fire

In April 1990 a fire broke out in the house occupied by a woman and her two sons, one of whom unfortunately left the chip pan on in the kitchen while he went to take a shower. Soon the house was ablaze, but the family were alerted by the smoke alarm. However, the ground floor was completely gutted, and the upstairs room badly damaged.

HMS Ardent

In 2001 Mark Higgit published a book entitled Through Fire and Water concerning the destruction of the frigate HMS Ardent in the Falklands War of 1982. Aircraft from Argentina hit the frigate seventeen times killing 22 men out of a crew of 199. One of the survivors Higgit interviewed was Mark ‘Dickie’ Henderson of St Leonards Road who at the time was a young leading marine engineer mechanic.

copyright © G. Osborne
St Leonards Road looking north from Shoreham Road (Kingsway) in Edwardian times
on the wall by the gas lamp post is a small black sign - 'HCS' (Hackney Carriage Stand)

House Notes

Number 3 – In 1915 Mrs Irene Fitzgerald ran a day school in the premises.

Number 6 – In 1930 Harry Wood lived in this house; he was a motor car proprietor.

Number 8 – Mr Wheeler, senior, was a veteran of the Crimean War, and had served with the 6^th (Inniskillin) Dragoons. It was not surprising that his sons wanted to emulate his military prowess, having heard tales of his adventures in childhood.

Private Albert Edward Wheeler joined the 17^th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, having lived in this house with his parents. Before the First World War he earned his living as a motor driver. He saw a great deal of action on the Western Front and the Somme. It was at Delville Wood where he was badly wounded in action. On 19 October 1917 he was discharged from the Army as being medically unfit, and received a full pension. But he did not survive long, dying at home in Hove on 6 November 1917.

His brother, Claude Fogo Wheeler, was desperate to play his part in the war effort. But obviously he had some health issues, and he had already been turned down by local recruiting officers. As a last desperate attempt, he decided that if he marched all the way to the barracks at Chichester, the authorities would see he was fit enough to enlist. He managed to complete the long trek but unhappily, those in charge decided otherwise, and he was officially rejected from military service. He never recovered from the humiliation and exhaustion, took to his bed, and died on 18 January 1917. He was buried in Hove Cemetery.

Number 10 – Albert Cook was born in 1897 and was educated at St Andrew’s School in Wellington Road, Portslade. By 1914 he was living at this address, and worked as a decorator. He enlisted in the 2^nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment, and was killed in action on the 14 November 1916 during the Battle of The Somme. His name is certainly well remembered because it is on the War Memorial in Easthill Park, as well as being on the brass memorial tablets in the vestibule of Hove Library.

Number 12 – In 1924 Mrs Russell lived in this house, and rented out apartments. She offered bed and breakfast for a modest 4/- or full board for £2-2s. (See also number 111).

Number 30 – In 1930 Douglas Hart, a teacher of music, lived here.

Number 40 – In 1924 Samuel Guest, a tailor, lived in this house.

Number 68 – In 1915 this house was occupied by the London Bible Women and Nurses’ Mission Home of Rest, a Miss Wellburn being the Hon. Secretary.

Number 70 – Captain Harold Julian Miles was born at Hove and educated at Brighton Grammar School before becoming a chemist, and he lived in this house. When the First World War broke out, he lost no time in putting himself forward for action by joining the air service on 26 August 1914. He became an experienced aviator, and his skill was recognised after he helped out the French Army when they were in difficulties. As a result, in November 1918 he was awarded the Croix de Guerre avec Palme for his distinguished flying. Captain Miles survived the war. It is claimed that he was the first pilot to make a night flight from England to Ireland, his route being via Holyhead, Liverpool and Swindon.

Number 82 – For just four weeks, one room in this house served as a Roman Catholic Chapel; this was prior to the building of Our Lady, Star of the Sea, and St Denis in Portslade.

Number 105 – This house was named ‘St Hilda’ and in 1915 it was occupied by Mr E. Allen, a piano tuner.

Number 111 – In 1924 Miss Richardson lived here. Beside her name in the Street Directory is the word ‘apartments’ and so presumably she had rooms to let. (See also number 17).

Hove Planning Approvals

1895 – C. Bullock for Mr Cruttenden, pair of semi-detached houses, west side

1896 – C. Bullock for Dr Burnett, thirteen houses, west side

1896 – C. Bullock for Dr Burnett, six houses

1897 – T. H. Scutt for J. Nurcombe, one house, west side

1898 – R. R. Berry, six pairs semi-detached houses, east side

1898 – S. Hopkins for E. Gladman, four houses, east side

1898 – C. Bullock for J. Nurcombe, one house, west side

1898 – E. Gladman, six houses, east side

1899 – H. Sloggett for Miss R. E. Mackey, four houses, east side

1899 – F. R. Ockenden, one pair of villas, east side

1899 – H. W. Welsh for F. Hother, two houses, east side

1899 – S. Hopkins for R. R. Berry, eleven houses, east side

1900 – B. James for O. Bungard , two houses, east side

1901 – H. Sloggett for Miss Mackey, one house, east side

1901 – G. Burstow & Sons for C. Y. Smith, one house, corner of New Church Road

1903 – F. A. Ockenden, one house (no.73) east side

1903 – J. Barnes, five houses on west side of St Leonards Road and south side of New Church Road

1903 – Clayton & Black for W. E. Perrin, five houses, east side

1904 – J. W. Blackman for E. Gladman, eight houses

1906 – G. W. Miles for J. Harrison, one pair semi-detached villas, west side

1907 – H. Baker & Co, one pair semi-detached villas, west side

1928 - C. H. King for J. Harrison, pair semi-detached houses, east side

Sources

Encyclopaedia of Hove and Portslade

Hove Council Minute Books

Information about the Wheeler brothers from C. le Blanc

Middleton, J. Hove and Portslade in the Great War (2014)

Mr G. Osborne

Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton & Hove

Street Directories

30 April 2022

St Leonards Road, Hove