Hove in the Past: Clarendon Road, Hove.

Judy Middleton 2002 (revised 2024)

Background

On 20 June 1876 the land on which Clarendon Road was later built was sold by the Stanford Estate to property developer George Gallard. On 2 May 1877 Gallard sold several plots of land for £10,000 to George Freeman, a Brighton cement merchant.

In the early days of development the road was part of what was called (according to George Freeman) the Hove Drove Estate; Hove Drove was the ancient name of what became Hove Street and Sackville Road.

Development

Building work must have been undertaken on a rapid scale because in 1877 there were already 415 residents; by February 1878 there were 437 inhabitants, while by September 1879 there were no less than 110 houses occupied by 128 families. The figures are astonishing because these families consisted of 424 adults and 314 children making a grand total of 738 individuals.

The Sanitary Inspector was a frequent visitor to Clarendon Road to check that all the privies had a proper water supply. This was not always the case. For example, in 1879 he discovered that twenty-one houses did not have the appropriate water supply. This state of affairs was never as bad again, but there were still two or three cases a year until 1894.

Smallpox

Seeing that the road was so over-populated, it seems a most unsuitable venue in which to establish a temporary hospital for people suffering from smallpox. Yet that is what the Hove Commissioners decided upon in 1881. The Commissioners rented numbers 129 and 131 for ten shillings a week from a Mr Boon.

The developer George Freeman was furious, and threatened legal proceedings. He also reminded the Commissioners that all the houses were subject to certain restrictive covenants, which meant that houses could not be used for purposes that might cause annoyance to neighbours. The Commissioners promptly backed down, and stated that no new cases would be admitted, but that the patients already there were too ill to be moved. The Annual Report for 1881 recorded that there were seven deaths from smallpox in Clarendon Road.

Overcrowding

In 1881 numbers 22, 39, 41, 43, and 117 were reported to be so overcrowded as to be dangerous to health, and the owners were given three days in which to reduce the number.

In 1908 number 55 was overcrowded with four people sleeping in the front room of the basement, with another four in the front room of the ground floor, and three in the back room of the ground floor. It was decreed that the numbers must be reduced by one person in each bedroom.

copyright © Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton & Hove
Brighton Herald 30 March 1912
In 1912, houses were on sale in Clarendon Road for less than £300

In 1913 number 13 was occupied by three families, and officials ruled that one family would have to move out.

In 1915 there were five people sleeping in the front room of the basement at number 66, with another five in the front room off the ground floor. The council decreed that there should be no more than three people in each bedroom.

In 1923 the Medical Officer of Health reported severe cases of overcrowding in his plea for the council to provide additional council houses. However, the problem was not straightforward because the families cited never made a request for a council house because they could not afford the ten shillings a week rent. There was one case where a father, mother, and eight children occupied three rooms, and another case where a father, mother and five children occupied two rooms.

Infrastructure

In 1888 Clarendon Road declared a public highway.

The pavements were made of brick with Purbeck stone but by 1889 repairs were necessary at a cost of £140.

In 1895 cement paving was laid on the south side of the road at a cost of £494.

In 1898 Parsons & Son constructed a new sewer in part of the road for £266.

A Heroic Countess

Clarendon Road might seem an odd location for a countess, but in 1990 this was where Anita Vulliamy, aged 70, lived in a council flat. Once she had lived in a mansion in Budapest as Baroness Anita de Megyessy-Vulliamy, and at the age of eight she possessed real diamond earrings, and a real pearl necklace.

But during the Second World War, she put such fripperies aside, and served as agent 865 in the Belgian Resistance. She was captured by the Germans, and tortured by the Gestapo; she spent eight months in solitary confinement, and six months in the death cell. Liberation came on 4 September 1994 when the Allies released her. She must have had formidable stamina to endure such treatment, and when she was rescued, she only weighed 4½ stone. But she was still alive at Hove in 1994. Her memoir was entitled I Followed My Destiny.

Mrs Caroline Hughes – the Hove Heroine

Precious few women have been awarded the Albert Medal for Bravery like Mrs Hughes of Clarendon Road, and indeed she was only the second one to be thus honoured.

On 14 October 1905 Mrs Hughes, aged 39, was at home with her three children. Her daughter Violet, aged 6, had gone to play with a neighbour’s two children aged 11 and 4 while their mother was out at work. Suddenly, there was screaming, and Violet ran back home to tell her mother that the neighbour’s house was on fire.

Mrs Hughes ran to the house at once. She found that the table was a mass of burning oil because a lamp had been overturned. The two children were too frightened to move although one child’s clothes were on fire. Mrs Hughes, beat out the flames in the child’s clothing with her bare hands. Then she picked up the lamp to throw it outside but unfortunately it exploded. She suffered severe burns to her face, chest, arms and hands, but it was her left arm that was the most badly injured, and she spent many weeks in Hove Hospital.

The pain was severe but for over two years the doctors did their best to save the arm; then it had to be amputated at the Royal Sussex County Hospital. Neighbours rallied around to help and raised £15 to buy her a prosthetic arm. It was kindly meant but it was made of wood with medal fittings, and Mrs Hughes found it much too heavy. Instead, she just made do with one arm. She liked to say that she could do nearly every chore except thread a needle.

The Mayor of Hove took an interest in her case, and he felt that her bravery should be more widely recognised. In 1910 he wrote to the Home Office outlining the details, and the papers landed on the desk of Winston Churchill, the newly-appointed Home Secretary.

Of course Churchill was quite familiar with Hove, having been at school there for four years in the 1880s. It is pleasant to record that Churchill was duly impressed and placed the matter before the king with the recommendation that Mrs Hughes should be awarded the Albert Medal with the added note: ‘This action was one of spontaneous bravery and humanity well-sustained. The consequences were life-long injuries to the rescuer, safety for the rescued. Women have few chances of this honour.’ Edward VII acquiesced to the request shortly before he died on 6 May 1910.

Thus it was the new monarch George V who pinned the Albert Medal onto Mrs Hughes at St James’s Palace on 21 June 1910. Churchill personally escorted Mrs Hughes to the palace, and afterwards shook her hand and said: ‘I fear this is very poor recompense for your grievous injury.’

Mrs Hughes was accompanied by Miss Hannah the Headmistress of Ellen Street Girls' School, on her visit to St James's Palace in 1910

Mrs Hughes became a local celebrity at Hove, and she was referred to in the Press as the ‘Hove Heroine’. A fund was set up on her behalf, and by 25 June 1910 it had reached £38-19s-3d. Six years later her son Sydney Hughes was awarded the Military Medal at the Battle of Ypres. Mrs Hughes died in 1943.

Clarendon Road and the First World War

Number 25 – Able Seaman Mark Delves was the son of George and Maria Delves who lived at this address while he and his wife Harriett lived at number 21 Clarendon Road. Delves served in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in Hawke Battalion, 63^rd Royal Naval Division. He was killed in action on 25 August 1918 at the age of 32. He did not drown at sea but was killed on land because RNVR men were often drafted in to serve as foot soldiers. His name is commemorated on the Vis en Artois Memorial.

Number 22 – Sergeant Herbert John Maslin was born at Wiston in 1887, but the family later moved to Hove where he was educated at Ellen Street Schools. He became a blind-maker, and lived at this address. In October 1915 he enlisted in the Sussex Yeomanry but was later transferred to the Middlesex Regiment. He was killed on 26 September 1917 during the third Battle of Ypres, also known as Passchendaele. He is commemorated on both the Menin Gate and the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing, which means that he has no known grave.

Number 49 – Alfred Gibbs was the brother of William Gibbs who lived in this house. Alfred Gibbs was born in London, enlisted at Eastbourne, and served as the shoeing smith to the 10^th Hussars. He was aged 39 when he died of his wounds on 4 April 1918 at Abbeville, and was buried at Abbeville Communal Cemetery Extension. There is a whiff of mystery about this man because for whatever reasons, he chose to serve under the name of Alfred Lomas.

Number 73 –The Voak brothers lived at this address

Number 75 – Reginald Coomber was born at 75 Clarendon Road on 23 September 1899, and was educated at the Ellen Street Schools. When he grew up he still lived in the same road, but at number 78 and earned his living as a labourer. Perhaps he decided that he would be better off in the Army because he enlisted in 1912. He served with the 2^nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment, and he was killed by a sniper at Ypres on 15 November 1914.

Number 76 – Charles Edwin Edwards was the son of Edwin and Annie Edwards of this address. He joined the 23^rd Battalion, Australian Infantry, 2^nd Australian Division. He was killed in action on 23 August 1916 and was buried in Puchevillers British Cemetery. He was awarded the Military Medal.

Number 80 – The Whittington family lived at this address during the First World War.

Number 92 – James George Heath was the son of James and Mary Heath of this address. He was born and educated at Hove. He served in the 7^th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment, 12^th Division, and was only 20 years old when he was killed in action on 18 September 1918. He was buried in Epehy Wood Farm Cemetery.

Number 92 – It is pleasant to record that Sergeant James Henry Heath survived the war. He was born in 1874, and educated at the Ellen Street Schools. He worked as a labourer and lived with his wife at this address. He enlisted in the 18^th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment (Pioneers) and was sent to France the following November. He served throughout the battles of the Somme, Arras, Nieuport and Ypres, as well as during the last big push. In April 1918 he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal:

For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty and consistent good work during a long period. He has maintained a high standard of discipline and efficiency among his men, and has always shown a great skill and determination at his work.

After all this activity, he ended up in hospital with lumbago, and was demobbed on 7 March 1919.

Number 94 – Arthur Albert Phillips was the son of Walter and Mary Jane Phillips of this address. Phillips was born and enlisted at Hove. He served with the 8^th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment, 18^th Division. At the age of nineteen he died of his battle wounds on 29 November 1916. Unusually, he did not end up in a military cemetery, but was buried in Etretat churchyard.

Number 105 – Ernest Leonard Kerly was the son of Marion Kerly of this address. At first Kerly served with the Royal Sussex Regiment, but was then transferred to the 49^th Battalion, Machine Gun Corps. He was 21 years of age when he died of his battle wounds on 16 April 1918; he was buried at Bur Haringhe (Bandagham) Military Cemetery, Belgium.

Number 114 – George William Fish was the son of Thomas and Alice Fish of this address. Fish was born and educated at Hove. He served in the 2^nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment, 1^st Division. He was only aged seventeen when he was killed in action on 9 May 1915 at Richebourg L’Avenue. His name is commemorated at Le Touret Memorial.

Number 121 – Albert Alma Dunk was the son of William and Henrietta Dunk who lived in this house. Dunk was born at Hove, but enlisted at Hammersmith in August 1914; he served originally in the Royal Sussex Regiment, but was later transferred to the Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry. He was only aged 21 when he was killed in action on 24 August 1916. His name is commemorated in the Thiepval Memorial.

Number 135 – Private Albert John Back was born at Hove, and educated at the Ellen Street Schools. He lived in this house and worked as a van man. In September 1914 he enlisted, and served in the 2^nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment, but was later attached to the 7^th Battalion. His mother received the following letter dated 23 July 1916 from G. Rolfe of ‘A’ Company, 7^th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment.

In answer to your letter I am sorry to have to tell you that your son is wounded and missing. He was hit while attacking a German trench on 7 July. Since then he has not been seen or heard of so I am afraid you must be prepared for the worst. I have made enquiries of those left in the platoon but can get no definite news except that he was seen to be wounded. His captain was killed at the same time.

His date of death was later officially given as 7 July 1916 at Ovillers during the Battle of the Somme. His name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, which means he has no known grave.

New Homes

In the 1960s Hove councillors regarded the streets of small houses with disfavour, and indeed many of them considered they were more or less slums. There was a mood abroad favouring the demolition of small houses to be replaced by nice, new tower blocks of flats. Of course, with hindsight it is easy to see that this was not always a sensible solution. The old housing could have been saved with grants and relevant repairs. Indeed, the many roads of small houses still remaining at Hove have enjoyed a remarkable renaissance, and are much sought after. There was also the social angle with the disruption of close-knit communities not being taken into account.

Then again, the maintenance of tower blocks has its own problems. Indeed, one of the Sixties tower blocks in Brighton deteriorated to such an extent that later on demolition was the only option. In the 1960s the following were constructed at Hove – Ellen House, Clarendon House, Goldstone House, Livingstone House and Conway Court. But by 1984 repairs were already necessary at a cost of £1.43 million; some of the money was spent on installing double-glazing, and replacing wall-ties.

Vallance Centre

Councillor Simon Battle campaigned for the Vallance Centre to be built, and the project created a great deal of interest. In April 1999 Councillor Frieda Warman-Brown said that building work would soon start, and the new Vallance Centre should be ready by the summer.

House Notes

Number 1 – In 1901 William Dumbrill, builder, lived here, and it was called Holland House.

Number 2 – In 1901 the house was occupied by Mrs Wilson, laundress

Number 3 – In 1901 W. Roker, a furniture dealer, lived in this house.

Number 13 – In 1913 it was reported that the house was occupied by three families.

Number 22 – In 1881 the house was reported to be overcrowded.

Number 32 – In 1901 Mrs Capelin, a laundress, lived here.

Number 35 – In 1901 John Winchester, a wood turner, lived here.

Number 39 – In 1881 the house was reported to be overcrowded. In 1901 Mrs Godley, who took in laundry, lived here.

Number 41 – In 1881 the house was reported to be overcrowded.

Number 43 – In 1881 the house was reported to be overcrowded.

Number 45 – In 1901 John Lidbetter, a greengrocer occupied the premises.

Number 47 – W. Bannister, a butcher, lived here in 1901.

Number 48 – In 1901 the premises were occupied by Robert Hiscock, a grocer.

Number 55 – In 1908 it was reported that four people were sleeping in the front room of the basement, another four people slept in the front room of the ground floor with three in the back room.

Number 59 – In 1901 J. H. Lock, a bootmaker, lived in this house.

Number 65 – Thomas Roe, a plumber, lived here in 1901.

Number 66 – In 1915 it was reported that there were five people sleeping in the front room of the basement, and another five in the front room of the ground floor.

Number 83 – In 1901 G. Marsh, a bricklayer, lived in this house.

Number 100 – William Reeves lived here. He was employed by contractors Hill & Sons to work on the Hove sea-wall. In May 1884, while concrete blocks were being moved, he fell into the foundations, and a block weighing 2-cwt fell on his head, killing him.

Number 108 – In August 1898 Private Alfred Blackman of the Royal Sussex Regiment was charged with being absent without leave from his regiment. It was stated that Detective Parsons had found him hiding under his bed at this house, and he was only wearing a shirt.

A Change in the View

Lately, there has been an astonishing change in the view. The first image was taken from the corner of Goldstone Villas in July 2020 looking into Clarendon Road.

The second view taken in April 2024 shows the new high-rises in the extensive building operation undertaken near Hove Station.

The third view also taken in April 2024 shows other blocks from much further along Clarendon Road.

Sources

Encyclopaedia of Hove and Portslade

Hove Council Minute Books

Middleton, J. A History of Women’s Lives in Hove and Portslade (2018)

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

National Library of Australia

Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton & Hove

Street Directories

On-line Hove’s Roll of Honour

27 June 2024

Clarendon Road, Hove.