Hove in the Past: Connaught Road, Hove.

12 October 2024

Connaught Road, Hove.

Judy Middleton 2002 (revised 2024)

It is likely that the road was named after the third son of Queen Victoria who in 1874 was created Duke of Connaught and Strathearn. Then in 1879 he married Princess Louise Margaret of Prussia, and a royal marriage always brings the happy couple to public attention. Then again, the Duke of Connaught followed a military career serving abroad and especially in India, which would have resonated with Hove people where so many ex-India hands were to be found.

Connaught Road is still dominated by the old Connaught Road Schools, which opened in 1884. The road first appeared in the Directories in 1885 when there were three numbered houses and four other houses known by their names. They were:

Beachey House (later number 10)

Flamborough House (later number 11)

Marine House (later number 12)

Florida House (later number 13)

By 1890 there were thirteen numbered houses plus two others, one called Pembridge Villa.

Major George James Teevan – He had followed an Army career in the 94^th Regiment before becoming Chief Constable of South Shields. On 2 July 1884 at the age of 45 he was appointed Chief Constable of Hove at a salary of £200 a year plus the uniform. By 1898 he earned £350 a year plus an extra £12-12s in lieu of being provided with a uniform. Perhaps he patronised a local tailor for a bespoke uniform. He lived in Pembridge Villa in Connaught Road. In October 1904 he decided it was time for him to retire because he had serious defects in his eyesight. His pension was £200 a year.

Connaught Road's early 1900s Commercial Properties

Number 1A

Connaught Garage

Fatal Accident

In 1897 when some new buildings were being built in Connaught Road, Alfred William Dorney, aged 31, fell off his ladder, and died shortly afterwards.

Hove Soup Charity

copyright © Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton & Hove
Brighton Herald 16 December 1899
Mr J. Bartlett organised the Hove Soup Charity from his home at 22 Connaught Road

First World War Hero

During the First World War Alfred and Annie Diplock lived at number 8. Their son, Sergeant Horace Reginald Diplock, was born at Hove and became a professional soldier, having enrolled at Brighton. He served at first with the 2^nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment, and was then transferred to the 8^th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment (Pioneers). The gallant sergeant was aged just 23 when he was killed in action on 8 September 1917 and was buried at Duhallow ADS. Cemetery Ypres, Belgium. (People interested in synchronicity will note that the number 8 occurs three times in this short obituary). Horace R. Diplock was a former student of the Connaught Road Schools.

Changes

In 1990 a new house between 27A Sackville Road and 24 Connaught Road, was to be known as 25 Connaught Road.

In 1998 it was stated that the property near the twitten at the rear of Stirling Place, was to be known as Lane Cottage, Connaught Road.

New Building

On the east side of Connaught Road, next to a house fronting Church Road, there used to be a car-washing business. In 2001 the site was owned by Karis Developments with the sole agents being Mishon Mackay. The Argus (7/11/2001) printed two lurid images of what the architects, R. H. Partnership and Professor Stephen Adutt, hoped to build at 1A Connaught Road. The prose was punctuated with high-flown phrases such as ‘lateral thinking’ ‘impeccable detailing’ and ‘integrity of materials’. It is astonishing to note that the building was supposed to embrace the history of its surroundings! But the phrase that springs to mind, particularly with regard to the tower, is that it sticks out like a sore thumb.

There was an immediate outcry over the development from the Conversation Area Advisory Group, the council’s own Design and Conservation Department were against it, while English Heritage was moved to label it as ‘alien and domineering.’

However, it transpired that the plans were approved in record time. Residents on the western side of Connaught Road received no prior notification of the plans, while those on the eastern side received letters on 17 September. Objections had to be lodged by 5 October, and on 17 October the planning committee approved the plans – eight votes to four. By December there was already a bulldozer on the site.

Perhaps the fact that the 22-flat development would include forty per cent of affordable housing had something to do with the unseemly haste.

Sculptures

It seems that Karis Developments assuaged their public conscience by paying for two sculptures to be placed at the south end of what is now a cul-de-sac. It was claimed that the company paid out £9,000 to secure the services of German sculptor Ekkehard Altenburger, an internationally acclaimed artist. The taller sculpture was called ‘Cut’; it may baffle many people but Altenburger claimed the modern imagery was borrowed from Oscar Niemeyer and it was combined with Gothic and Romanesque touches. The second sculpture created from Kilkenny limestone was called ‘Sediment.’ It was inspired by the different layers in the cliff, perhaps viewed when swimming in the sea, and ranging from grass to chalk. The sculptures were unveiled on 27 August 2004.

copyright © D. Sharp
The Altenburger sculpture entitled 'Sediment' is surrounded by street rubbish bins.

Whatever your views of modern art, it is depressing how these pieces have been neglected in later years, especially when they were supposed to be a gift for people to enjoy. First of course, there was graffiti on ‘Sediment’ and some of the stone has not weathered well with ugly stains forming from the dip of the waves. By 2024 ‘Sediment’ was obscured closely on both sides by huge, ugly, street bins with a fetching background of council-provided Beryl Bikes

Hove Planning Approvals

1893 – A Cresswell, house and store, south side

1896 – Clayton & Black for J. Fisher, one house, east side

1896 – Clayton & Black for J. Fisher, a shop

1910 – Messrs Anderson & Burstow, two houses and a store, south side

1911 – J. W. Hayler, 2 flats and 4 garages

Sources

Directories

Encyclopaedia of Hove and Portslade

Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton & Hove

page layout and additional research by D.Sharp