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brighton & hove places 1927-1945 (1)
Pictured through the lens of a Sussex Daily News photographer.
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Black Rock Swimming Pool. It was closed down in 1978 when the changing rooms and cafe building were demolished. It was not until 1984 when the demolition of the pool itself began. To make way for the development of the Marina. It was on November 16, 1987 when Gateway Supermarket was opened. Now ASDA.
This is quite a significant photograph because previously the consensus of opinion was that the earliest picture from this collection was 1929.
The first newspaper photograph which was included in the Southern Publishing newspaper series was in 1926. The picture was of a fire at the Court Theatre in New Road, Brighton.
According to the James Gray collection, the building site in this picture was replaced by a building which was erected in 1928, which confirms the date of this photograph of the famous Clock Tower in Brighton.
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The construction of Black Rock Swimming pool (see above)
Picture 31: Circa 1936
Western Road, Brighton. Most of the buildings on the right have now been demolished.
Picture 28: Circa 1936
Picture 16: Circa 1929
Fire at Hanningtons Depository Furniture store at the bottom of Montefiore Road at the west corner with Davigdor Road.
Picture 48: Circa 1932
Pyecombe Garage, Brighton (looking north) from the 'Pylons' on the London Road (A23).
Changed beyond all recognition now and scene of many a serious road accidents during this period due to the dangerous road layout.
The old houses were demolished and prefabs were built there.
A memory from social media: "I remember the prefabs as it was next to my infant school Richmond Street / Sussex Street just showing to the left. The street showing in front would be Sussex Street."
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According to one eagle eyed contributor on social media this is: "The lower railway yard in Trafalgar Street where I once worked when I was a boy on the railway."
And another posted: "My Dad reckons that in 1929 they were dismantling the railway works and moving everything to Eastleigh as they were closing it down. The photo is possibly of the pressure vessel of the Iron Man riveter or something similar being removed from the site. It’s definitely not a steam locomotive boiler. (From the book ‘Life at Brighton Locomotive Works’ by Albert Perryman)
This shows how much the bottom of Kings Road and West Street has changed since the early 60s.
On the right of the picture below St Pauls Church you can see SS Brighton home of the Brighton Tigers Ice Hockey team.
On this site now sits the Kingswest Cinema.
The buiding pictured is the George Hotel, next to an alley called Kent Street which apparently was a place to avoid at night!
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Picture 10: Circa late 50s
This shows how much the bottom of Kings Road and West Street has changed since the early 60s.
On the right of the picture below St Pauls Church you can see SS Brighton home of the Brighton Tigers Ice Hockey team.
On this site now sits the Kingswest Cinema.
The buiding pictured is the George Hotel, next to an alley called Kent Street which apparently was a place to avoid at night!
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Pictured is Mount Pleasant, Brighton before the council houses were built on the east side. The houses on the left lasted until the 50s.
The Gaiety Cinema, Lewes Road, Brighton. Once situated where the Vogue Gyratory System and Sainsbury is now placed.
Hove Town Hall. Destroyed by fire in January 1966. Had a carillon of 12 bells. The architect was Waterhouse who also build the Manchester Town Hall and Brighton Metropole. Served as a Town Hall and the police station.
Controversially it was replaced by a Brutalist style building in 1970, designed by local architect John Wells-Thorpe.
Picture 75: 1929
Picture 14: 1929
Picture 14A: 1929
Demolition of Brills baths in 1929 in central Brighton, located next to Brighton Town Hall on the end of East Street and probably near or around the site of Brills Lane, Brighton.
Picture 37: Circa 1936
View looking south down Beatty Avenue, Woodingdean looking towards Rottingdean,
Picture 55: Circa 1957
Ashurst Road looking south towards Coldean, Brighton.
This was the site of a self-build scheme in Moulsecoombe. Those working on it would have worked in excess of 40 hour s per week then did another 40 or 60 until the houses were built!
Picture 107: Circa 1937
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Gatwick Station. In the disctance is 'The Beehive' the original “Control Tower” which is still there and can be seen on the train ride up from Brighton on the left side.
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St Andrews Church, Moulsecoomb, Brighton.
Blackrock House and the Abergavenny Arms close to Rifle Butt Road, Brighton.
This part of the old Rottingdean Road was completely obliterated by cliff errosion several years later.
Picture 49: 1929
Preston Circus, Preston Road and Beaconsfield Road and the junction to London Road and Viaduct Road. Opposite the Duke of York’s cinema and Fire Station.
Picture 47: Circa 1935
Devonshire Street, Brighton. Now demolished and where the Policeman is standing is now the re-developed Brighton Boys Club 64 Edward Street (see below).
A view from Trundle Hill, overlooking Goodwood Racecourse. apparently a cheap way to see the 'races'.
On the left is the building of the Circus Street fruit and veg market. On the right the old school was Brighton Polytechnic/University. “Circus Street Annex”. Used as art studios and later for photography courses.
Picture 42: 1937
An aerial shot of Brighton.
1937 and the construction of the new Brighton Fire Station at Preston Circus.
Seven Dials, Brighton. This roundabout has changed several times over the years.
One resident wrote on socal media about the Seven Dials area: Having lived for 26 years in Vernon Terrace I love the village feel to the area. Even better since lockdown. True community spirit still exists here!
The pub you can see on the left is The Queen Victoria which was built around this time. The coast road is to the right of the demolished buildings. The city council at the time copulsorily purchased properties in the High Street, but due to a puclic outcry this plan was eventually dropped.
Aerial view over Brighton from possibly somewhere near the Clock Tower area. Note St Peters Church in the distance on the left.
A view of the Wild Park, cafe and changing rooms being built. In the distance is Moulsecoomb.
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Mitre House, Brighton opposite the top of Preston Street. Is currently aSainsbury's local supermarket.
This turned out to be one of the more popular pictures on the site which is a night at Sherry's dancing Club, West Street, Brighton. Some people recalled meeting their partners at this venue and many had fantastic memories of nights out in Brighton.
Aerial view over Brighton from the scaffolding of St Bartholowmews Church. Note St Peters Church in the distance on the left.
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Brighton Promenade near the Aquarium. It is unknown if there was an event taking place and it is interesting in as much as they are all wearing hats of all shapes and size, very much a fashion item in the late 20s.
According to one poster on the Brighton Past Facebook site; ‘My gran described this practice as ‘promenading’ which took place every weekend with people dressing up in their best clothes.’
Worthing Pier, West Sussex.
THEN AND NOW!
​Picture 15: Circa 1942
1942: Bombing of Rottingdean flats (Home of Stan’s Club in the 1960):
It is the rear of St Margaret's at the sea end of the High Street in Rottingdean. On Friday 18th December 1942 a Dornier 217 dropped four 500kg bombs on the village. One destroyed St Margaret's Vicarage and another went down the lift shaft of this block of flats.