North Street (Brighton) (4)

James Gray: Toder’s shop at 52 North Street. He was in business here from 1888 until 1913, while previously the premises had been a hosier’s and glover’s shop since 1852. jgc_21_043

2020: Toder’s shop has gone and has been replaced by a larger early 20th century premises combining 51 and 52 North Street. The ground floor is occupied by a souvenir shop and the upper floors by a dance & night club. (Photographer: Alan Stratford)

James Gray: Joseph Smith’s Drapery Store at the corner of North Street and West Street. The building dates from about 1875 when the decrepit London Tavern, which stood on the corner, was removed. Smith’s closed down in 1932 after more than 60 years’ trading on this spot. Additional Information: Advertisements for Yardley’s Lavender and Selo film. jgc_21_047 

2020: The building was built for Smith’s and has remained largely unchanged externally for almost 100 years. After Smith’s left in 1932, the store was used by Hornes men’s outfitters until the early 1990s since when several shops have occupied the corner site. It currently houses itsu, a Japanese counter-service and takeaway chain for sushi, salads and noodle dishes. (Photographer: Alan Stratford) 

James Gray: View looking down North Street. Interesting as showing the unbroken line of old buildings, down as far as King Street. Even the old Unicorn Hotel can be seen, adjoining the Southern Publishing Company’s office. jgc_21_048

James Gray: Looking down the gloomy narrowness of North Street, at the time of the Silver Jubilee of King George V. Additional Information: Horne Brothers has replaced Joseph Smith’s Drapery Store. jgc_21_051

2018: The narrowness of North Street noted in the 1935 image has been resolved by removal of the buildings on the north side (left-hand side) to allow road widening. (Photographer: Alan Stratford)

James Gray: Looking west to the newly erected buildings in Western Road. The chimney is that of the old Smithers Brewery which formerly stood at the top of North Street. When the roadway was widened in front of Burtons, early in the 1920s, it was intended that this should be its ultimate width, but later a widening to 60 feet was decided upon and carried out in other parts of the street. Photograph taken in July 1937. jgc_21_052

2018: This view up North Street to the art deco Imperial Arcade development of the 1920s now reveals more clearly the Clock Tower at the junction with Queen’s Road/West Street. The road widening allowed the construction of the large Boots store on the corner of Queen’s Road which also involved the demolition of the Regent Cinema in 1974.  (Photographer: Alan Stratford)

James Gray: Three comparatively recent photographs [jgc_21_053, 054 and 055] of buildings at the top of this busy street but which nevertheless show significant changes from the present time. This view from Portland Street looking down to Windsor Street and beyond, in 1962.

James Gray: Three comparatively recent photographs [jgc_21_053, 054 and 055] of buildings at the top of this busy street but which nevertheless show significant changes from the present time. The alternative entrance to the Regent Cinema in January 1966. This was the cheap entrance giving admission to the 1/- and 1/6d seats (original prices).

James Gray: Three comparatively recent photographs [jgc_21_053, 054 and 055] of buildings at the top of this busy street but which nevertheless show significant changes from the present time. This 1958 photograph, the oldest of the three, shows the same cinema entrance, with the Dance Studios on the floor above.

James Gray: The last of the Regent! Two photographs [jgc_21_056 and jgc_21_057] of 10 July 1977, looking up North Street when the extensive clearance at the corner of Queen’s Road was proceeding. The original cheap entrance (1/-seats) to the cinema was here, with the Georgian Rooms above. This was used for small functions such as dinners, dances, meetings etc, and was the last part of the vast Regent complex to be demolished. It is interesting to note the three widths of North Street, revealed by these pictures. At the top, the original narrow street. By the woman [see jgc_21_057] the 1921 widening, when the Regent replaced the Unicorn Inn.

James Gray: See caption for jgc_21_056 above. jgc_21_057

2018: All the buildings on the north side of North Street (right-hand side) shown in the 1977 image have gone, with the demolition of the Regent Cinema and road widening of the 1970s [see image jgc_21_056].  (Photographer: Alan Stratford)

James Gray: This was originally a farmhouse, dating from 1597. It was opened as a public house about 1750, but eventually retained its connection with farming because some 50 years later the landlord was also described as ‘milkman and cowkeeper’. For many years there were barracks immediately behind the inn but, when these were removed, the stabling was greatly extended and the large Unicorn yard was much frequented by carriers. The eastern portion was a later addition to the original building but even so, in the 1860s, when alterations were being carried out, a Charles I shilling was found beneath the ground floor.

James Gray: This photograph shows the rebuilt inn during the period 1900/1910. In contrast to the old inn, which it replaced, this had a very short life. In 1916 Provincial Cinematograph Theatres acquired the site from Smithers Brewery, and in 1920, the inn, the stabling, the houses in Windsor Street and several in Queen’s Road were removed to make way for the Regent Cinema. Thus, another of Brighton’s old inns passed into history.  jgc_21_059

James Gray: Burton’s shop in North Street, part of the Regent Cinema building, in June 1954. Demolished in 1974. jgc_21_061

2018: This shop was demolished with the rest of the Regent Cinema buildings in the 1970s. Although Burton occupied it at the time of the 1954 image, they were not there in the 1970s.

James Gray: 135/138 North Street, between Windsor Street and Portland Street, shortly before demolition. Two very old established businesses were in this block, one of whom, Folkard & Sons, silversmiths and pawnbrokers, had occupied No 138 for more than 100 years. jgc_21_063

2019: The view is very different today as all the buildings in the original image have been demolished. (Photographer: Simon Cooper)

James Gray: View of the cleared site looking north with the houses of Windsor Street and Portland Street on the left and right respectively. The Imperial Theatre (later the Essoldo Cinema) was built here in 1939. jgc_21_064

2019: The old image could not be replicated, so I attach a photograph of a nearby site showing that the area still contains abandoned land and building sites. (Photographer: Simon Cooper)

James Gray: Close up of the buildings from Portland Street to Windsor Street, 135-138 North Street, in 1937. Attree & Kent, Auctioneers & Valuers, had occupied No 136 for upwards of 80 years, at the time of its demolition in 1938. Another very old established business, Folkard & Sons, the pawnbrokers was next door to the insurance company. Additional Information: The British Law Fire Insurance Company Ltd. jgc_21_065

James Gray: This photograph taken in January 1963 shows the old Princes Cinema and S. Kaye’s little shop, which has since been taken over by the cinema. Additional Information: This site is now occupied by Burger King. jgc_21_068

2019: All the buildings in the original image survive though their functions have changed. The cinema is now a fast food establishment. (Photographer: Simon Cooper)

James Gray: Burghope & Burghope’s outfitters shop, 139/140 North Street, at the corner of Portland Street, in 1911. They occupied these premises from 1886 until 1929, after which an Insurance office was here until 1938. In that year the building came down and the site remained empty until 1957 when the present Barclays Bank building was erected. jgc_21_069

2019: What was clearly a distinctive building (and appropriate for Brighton) in the original image was replaced in the 1950s by a somewhat dull bank. (Photographer: Simon Cooper)

James Gray: Two photographs [jgc_21_071 and jgc_21_072] of the narrow North Street between King Street and the Clock Tower. This one, taken in 1931, shows Nos 139-140 with its upper floors set back from what was then the new building line. This was later agreed to be ten feet further back still, so the entire block was demolished in 1938. jgc_21_071

2019: All the buildings in the original image were demolished. (Photographer: Simon Cooper)

James Gray: The building that housed the café-restaurant of Joseph Lyons at 51/52 North Street, almost opposite the Prudential, also photographed in 1962. This was opened in 1923 and was one of four Lyons cafés in Brighton, two being in North Street, one in Western Road and the largest in Old Steine. This one closed on 11 January 1975 and the other North Street café at No 14 a year or two later. All four Lyons cafés have now gone as customs and habits continue to change. jgc_21_074

2019: The building in the original image survives today but is no longer a café. (Photographer: Simon Cooper)

James Gray: Demolition of 135 North Street, 1937-38. This stood at the corner of Windsor Street, many houses of which were removed at the same time, to be replaced by the Imperial Theatre (now Essoldo). jgc_21_076

2019: The site is now occupied by an undistinguished modern building housing a branch of the supermarket chain Sainsbury’s at street level. (Photographer: Simon Cooper)

James Gray: The small 1950s snapshot gives just a glimpse of the Prince’s News Theatre, formerly the Prince’s Cinema, which started life as the Bijou Electric Empire in 1911 and finally closed in 1983. Additional Information: Shop of R J Barfoot. jgc_21_078

2020: The focus of James Gray’s interest is the building on the extreme left of the 1950s image, now a branch of the Burger King fast-food chain. It is said that it is still possible to screen movies in the building! R J Barfoot, watchmaker, at 62 North Street, seen in the centre of the James Gray photograph, occupied this address for some 80 years from 1875. As can be seen from the modern image, the premises have been changed substantially and are now occupied by a cheap and cheerful souvenir shop. (Photographer: Simon Cooper)

James Gray: Looking west, emphasising the narrowness of the street at that time. jgc_21_072

2019: The building in the left hand corner remains and is now a travel agent. The buildings on the opposite side of the road were demolished. (Photographer: Simon Cooper)