James Gray: A prosaic part of Brighton, just five houses with ground floor shops, which joined Gloucester Road and Queen’s Road. Much older than they may have looked, they were built before Queen’s Road was laid out; they appear in Leppards Directory of Brighton for 1845. At first this small block was called North Quadrant, but the name was changed in 1914, possibly to avoid confusion with North Street Quadrant by the Clock Tower. No 1, shown here, was for many years a Public House, first called the Cork Cutters Arms, and latterly the Lord Clyde. The public conveniences came much later, in 1926, on the site of a small shrubbery, laid out when Queen’s Road was widened in the 1870s. Photographed on 31 May 1982, the five buildings were demolished in June/July 1984, and yet another office block will arise in their place. jgc_31_178
James Gray: 51 Gloucester Road, 4 November 1910, but which building is it? With all the buildings plastered with advertisements it is hard to say. Maybe it was in the centre portion where Branson’s is. Certainly there is a significant gap there today as the building was demolished in 1911. At much the same time the number 51 disappeared from the street Directories. Additional Information: Posters: Bovril, Branson’s Coffee; A1 Sauce; Turog Bread; Matchless Metal Polish; Hartley’s Preserves; The Byeways of Byron, film. jgc_25_180
2018: 51 Gloucester Road is the building of which only a very small section can be seen on the far left of the photograph. In 1910, the small white house, 36 Frederick Street, was a shop run by Mrs A Ellis. The building on the right is bounded by Queen’s Road Quadrant, Gloucester Road and Frederick Street and is now offices. (Photographer: Mark Stephenson)
James Gray: The Canteen Inn at the corner of Robert Street, 8 September 1963. As its name and the wall cannon suggests it was associated with the Headquarters of the 1st Sussex Volunteer Artillery across the road and it replaced an earlier Inn of the same name which was at 115 Gloucester Road. It was demolished in December 1966 for a future extension of the Southern Publishing Company’s premises. jgc_25_181
2018: A modern office block has replaced the (demolished) public house, The Canteen, as well as the residential house next to it in Robert Street. (Photographer: Mark Stephenson)
James Gray: Just around the corner from Frederick Place is the Galeed Chapel in Gloucester Road. Built in 1868, it is just the same externally now, as it was then, nearly 90 years ago. If in years to come Gloucester Road is widened on the North side the frontage will have to be set back and rebuilt. This photograph dates from the early part of this century and the only visible difference is that the parish notice board has been moved further to the east. jgc_25_183
2018: The Galeed Strict Baptist Chapel is quite unchanged apart from the street lamp, which is now attached to its facade. The chapel, designed by Benjamin Nunn in neo-classical style, still functions today as a church. (Photographer: Geoffrey Kavanagh)
James Gray: The date of this photograph is not known, but it is thought that it was taken in the period 1958/61, a view that is supported by the almost complete absence of motor vehicles in the residential streets. Nos. 83 & 84 Gloucester Road, facing south at the corner of Over Street which looks through to Trafalgar Street. jgc_25_188
James Gray: Old houses at the foot of this road where it turns right angles to enter Gloucester Street. Photographed 7 February 1935. Probably about 100 years old, these houses, 128-130, were demolished soon afterwards. Now, more than 30 years later, the site is empty and derelict. The corner has been rounded off. jgc_25_190
2023: The curved fronted building with the red door in the new photograph is No 129 Gloucester Road, on the eastern end of the road where it turns north to Gloucester Street. It is part of a 1998/99 redevelopment site which ran through from Gloucester Street to Gloucester Road and provided 6 houses, 1 flat, office accommodation and a shop unit. (Text: Lyn Turpin. Image: Alan Hobden)
James Gray: The Brighton Tavern, 100 Gloucester Road, as it was before being rebuilt in 1936. The house was built in the 1860s and was used as a beer house from the start. Additional Information: Kemp Town Brewery jgc_25_227
2018: The pub was rebuilt and expanded into the next door building. The buildings either side remain structurally the same. (Photographer: Mark Stephenson.)