James Gray: This street was named after the nearby New England farm, as was Boston Street, Boston at that time being the capital of New England, U.S.A. Mr Daniel Friend, a man who projected many building schemes in Brighton in the mid-19th century, bought the land on which these two streets were built from a Mr Langridge, Clerk of the Peace for Sussex. This street was demolished in 1958, three years later. jgc_10a_167
2018: With the viaduct in the distance, the houses in Argyle Road, beyond New England Road, still remain. The entrance to Cross Street is just down on the left. The extensive redevelopment swept away all the old buildings and the road was widened to where the backs of the houses on the right had been. (Photographer: Bill Kocher)
James Gray: Three photographs [jgc_10a_171 to jgc_10a_173] taken in 1959 during the extensive clearance of this large area. They show New England Street almost completely cleared. Also, top right [jgc_10a_173, here bottom left], can be seen to the right the backs of some of the hovels of Elder Row. In the lower photographs [jgc_10a_171 and 172] the empty houses seen on the right were those on the east side of Elder Street, then about to be demolished. One photograph [jgc_10a_171, here top left] provides a view of a steam engine on the viaduct, even then a very rare thing. jgc_10a_171 and jgc_10a_172 and jgc_10a_173
2018: The area to the right of New England Street has been comprehensively redeveloped after the demolition of all the properties on the east side of the street, including Elder Row, Elder Street and the west side of Elder Place. The 2018 view of New England Street shows what has replaced those streets, although the viaduct remains visible in the background. (Photographer: Bill Kocher)
James Gray: This and the previous photograph date from 25 June 1978. They show the cleared site of Belmont Street, and the empty, derelict houses in St. Peters Street. For many years controversy has raged over this site. Brighton Corporation wish to use it as a lorry park, albeit temporarily, while opponents of this scheme prefer housing or an open space suitably landscaped. In late 1980, the problem is still unresolved. jgc_25_257
James Gray: This and the next photograph date from 25 June 1978. They show the cleared site of Belmont Street, and the empty, derelict houses in St. Peters Street. For many years controversy has raged over this site. Brighton Corporation wish to use it as a lorry park, albeit temporarily, while opponents of this scheme prefer housing or an open space suitably landscaped. In late 1980, the problem is still unresolved. jgc_25_256
2018: This area which is at the eastern end of the recent New England Quarter redevelopment, was redeveloped for what is mainly social housing in the 1980s and 1990s. Belmont Street now consists only of the two buildings on the right of the 1978 image. (Photographer: Chris Nichols)
James Gray: Looking south along this street, from York Hill, on 12 February 1967. This was one of several streets laid out on the New England Estate during 1850 and 1851 to house the workers at the neighbouring Railway works opened a few years earlier. Until the early years of this century there were houses also on the west side but they were swept away in 1905 when the Goods Yard was extended. They are now under sentence of death, many houses being already boarded up, and soon with several adjoining streets New York Street will be removed for a comprehensive redevelopment of a large area. jgc_25_266
James Gray: Almost the whole length of New York Street is seen in this photograph thought to have been taken in the summer of 1962. It provides a close view of these mid-Victorian workers’ houses, soon to be demolished. jgc_25_268
James Gray: Peel Place and other neighbouring streets disappeared a long time ago, and there are few people still living who can recall them. Built in the 1850s, Queen Street, Peel Street and Peel Place adjoined railway property and in 1905 they were removed to provide extensions to the Good Yard. At the same time houses on the west side of Fleet Street and New York Street were also swept away. jgc_25_265
James Gray: The Cobbler’s Thumb Inn at the corner of New England Street, photographed in January 1992. There is talk of removing this in order to round off this junction with New England Road to assist the flow of traffic. We shall see. From the time of its erection in the late 1850s, this prominent building had been called the New England Inn but only recently renamed for no obvious reason. jgc_10a_131
2018: The Cobbler’s Thumb public house has been demolished and replaced with a small temporary development of shipping containers converted into flats and business spaces for startups. See also caption to jgc_10a_147. (Photographer: Nick Eastham)
James Gray: Panoramic view of the cleared area from New England Street, showing the cleared Elder Street and the site of the narrow Elder Row. The photograph was taken in August, 1961. In New England Road is seen the St Saviour’s Mission where the last service had been held on Whit Sunday, 1961. This was built in 1874 and in 1920 it was licensed and affiliated to St Saviour’s church, Ditchling Road. Its future is now a matter for the Charity Commissioners.