James Gray: Junction of Prince Albert Street, Market Street and Bartholomew’s, about 1950. Hadlows, the Printers, Stationers & Engravers had occupied the corner premises since the 1850s. jgc_08_083
2020: The same junction is still recognisable 70 years later. In particular the plasterwork above the entrance to the porch of the Bella Italia restaurant and the awning along its Market Street side, both of which can be seen in the 1950 image. This photograph was taken during the Covid-19 pandemic, which explains the lack of people in what is usually a busy part of the city. (Photographer: Margaret Polmear)
James Gray: [The east and north fronts of] Brighton Town Hall heavily sandbagged, looking west into Bartholomews. Presumably an early wartime photograph though possibly it could have been taken during the Munich crisis of 1938. jgc_08_119
2019: The Town Hall is now a listed building. Each elevation on the original plan had a double portico, of which only the north and west fronts survive.
James Gray: A fine display of poultry in F. Chandler’s shop at 24 Market Street, at the corner of Bartholomews. He had this shop for so long that it is not possible to pinpoint the year of the photograph, but all signs point to the late 1930s. jgc_09_002
2019: The building and its distinctive canopy remain. The impressive display of game has been replaced by an Italian restaurant. (Photographer: Simon Cooper)
James Gray: The creation of this arcade in the early 1960s involved demolition of premises occupied by probably the oldest established business in Brighton. Wallis, Holder & Lee had been in Market Street, lately at No 14 & 15, since 1804 when the business was started by the Mr Isaac Bass. They vacated these premises at Easter 1959, but it was a little later when the shop at the rear, 2 Bartholomews, was acquired. These photographs were taken on April 26th 1960 and the buildings were removed soon afterwards. The [Regent] Arcade was opened in 1962. jgc_09_004
James Gray: At the rear of Market Street stood 2 Bartholomews, the ground floor of which is empty in this photograph. jgc_09_008
James Gray: The front of the Market building in the late 1880s. Additional Information: © Phillipe Garner. jgc_09_009
James Gray: Town Hall from East Street. Additional Information: Milk vendor. jgc_09_048
2019: See caption for jgc_08_119 above. The round-sided building to the left of the photograph (on the corner of East Street) is now a shoe shop but it was a glove and hosiery shop at the time. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: Vegetable Market in early morning. jgc_09_049
2019: The view looking west along Bartholemews today. The building on the corner of Prince Albert Street is still there, now occupied by ‘The Mesmerist’ bar and restaurant. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: The foundation stone of the Town Hall was laid in 1830. Enlargement and remodelling became necessary, so the upper part of the frontage was built out over the heavy balcony. At the same time the Police Station was established where the large flight of steps fronted Little East Street. [See jgc_09_051 below.] The Town Hall was reopened in its present form in 1899. jgc_09_050
James Gray: Brighton Town Hall and Market Street in 1882. jgc_09_052
2020: The view of the north and west fronts of the Town Hall from the corner of Prince Albert Street today. Market Street (to the right of the picture) originally continued all the way past the west façade down to the seafront. (Photographer: Jayne Paulin)
James Gray: The east face of the Town Hall, showing the wholesale vegetable market, and the Police Fire escape apparatus. Taken December 1896. jgc_09_051
2019: The east wing of the Town Hall was altered considerably as part of the 1897-1899 reconstruction works, with the double portico sacrificed to make way for internal expansion. It is possible that Gray’s photograph was taken from one of the buildings opposite this rather grand sweep of steps. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: South side of Bartholomews looking west to Market Street. These old houses 11-13 were demolished soon afterwards. Two were occupied as Public Houses, the Ocean Wave and the Fishmongers Hall. jgc_09_054
2019:
James Gray: Market traders lined up outside the Rates Office. jgc_09_056
2020: Gray’s image shows the eastern façade before the steps and balcony were removed in the late 19th century. (Photographer: Jayne Paulin)
James Gray: Declaration of the result of the election, on the Town Hall steps, 30 April 1859. Those elected and the votes received were – Sir George Pechell, 2322. W Coningham, 2106. Additional Information: Note segregation of women to the balcony! jgc_09_057
2019: It is difficult to tell which entrance Gray is referring to in this image. The east façade, which once had a grand external staircase and balcony, is the most likely explanation. (Photographer: Jayne Paulin)
James Gray: The proclamation of the Accession of King George V from the balcony of Brighton Town Hall on 6 May 1911. The Guard of Honour was provided by the 4 Dragoon Guards. jgc_09_064
2019: The east side of Brighton Town Hall today looking south towards Priory House and the corner of Little East Street. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: An earlier photograph of 1920, from Bartholomews looking towards the sea. This part of East Street is but little changed though modern shop fronts have been fitted and the wood block paving in the roadway has gone. jgc_09_105
James Gray: These [jgc_09_090 and 091] were copied from two very old stereoscopic photographs of uncertain age. The focal point is the large rounded corner building, numbered 20 and 21, shown as in the occupation of Daniel H. Greenin, who conducted his fancy repository here. Unfortunately this fact does not help to date the photographs, because he was in business here from the 1840s for about forty years. The low building in front of the Town Hall steps does not help either. My guess, and it can be nothing else, is that they date from the 1860s. jgc_09_091
James Gray: Yet another of those delightful stereoscopic photographs of the Town Hall area, probably taken in the 1860s, when it was still of interest to bystanders to be included in the photograph. Note the sign on the gas-lamp directing people to the Post Office. The balustrade partly masking two of the massive pillars, and the space beneath, is a mystery, as it is not seen in later photographs. jgc_09_092