James Gray: Duke Street, formerly Craggs Lane, is one of the oldest streets in the town. In this photograph, the original of which was taken in 1850, can be seen the very narrow street which was only 17 feet wide. There were actually houses adjoining the south wall of Holy Trinity Church. The church was built as Trinity Chapel for Thomas Reade Kemp in 1817 and almost certainly these houses were already there then. The small photograph on the right (next) gives an even clearer view of this corner. Additional Information: Note the large tree in Duke Street and the ghostly figure of a woman looking out of the top window of the flint house next to the church. jgc_08_012
2019: Holy Trinity Church looks very different today from the view in the original photograph. It has undergone several transformations since Thomas Kemp commissioned the Wilds (either Amon Wilds, his son Amon Henry Wilds, or possibly both of them) to build him a nonconformist chapel in the heart of the old town.
James Gray: An original photograph, probably by Edward Fox, and dating from the 1860’s. It shows the old flint house 37 Duke Street at the corner of Ship Street, adjoining Holy Trinity Chapel. Here seen with its original façade. In 1867 this house, with several others adjoining, was demolished and Duke Street widened to its present width. Additional Information: S.Cash, House Painter resident at 37 Duke Street. The church was later covered in stucco and Duke Street was pedestrianised in 1980s. jgc_08_013
2019: The 1860 view of Holy Trinity does not show the church’s original façade, as suggested by James Gray, but the post-Anglican transformation after 1826. Today’s façade dates from 1885-87 when the exterior was completely remodelled and faced with knapped flint to the designs of George Somers Clarke junior and John Thomas Micklethwaite. They also replaced the square tower with an octagonal version topped by a weather vane which bears the date 1886. See also caption for jgc_08_012. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: The widening of Duke Street in the winter of 1867. All the buildings on the north side were removed and here the clearance has got as far as Middle Street seen left. The double-fronted house, number 34, was occupied for many years by F Schenk, Clock and Watch Maker, and he may have been responsible for the clock tower seen here. After the removal of the houses the trees, hitherto hidden away in Dukes Court, were left standing in the middle of the widened road and were dug out in 1868. Additional Information: On the corner of Duke Street is no. 21 Middle Street: Phillips, Tea Dealer and Wine Merchant. jgc_08_014
2020: This corner of Duke Street and Middle Street is instantly recognisable some one and a half centuries later. Gone, however, is the tea dealer and wine merchant, replaced by an independent fashion store that currently has no name. The James Gray text is potentially confusing covering not only this 1867 image of the south side of the street but also the 1867 image of the north side of the street at jgc_08_015 below. (Photographer: Margaret Polmear)
James Gray: The widening of Duke Street in the winter of 1867. All the buildings on the north side were removed and here the clearance has got as far as Middle Street, seen left. The double-fronted house, number 34, was occupied for many years by F Schenk, Clock and Watch Maker, and he may have been responsible for the clock tower seen here. After the removal of the houses the trees, hitherto hidden away in Dukes Court, were left standing in the middle of the widened road and were dug out in 1868. Additional Information: On the corner of Duke Street is no. 21 Middle Street: Phillips, Tea Dealer and Wine Merchant. jgc_08_015
2019: Looking west up Duke Street. One of the major changes to the street was that it was pedestrianised to the west of Middle Street in April 1983 and formally opened as such on 10 May 1985. The street trees and planters help to create a pleasant atmosphere. The James Gray text is potentially confusing covering not only this 1867 image of the north side of the street but also the 1867 image of the south side of the street at jgc_08_014 above. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: This is a photograph of the building when it was occupied as a private house, with its front garden shut off by substantial iron railings. This copy of an old photograph is reproduced by kind permission of Peerless & Son (Timber) Ltd., Middle Street. The original must have been taken between 1872 & 1886, the period when the Peerless family occupied the house. jgc_08_016
2019: No vestige of this lovely building remains, the street having been taken over by shops and eating establishments. See also jgc_08_017 ad 018. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: After a long period as a large private house the building was used for trade purposes. One of the first tradesmen to work and live on the premises was Mr T. Roles, Engraver, who was here from 1889 to 1892. The photograph must have been taken during that time; note the very unusual tricycle. By the turn of the century it had reverted to private use again, only to go over to offices for professional men by the 1920’s. It was still being put to office use when the photograph on the right (jgc 8_018, next) was taken about 1950. jgc_08_017
2019: See caption for jgc_08_016.(Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: This substantial house, 32 Duke Street, was built early in the 19th century on the site of the old Theatre. For many years it was occupied as a private house and its frontage was screened by a high wall, removed some 20 years ago. It was then let as offices, until in 1953 the whole of the garden area was converted for use as a showroom for office equipment. jgc_08_018
2019: See caption for jgc_08_016. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: This is a drawing of old houses at the corner of Duke Street & West Street, about 1870. These buildings were all owned by Mr Trill who occupied 22 Duke Street, as a printing works, No 23 as a baby linen warehouse, while at No 54 West Street, he was in business as a ladies outfitter and stay manufacturer. Additional Information: One of three photos on page. jgc_08_019
2019: The same corner of Duke Street and West Street 150 years later. Following countless redevelopments, nothing remains of any of the buildings illustrated in the original drawing. The TSB branch building at 51-53 West Street (circa 1973) dominates the scene. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: In 1878 Mr Trill demolished the old houses and erected the present corner block of buildings. The photograph (postcard) shows the shop front of 22 Duke Street, where the printing business was carried on by the family for many years, until given up just after the 1914-1918 War. jgc_08_020
2019: The double-fronted façade of 22-23 Duke Street in July 2019. For many years it was home to Holleyman & Treacher’s secondhand bookshop which housed the largest collection of antiquarian books in south-east England. The shop, it is said, regularly located rare books for the Bodleian, British Museum and Eton College libraries. The property is currently empty. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: No 1 was originally a large double-fronted private house and was later the offices of the old Brighton Gas Light and Coke Company whose works were at Black Rock. More recently the premises were occupied for many years by John D. Box, agent for Remington Typewriters. The two buildings were demolished in 1957 to make way for a new office building. Additional Information: R Walder Ltd the chemist in adjoining premises. jgc_ 08_021
2019: Following rebuilding in the late 1950s , 1-2 Duke Street was the home of the Legal & General Assurance Society Ltd but is now the Brighton branch of Heal’s furniture store. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: The Brighton Volunteer Fire Brigade was formed in 1867 with premises in Russell Street. The Headquarters at 4 Duke Street were established in 1876. The Brigade came to an end in 1921 when the mechanised equipment at Preston Circus made its continued existence unnecessary. The photograph was taken on Wednesday August 25 1922, when there was a sale of the equipment on the premises. jgc_08_026
2019: A building with an interesting recent history. After closing as a fire station it became The Cosy Billiard Saloon in which guise it remained until just before the Second World War. It then became a motor agents but by the end of the war was home to a motor agent combined with a photographers.
James Gray: I make no apology for including in my collection, this third example of the fine old 1850 photograph, looking up Duke Street from the corner of Ship Street. It is by far the clearest print I have seen, particularly of the buildings at the top of the street, and it almost brings out the shape of the handcart in the roadway. Additional Information: © Phillipe Garner. Enlargement of jgc_08_012. jgc_08_028
James Gray: This photograph forms an interesting compliment to those of old Duke Street which appear on the preceding pages. It was copied from an old photograph of 1867. In that year Duke Street was widened from 17 feet to its present width of 32 feet by the removal of all the houses on the north side including those that hemmed in Holy Trinity Church. Here can be seen the widened road, the refaced wall of the church and the demolition in progress of one of the old houses, probably the original No 34. A century ago photography attracted quite a crowd of interested bystanders. jgc_08_029
2019: Another view of Holy Trinity Church, now the home of Fabrica contemporary art gallery. The plaque visible on the eastern façade of Fabrica records the preaching career (1847-1853) of Holy Trinity’s most famous preacher, the Rev Frederick W Robertson. See also captions for jgc_08_012 and 013. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: Yet another copy of the famous 1850 photograph giving a view of the full length of Duke Street. Additional Information: Repeat of jgc_08_012. One of four on page. jgc_08_030
2019: These two images show the transformation, not only of the Holy Trinity Church but also of Duke Street. Before the demolition of the houses on the north side, Duke Street was too narrow for the carriages needing access to the old town. Today, the lower part of the street is one-way (going east) whilst the section above Middle Street is pedestrianised. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)