James Gray: Just around the corner in East Street. here can be seen Nos 38 – 42, between the Sussex Hotel and Market Street, shortly before the entire block was rebuilt in 1883. The end shop on the left continued to be occupied by Garrads until a few years ago. Hanningtons now occupy the whole block. jgc_21_174
2019: The buildings in Castle Square and East Street have changed a lot since the time of the original photograph. However, these buildings can be matched by looking at the shapes of the windows of the building in the right of both images. Today the ground floor is occupied by a branch of Pret A Manger, a chain of coffee/snack shops. (Photographer: Mary McKean)
James Gray: This a familiar enough scene – the small recess in East Street with English’s Oyster Bar as the dominant building, and the passage leading to Market Street just screened from view. Here also one cannot date this with certainty as clues are scarce, but my guess would be about 1947-49. jgc_09_001
2019: The view remains essentially the same. English’s Oyster Bar continues to operate in the same building but note the upward creep of post-war buildings above the more ancient ones. (Photographer: Simon Cooper)
James Gray: Johns, the Milliners and Ladies Hatters at 24 and 25 East Street in 1897. This family were here for a number of years. On the left was a narrow quaintly named cul-de-sac, Wardens Buildings. It is thought that this was built by Francis Warden, steward for the Lady of the Manor in eighteenth century Brighton. jgc_09_065
2019: By the end of the First World War the shops were occupied by a blouse specialist and a fancy draper.
James Gray: Photograph of an unnamed and unknown football team taken in the studio of W & A Fry, 68 East Street, Brighton. [Premises now occupied by a branch of a large national chain of hairdressing salons.] Judging by the knee pads, stockings and boots, probably during the 1880s. jgc_09_066
James Gray: Entrance to the Baths. Note that Pool Valley was free from traffic as at this period it was not used as the terminus for Southdown buses. On this site, originally, stood two public houses, The White Horse, a well-known posting house in the 18th century, and The Rising Sun. The latter, owing to its close proximity to the original Fish Market that was held on the beach below it, enjoyed the reputation of selling more beer than any other public house in the town. It was also the legendary home of Olde Strike-a-Lighte, a 17th century Brighton ghost. When the buildings were demolished in 1869, a part of the original Battery wall, some 4 feet thick, was uncovered. For sixty years, Brill’s Baths stood here and many will remember the circular bath of sea water and the ‘cold plunge’. In 1929 the site was again cleared and the Savoy Cinema was erected. This was opened in August 1930. This photograph and following [jgc_09_081 on the Brill’s Lane page] were taken in January 1929, shortly before the baths were demolished to make room for the Savoy Cinema. jgc_09_080
James Gray: Decorated for the Jubilee of King George V. May 1935. jgc_09_082
2019: Looking south down East Street today. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: This inn has stood on this corner of East Street and Pool Valley from 1780. Even before this date an earlier inn, known as The Anchor, had been on the site since the middle of the 17th Century. This inn was built in the style of many Brighton houses of the late 18th Century, though doubtless it had been refaced. The photograph was taken in 1929, shortly before the inn was completely rebuilt. Additional Information: Auguste Cutler, P W Morel. jgc_09_083
James Gray: This old hotel was established in the 18th century, and stood on the corner of East Street and Pool Lane until 1869, when it was removed to make way for Brill’s Baths. Age of photograph unknown. jgc_09_084
2019: The White Horse was one of three pubs that were demolished to make way for Brill’s Baths which were in their turn demolished to make way for the Art Deco Savoy cinema. The building still stands but is unoccupied. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: Osborne’s shop at 50-52 East Street, 27 November 1966. This old shirtmakers business was started here about by Andrew Searle and taken over by George Osborne during the 1880s. For the next 80 years it had the reputation of being the best gentleman’s shop in Brighton with made to measure shirts its speciality. For older men it was a sad moment when it closed in 1966. The premises were then empty for two years while the Temperance Building Society tried to obtain permission for offices to be built here. At first this was resisted by Brighton Corporation because of the intrusion of offices in what was exclusively a high class shopping street but finally permission was given and in September 1968 the shop and a store at the rear were removed. jgc_09_085
James Gray: The building on the island site at the sea side end of the street, photographed on the same day as the previous photograph [jgc_09_085] in 1966. This was erected in 1870 on the site of small baths known as Brill’s Bunion (seen in old photographs in the sea front section). Originally it was a hotel called Clarendon Hotel but before long the ground floor was used for business purposes and the remainder as flats. As it approached its centenary there was talk of replacing it with a new tall block of flats (hence the photograph) but instead it was internally reconstructed and the new flats individually sold. One has the feeling though that it may not be very long before it is replaced by a modern building. jgc_09_086
James Gray: A recent view of the street, 1950s. Additional Information: John Beal & Son, Neals Jewellers. jgc_09_087
2020: Looking north along East Street towards the Royal Pavilion. Cars have been prohibited in this part of East Street since 1990. The northern section is now a busy taxi rank. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: Lyon & Hall’s shop at the corner of East Street and King’s Road in 1913. jgc_09_088
2019: Both photographs were taken facing south-west with East Street to the left and Kings Road to the right.
James Gray: The shop of William Churton, Court Glover, photographed during the 1900s. The business was here for 40 years, from 1882 to 1922. It now forms part of the corner shop. jgc_09_089
2019: Two separate shops had been amalgamated into one premise by 1924 when it became Sharp’s Embroidery School. It traded as various concerns within the clothing trade until its current role as a shoe shop. The building is now Grade II listed. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
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_090
James Gray: See caption for jgc_09_090 above. jgc_09_091
2019: Greenin’s had gone by 1883 as the business was then owned by a W D Stewart whilst W Churton [see jgc_09_089] was shown as occupying No 20a. East Street today is not normally this empty. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: A good view of the North Street end of the street, showing the Capital and Counties Bank, at the corner of Pavilion Buildings and Treacher’s Library on the facing corner. The period seems to be about the turn of the century. jgc_09_093
2019: The northern section of East Street is normally a busy taxi rank but this photograph was taken early in the morning before they had started to congregate. Treacher’s Library was rebuilt in 1924 and formed part of Hannington’s department store which itself closed in 2011. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: Looking across North Street, to the Royal Pavilion, and showing in 1932, the scaffolding erected for the building by Field and Cox of the new Brighton Herald premises, opened in September 1933. jgc_09_095
2019: See captions for jgc_09_087 and 093 above. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: This smaller photograph is of much earlier vintage than those following, dating from the late 1930s, and shows the south facade of No 2. Additional Information: Lyon and Hall, Guardian Assurance. jgc_09_097
2019: The building at No 2 mentioned in the original text was Lyon & Hall’s shop at the corner of East Street and King’s Road. The business remained there until 1941, when bomb damage decided the owners to move to new premises at 92 Western Road.
James Gray: This and the following photograph [jgc_09_099] were taken more than ten years ago, on 18 May 1974, when it was said that the Queen’s Hotel, was to be extended. Demolitions and alterations finally started in 1984. jgc_09_098
2019: It is now the side of the Pitcher & Piano pub/cocktail bar. The lantern, or a facsimile, in the James Gray image was still attached to the rear of Clarendon Mansions until at least 2011. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: This and the previous photograph [jgc_09_098] were taken more than ten years ago, on 18 May 1974, when it was said that the Queen’s Hotel, was to be extended. Demolitions and alterations finally started in 1984. jgc_09_099
2019: See captions for jgc_09_088 and 098 above. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: East Street, east side, showing the old building formerly a private house converted to business use early in the 19th century. The adjoining Jaeger shop was undergoing alteration and extension. Exact year not known but about 1950. jgc_09_102
2019: The original photo must have been taken very early in the 1950s as by 1954 the chemist’s shop had changed its name to John Marston’s. By 1960 however it had already become home to Russell & Bromley in whose hands it remains to this day. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: This photograph, badly marred by shadow, shows the King’s Road end in 1928 shortly before the Brill’s Baths (seen on the right) were demolished. Additional Information: The Irish House, Oyster Dive, Hudsons. jgc_09_104
2019: The former Art Deco cinema now stands on the site. (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
2019: Many of the buildings in East Street have not changed much over that last 100 years, although some of the smaller shops have been incorporated into larger units. It is unlikely that any are still in the same line of business. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: Contrasting pictures of the important site, in the heart of the town, at the junction of Castle Square and East Street. The buildings seen are 10/12, Castle Square, and the taller one around the corner, 45 East Street. For more than a century No. 12 was occupied by the high-class Boot and Shoe Makers, Dutton and Thorowgood, who later took over the East Street premises. In October, 1946, the buildings were sold at auction for the reputed sum of £72000, a large amount for those days. Within a few years Dutton and Thorowgood had left. Date of photograph – 25 March 1984. Demolished – September/October 1984. jgc_09_111
James Gray: The present day scene, photographed 28 March 1986. The site of tiny No 9 is now part of the new development. The buildings dwarf those adjoining in East Street. jgc_09_112
2019: See caption for jgc_09_111 above. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: A remarkable photograph, still in excellent condition, of which this is a good copy. It is of the Baths, built in 1823 for Mr Lamprell, at the extreme eastern end of East Street, which protruded out into the seafront at Grand Junction Road, hence the nickname ‘Bunion’. On Lamprell’s death his nephew Charles Brill inherited the Baths. It was a circular, domed building with a diameter of some 50 feet. The photograph probably dates from the 1860s as the Baths were removed in 1869 and the present Clarendon Mansions built on this site. Not to be confused with the later well known Brill’s Baths (1869/1929) which stood at the corner of East Street and Pool Valley. jgc_04_006
2020: This fine photograph is indeed remarkable on many grounds – not least the range of goods and services on offer. Today the corner between East Street and Brill’s Lane is still occupied by Clarendon Mansions, built in 1869 by the Brighton Hotel Company, and Grade II listed in March 1987.