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James Gray: There is something of a mystery about these unidentified houses. Despite exhaustive enquiries I can find no-one who remembers them or where they were. If, as seems likely, these were the fronts they must have been on the south side of Eastern Road. Two places seem possible ones – Nos 8 and 10, near to Lavender Street. If so, the houses must have been completely rebuilt. Otherwise Nos 76 and 78 beyond Upper Bedford Street, which were demolished in 1935 and replaced by the present small block of six flats. Photograph taken by A H C Corder on 20 November 1914 – looking east. jgc_22_104
James Gray: [See caption for jgc_22_104 above.] Photograph taken by A H C Corder on 20 November 1914 – looking west. jgc_22_105
James Gray: The oldest buildings in this road which are now fast disappearing at the hands of demolition workers. With the houses is going All Souls Church, in the interests of road widening, the parish having been joined with St Mary’s. The Church was 135 years old at the time of its destruction. jgc_22_106
James Gray: The wording of the corner stone above was still quite legible. Photographs dated 2 July 1967. ‘This corner stone was laid by the Revd. H. M. Wagner Vicar of Brighton on the 20 day of June 1833’. Additional Information: Cornerstone of All Souls Church. jgc_22_107
James Gray: All Souls’ Church [in 1912]. jgc_22_114
James Gray: The northern side of Eastern Road, westwards from Freshfield Road, 16 January 1966. Two years later the houses were demolished along with Sloane Street, immediately to the north, and some houses in Park Street, seen on other pages. jgc_22_108
James Gray: The Star in the East, corner of Freshfield Road. jgc_22_112
2018: The Star in the East pub, on the corner of Eastern Road and Freshfield Road, now demolished, redeveloped and replaced by a bingo hall. The train sculpture commemorates the site of Kemp Town station nearby. (Photographer: Jayne Paulin)
James Gray: 120 Eastern Road, Girls’ Friendly Society Home of Rest – nowadays let as flats. jgc_22_113
2018: The building on the corner of Eastern Road and College Road survives, converted to flats. Street directories suggest the building was a Girls’ Friendly Society Home of Rest from 1910 until 1949. The Society is still active nationally to ‘provide opportunities for girls and young women to develop their confidence, self-esteem, wellbeing and resilience.’ The Home of Rest would have offered boarding for young women under the care of a resident ‘lady superintendent’. (Photographer: Jayne Paulin)
James Gray: Park Villa was completely different from all the other houses in this worn out street. It was detached with a trim side garden and took its name from nearby Queens Park. For nearly 100 years the Holden family who had a builders business nearby owned it. Four generations of Holdens lived here until the house was removed in November 1967 when most of the Sloane Street cottages were demolished. jgc_22_120
James Gray: Houses on the north side of the street, showing the old Cadogan Arms Tavern. Note the Chelsea association – Sloane and Cadogan. In 1946, after about 100 years as an inn, the premises were delicensed and for the last 20 years of its life were used by Philip Inman as Auction Rooms. Date of photographs 19 March 1967. jgc_22_121
2018: This view shows the north side of the street looking east.(Photographer: Jayne Paulin)
James Gray: This bears little resemblance to Sloane Street, London, after which it was named. Built in 1847 it is surprising that it endured for so long, but its days must now surely be numbered. It will probably go when the Corporation Depot site in Park Street is redeveloped. Date of photographs 4 June 1961. jgc_22_123
James Gray: Not far away, across Eastern Road, was this large building facing north in Coalbrook Road. One of many old buildings between Freshfield and Sutherland Roads, seen on nearby pages, it occupied premises going through to Eastern Road. Photographed on 21 May 1983, it has since been removed and the site awaits redevelopment. jgc_22_210
James Gray: This and the following photograph [jgc_22_138] show the Maltings and Stores, at the corner of Sutherland Road and Eastern Road. William Hallett of Marine Parade, founded the Brewery about 1850. Later he took into partnership Henry Abbey (after whose family Abbey Road was named) and in 1860s the Maltings were built adjoining Brighton College. The Brewery was successively named Hallett and Abbey’s, Abbey and Sons, Abbey’s Kemp Town and finally, Kemp Town Brewery. After being acquired by Charringtons brewing ceased here and the sites were sold for redevelopment. The buildings were all removed during 1970. jgc_22_137
James Gray: This and the previous photograph show the Maltings and Stores, at the corner of Sutherland Road and Eastern Road. William Hallett of Marine Parade founded the Brewery about 1850. Later he took into partnership Henry Abbey (after whose family Abbey Road was named) and in 1860s the Maltings were built adjoining Brighton College. The Brewery was successively named Hallett and Abbey’s, Abbey and Sons, Abbey’s Kemp Town and finally, Kemp Town Brewery. After being acquired by Charringtons brewing ceased here and the sites were sold for redevelopment. The buildings were all removed during 1970. jgc_22_138
James Gray: The first demolition of these old houses, probably about 130 years old, 16 January 1966. In the following year the process was accelerated and many others were removed along with the Lavender Street houses. Incidentally this street took its name from the double hedges of lavender which flanked open gardens in the 1820s. A centenarian still living in 1922 said that when she was a child it was a “real lavender street”. jgc_22_184 (and jgc_22_034 identical image)
James Gray: The most recent photograph of these three [views of All Souls Church, jgc_22_106 and 114). View eastwards along Eastern Road on 2 July 1967, showing the start of the demolitions, which cleared all these buildings on the south side of the road. jgc_22_034 (and jgc_22_184 identical image)
James Gray: Time moves slowly in the 1980s when it comes to clearing derelict areas and getting on with redevelopment. These eyesores are typical examples, photographed on 24 August 1980. Looking down Upper Bedford Street, from the corner of Eastern Road. In front of the empty buildings, the entrance to the empty Edwin Place. jgc_22_202
James Gray: The premises of the Brighton College Junior School, 128 to 136 Eastern Road, photographed on 21 October 1973. This range of buildings, between College Road and College Place was erected about 1850, and for nearly a hundred years Nos 130-136 was occupied by the Institution for the Deaf, right up until the 1939-45 War, in fact. In 1945 it was taken over by the College and occupied by them until 1973. The bridge, which connected the School with the College, had been built only a few years when the building was demolished, early in 1974. jgc_23_015
James Gray: The premises of the Brighton College Junior School, 128 to 136 Eastern Road, photographed on 21 October 1973. This range of buildings, between College Road and College Place, was erected about 1850, and for nearly a hundred years 130-136 was occupied by the Institution for the Deaf, right up until the 1939-1945 War, in fact. In 1945 it was taken over by the College and occupied by them until 1973. The bridge, which connected the School with the College, had been built only a few years when the building was demolished, early in 1974. jgc_23_016
James Gray: Two photographs [jgc_23_043 and 044] of Dunford House, Eastern Road, taken on 17 May 1970. This large house stood between Walpole Road and Upper Abbey Road (right). Little is known of its early history or when it was built, but for most of its life it was owned by Brighton College. For many years it was used for boarders. In April 1970, it was sold by the College and later demolished. Sadly, during the demolition work, part of the old flint wall in Upper Abbey Road collapsed on to the pavement killing an elderly woman pedestrian. Kemp Town Housing Association later built flats for the elderly on this site. jgc_23_043
2020: Courtney King House was erected on the site of Dunford House in 1972. The block was undergoing some refurbishment at the time this photograph was taken. For whatever reason, the original flint wall was never reconstructed. (Photographer: David Jackson)