James Gray: The grocer’s shop of Mr Daniel Shaw at the corner of George Street and Church Road in 1868. The modernised shop, was known as Shaw’s Stores. In those days, Church Road extended only from Hova Villas to George Street on the north and from Albany Villas to Osborne Street on the south, and was known as Church Street, Cliftonville. jgc_13_039
2018: Daniel Shaw, grocer, and family were shown to be at 12-13 Church Street in 1867 and in the 1871 and 1881 censuses. By the mid-1920s his son Alfred Daniel Shaw was on the register of electors at the shop, now renumbered as 153-155 Church Road.
James Gray: View of the offices of the Hove Echo, in Church Road at the west corner of George Street – period between 1890 and 1900. In 1902 the offices were moved to Stone Street, Brighton, where the business of Clifton Elmutt Ltd was. The paper survived the move to Brighton by only a year or two. Note that this building is quite different from the house seen in a photograph of St Aubyns. That was a large private house occupied by Henry Pinker, the stonemason, later demolished and replaced by the present building. jgc_13_074
2018: 157 and 159 Church Road have retained their original numbering but the references to the Hove Echo offices and Clifton Newsagents have been painted over. The layout of the windows has, however, been retained. The two shops currently house Gail’s Bakery, on the western corner of George Street, and Bright Smiles, offering cosmetic dentistry surgery. (Photographer: David Sears)
James Gray: Photographs of the shop at some time during the 1890s. The business started here in 1890 and remained until 1962. Additional Information: William H. Worger, picture frame maker, was living at 92 Goldstone Villas in 1901 with his wife Alice and four young daughters. jgc_13_107
2018: Images jgc_13_107 and 108 both show the small shop at 103 George Street in the 1890s when it was trading as Worger & Co. Since then it has been through many reincarnations – at some stage becoming a branch of the Bradford & Bingley Building Society (to which a small sign on the wall of the passage to the left still directs customers). The B&B was eventually taken over by the Spanish bank, Santander – which then moved to larger premises on the other side of the road. Today 103 is the home to BetFred, a betting shop with an active interest in the outcome of the 2018 World Cup. As James Gray would have said, who knows what will happen next?! (Photographer: David Sears)
James Gray: Photographs of the shop at some time during the 1890s. The business started here in 1890 and remained until 1962. jgc_13_108
2018: See caption for jgc_13_107 above. (Photographer: David Sears)
James Gray: This remarkable photograph, taken within about two years of the building of the school, is a recent printing from an old wax paper negative. Cliftonville was projected in the early 1850s, and before long a school became necessary for the children of the artisan classes, who inhabited George Street. William Kirkpatrick gave land for this, in 1857, and the quite small school was quickly built. It opened in July, 1858. Although often referred to as West Hove National School, it was under the auspices of neighbouring St Andrew’s Church. A few of the architectural features of this original building could be discerned in the enlarged school of the present day. Additional Information: ©Philippe Garner. William Kirkpatrick was Manager of the London & County Joint Stock Bank in Brighton and lived at 29 Montpelier Crescent. jgc_13_109
James Gray: These two photographs, taken on 10 July 1977, provide an interesting comparison with old photograph on the previous page, some 117 years earlier. By now the school was empty, having closed at Easter when the children moved to the new school built over the church burial ground. On 26 July, the building was sold at auction for £87,000. jgc_13_110
James Gray: These two photographs, taken on 10 July 1977, provide an interesting comparison with old photograph on the previous page, some 117 years earlier. By now the school was empty, having closed at Easter when the children moved to the new school built over the church burial ground. On 26 July, the building was sold at auction for £87,000. jgc_13_111
James Gray: On the same day 10 July 1977, I had these three photographs taken of the rear of the school, from the service road behind the shops. They show much of the extensions made when the school was reconstructed in 1894. Also they emphasise the tiny, cramped area of the girls’ playground, between the two wings. Although empty for only a few weeks the premises had already been vandalised in the 1977 fashion. The large stone was still readable, recording the date of redecoration, 5 September 1894. Before long the school will be just a memory, as shops are to be built on this site. 119 years of history.
James Gray: On the same day 10 July 1977, I had these three photographs taken of the rear of the school, from the service road behind the shops. They show much of the extensions made when the school was reconstructed in 1894. Also they emphasise the tiny, cramped area of the girls’ playground, between the two wings. Although empty for only a few weeks the premises had already been vandalised in the 1977 fashion.
The large stone was still readable, recording the date of redecoration, 5 September 1894. Before long the school will be just a memory, as shops are to be built on this site. 119 years of history. jgc_13_112
James Gray: See previous caption. jgc_13_113
2018: See previous 2018 caption. (Photographer: David Sears)
James Gray: Looking north in George Street at the time of the Trackless Trolley Bus experiment, in 1914. The electric current was conveyed to the vehicle from the overhead wires. George Street then consisted of small shops whose owners lived in rooms above the shop. At the extreme left was the Hove Fire Station, and a few doors further up, the very small cinema. Like most Hove streets at this time George Street was gas lit. At the top of the street the large building, originally No 2 Goldstone Villas, was occupied by the Cliftonville Press, Printers. jgc_13_121
James Gray: The procession of mothers and their babies in prams, down George Street, on Saturday 3 July 1920. This was the climax of Hove Baby Week, when this ‘pram parade’ journeyed from Clarendon Villas Hall to St Ann’s Well Gardens, for the presentation of the prizes won at the Baby Show. This busy shopping street seems little changed in 1975, 55 years later, though nowadays there is little more traffic! jgc_13_124
James Gray: A rare photograph showing one of the few remaining private houses, No 47, to be precise. When George Street was built during the 1850s there were few shops and most buildings were small dwellings. By 1892, however, only about 20 houses remained and one by one they were converted to shops. The last private house was No. 19 and this changed to a shop in 1923. This photograph shows 47 as a private house, in 1895. Later it became a butcher’s shop. The plate FP was still on the wall in the same position in 1962. jgc_13_128
2018: As with many of the small shops in George Street, number 47, shown in images jgc_13_128 and 129, has been through many reincarnations as this still busy street adapts to the changing needs of today. Few survive for as long as the butcher’s shop WR Fletcher (67 years at least) but there are always enthusiastic newcomers. Happy Coffee is the latest venture, part of Hove’s burgeoning café culture where the high street becomes a place to meet, eat and drink, and relax. As image jgc_13_128 makes clear, the original building plots were tiny but that may be the key to their survival. (Photographer: David Sears)
James Gray: Fletcher’s the Butchers, at 47 George Street, in February 1910. Now, in 1977, sixty-seven years later it is still a butchers, but present prices are somewhat different! This is the same building which was a private house in 1895 in the previous photograph. jgc_13_129
2018: See caption to jgc_13_128 above. (Photographer: David Sears)
James Gray: The Hove Volunteer Fire Brigade Station was opened at 85 George Street, about 1878/9. Even when it became a professional Brigade it continued to occupy these cramped, inadequate premises, and remained here until June 1926, when the move was made to the present, much larger, station in Hove Street. jgc_13_134
2018: The current owners of the former fire station at 85 George Street (the interior of the fire station features in jgc_13_135) provide low cost snacks and drinks under the banner of Georgies Café. The narrow frontage is obvious: George Street was originally developed with some of the smallest plots in what was then known as Upper Cliftonville. The exterior is largely unchanged and the building is easily identified by the brightly (and somewhat creatively) painted coat of arms, crest and motto above the first floor window. The fire station features in James Williamson’s 1901 film Fire! Other references to its original use have long been lost. (Photographer: David Sears)
James Gray: George Street has changed quite a bit, because, at first, many of these small buildings were private houses, while others had always been shops. In 1892, 20 of the 103 buildings were still private dwellings, but this number slowly diminished until in 1923 the last house, No. 19, was converted into a shop. jgc_13 _139
James Gray: First mentioned in Brighton Directories in 1868 it was built in the early years of Cliftonville and it then bore a different appearance from that in the photograph. It was reconstructed during the 1920s as can be seen from the rear view from the Churchyard. Photographed 17 November 1964, demolished in 1965 and replaced by the Pricerite Supermarket. jgc_13_119
2018: Two images, jgc_13_119 and 127, show the Royal George Inn at 93 George Street after its reconstruction in the 1920s and before its demolition in 1965. The site was then redeveloped as a supermarket for Pricerite. Today it is a branch of M&Co , a low-price clothes retailer, sandwiched between William Hill, a bookmaker, and Lovely Looks, a hair salon. There had been a pub on this site for just on 100 years and in retrospect it is hard to see why it was closed. In today’s more relaxed world, it would surely have prospered. (Photographer: David Sears)
James Gray: The Royal George Inn, built about 1868 and demolished in 1965. jgc_13_127
2018: See caption for jgc_13_119 above. (Photographer: David Sears)
James Gray: A party of infants grouped together outside George Street Church of England School, with a wedding cake presented in honour of the wedding of Miss Simmons, one of their teachers, in June 1912. jgc_13_123
2018: The school, renamed St Andrew’s Church of England (Aided) Primary School, has moved twice and is now in new buildings in Belfast Street, just north of the car park serving the Tesco supermarket. The corner is one of the untidiest in Central Hove, with waste bins and graffiti everywhere. The small passage to the right, along the side of Bon Marché, however, is critical to the future of George Street, allowing shoppers easy access from the adjacent car park. (Photographer: David Sears)
James Gray: The land of Tom Wiles. He was a busy Hove commercial photographer who has provided us with a large number of local pictures, from the 1900s to the 1930s. This view shows children walking up George Street, en route to Hove Station on 8 June 1910. jgc_13_131
2018: Tom Wiles, mentioned in the original caption, lived and traded at 33 George Street as a photographer, and at 31 George Street as a china dealer. He later worked for a few months from a back room behind a milliner’s shop at 46 Blatchington Road. Images jgc_13_132 and 133 provide further information. Image jgc_13_131 taken in 1910 is sadly indistinct although it is probable that it was taken outside his shop. Dress styles (and habits) for adults and children have changed dramatically. (Photographer: David Sears)
James Gray: A view of the shop of Tom Wiles at 33 George Street, period unknown. Two doors away, at 31, he had another shop where he was a china dealer, though he and his family lived over 33. In 1926, he moved to Burgess Hill, gave up the George Street shops and for a few months he had a back room behind a Milliner’s shop at 46 Blatchington Road (see next photograph), but this was not convenient, so from then on he worked from his home. jgc_13_132
2018: Happily, the street numbers of the small shops in George Street have remained the same over many years so those displaying their numbers on their shopfronts are easily identifiable. Number 33 is now a branch of Bert’s Homestore, a Brighton-based independent retailer of colourful cookware, home accessories, gifts and toys.
James Gray: This photograph shows part of the alarm system. On the wall was a numbered list of the locations of the street fire alarms, which actuated the large wall bell. Note the pen, inkwell and log book on the left. The year of these photographs is not known, but it is suggested that they date from just before the 1914 -18 War. jgc_13_135
James Gray: Shops at the northern end of this busy street, numbers 58, 59 and 60, empty when photographed on 18 May 1974. In fact, two of them had been empty for many years, notably 59, which for many years was Sainsburys. In their original form, they dated from the 1850s. All three were demolished early in 1975. jgc_13_136
James Gray: See caption for jgc_13_136 above. jgc_13_137
2018: Images jgc_13_136 and 137 show the same stretch of George Street from the north and south respectively in 1974. There have been some changes, but the overall feel of the street is unchanged. The shops that were closed have now been redeveloped by Boots Pharmacy, one of the longer established traders in the street. Indeed, of the 86 businesses listed here in 1999, only 30 or so (40%) remain under the same ownership. The street, however, remains vibrant as it adapts to the changing needs of the 21st century. (Photographer: David Sears)
James Gray: A parade of horse cabs and carriages, in North Street, in aid of charities, in the early 1920. The Royal George Inn, formerly a private house, was reconstructed and enlarged in 1924. jgc_13_125
2018: See caption for jgc_13_141 below. (Photographer: David Sears)
James Gray: A photograph of uncertain age but probably dating from just before the First World War. It shows the Royal George Inn, in George Street, in its original form. Even the name Grinyer does not help, because the Grinyer family were the licensees from 1880 until 1916. jgc_13_141
2018: Images jgc_13_125 and 141 show the Royal George Inn at 93 George Street (not North Street as stated by James Gray in relation to jgc_13_125) in its original form. It operated as a licensed establishment just up the road from George Street Schools from around 1861.
James Gray: This is a photograph of the Hove Electric Empire, George Street, evidently during the week of the Derby, though the year is unknown. This formerly occupied 76 and 77, George Street, and was opened as a cinema in 1911. It survived the impact of talking pictures and continued until 1934, after which the building was occupied as a store for a year or two. About 1936/1937 it was demolished and rebuilt. jgc_14_146
2018: The roof line of the current building, which houses two mobile phone companies, EE and Vodafone, retains the outline of the former cinema. (Photographer: Steve Agace)
James Gray: A few years later, about 1913, a crowd of children outside the Electric Empire Picture Palace, George Street, awaiting admission to the Saturday afternoon performance. jgc_14_134
2018: See caption to jgc_14_146 above. (Photographer: Steve Agace)