High Street (Rottingdean) (2)

James Gray: One of two photographs [jgc_32_007 and jgc_32_009] of the Royal Oak Hotel which was removed for road widening in 1935. jgc_32_007

2019: The Royal Oak Hotel and adjoining buildings have all been demolished and there is now a wider coast road and a car park for Rottingdean village. The junction has become one of the busiest on the coastal route into and out of Brighton. The picture is taken from the junction of Marine Drive and Rottingdean High Street, showing the road west to Brighton. (Photographer: Alan Stratford)

James Gray: In this photograph the policeman stands at the narrow crossroads, facing north into Rottingdean High Street, in 1934. jgc_32_008

2019: Looking north up the High Street from the crossroads in March 2019.  The 1934 picture shows what would have been an interesting new sight at the time, the famous Brighton police white summer helmet, introduced in 1933 and worn proudly until WWII broke out. They returned in 1952 and were worn until 1968 when the new Sussex Police force was formed. Also note the magnificent pram in front of the shop.  (Photographer: Ron Fitton)

James Gray: One of two photographs [jgc_32_007 and jg_32_009] of the Royal Oak Hotel which was removed for road widening in 1935. jgc_32_009

2019:  See caption for jgc_32_007 above. This picture is taken from just before the junction of Marine Drive and Rottingdean High Street, showing the road east to Saltdean. (Photographer: Alan Stratford)

James Gray: Quiet scenes of the village as it was before the incorporation with Brighton. Remote from Brighton, it was then completely unspoilt. The house of Burne-Jones, the artist, can be seen on the left. jgc_32_010 

2019: These photographs look south down the High Street. In 1880 Edward Burne-Jones, the famous Victorian artist and designer, bought the house on the left, Prospect Cottage, and renamed it North End House.

James Gray: High Street looking north. Additional Information: Note the rookery in the elms. jgc_32_014

2019: The building in the centre of the photograph is The Dene, originally built in the early 19th century and used as a racing stable. Rebuilt and extended in the 1870s, it was later an hotel and is currently used as Teachers’ Housing Association sheltered housing. Sadly the rookery and the trees have now vanished. See also jgc_32_135. (Photographer: Ron Fitton) 

James Gray: No comment. jgc_32_027

2018: There are some infill buildings from the mid-twentieth century, but the High Street is otherwise little changed from the original image. Traffic has become a serious problem for the narrow street. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)

James Gray: Two photographs showing this street when it was just a village street, before the incorporation with Brighton. Looking north in 1905. Taken from roughly where the traffic lights are now. The brewer’s dray was outside the Princess Victoria, then on the west side of the street. jgc_32_109

2019:  The original Princess Victoria pub was demolished in 1937 but as can be seen here, the business moved over the road and set itself up again almost opposite its old site. Believe it or not, it was a quiet time for traffic when I took the photo! (Photographer: Ron Fitton)

James Gray: View to the south in 1925. Here can be seen the Princess Victoria and other buildings swept away in 1937 when the main coast road was being widened. jgc_32_110

2019: The original Princess Victoria pub stood roughly where the solicitor’s office can be seen almost 100 years later. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)

James Gray: This view shows the small general shop at 7 High Street, converted from the original private  house. It was removed with neighbouring buildings in 1937. Additional Information: The Midget Stores; Player’s Navy Cut; Brock Fireworks; Lyons Tea. jgc_32_112

2019: I was having trouble tracing this building as Rottingdean doesn’t feature heavily in local trade directories for the period. I was eventually rewarded by finding a copy of an old postcard which showed that the shop was next to the original Princess Victoria pub, roughly where the building  in the 2019 picture is today. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)

James Gray: No comment. jgc_32_113

2019:  Looking north up the High Street. Most of the buildings are structurally much the same but some have been rendered and painted white. On the left are Hampton Cottage and Ivy Cottage. Next to them, at No 89, is the Rottingdean Club, a private member’s club with premises that merge three earlier cottages including the Olde Place Cottages and Smugglers’ Den. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)

James Gray: No comment. jgc_32_114

2019: Looking north up the High Street from the corner of Park Road, No 43 High Street is the corner property seen here, now occupied by PSG Financial Services. Nos 43-49 were all originally cobble-fronted early 19th century cottages. (Photographer: Ron Fitton) 

James Gray:  No comment. Additional Information: North end of the High Street. jgc_32_115

2019: The buildings look much the same. In the 2019 picture the mock-Tudor half-timbered building in the distance is the Princess Victoria pub, which was moved in the mid-1930s from its original position on the western side of the road to its current position on the eastern side. (Photographer: Ron Fitton) 

James Gray: Photographs of both ends [see also jgc_32_117 below] of this street. Period uncertain, but obviously before 1914. jgc_32_116

2018: This is a view from the High Street looking west up Neville Road. On the right-hand side of the image is the Reading Room of 1885-86, now Rottingdean Club. On the left of the original photograph is the long-vanished National Mixed School of 1860, now replaced by a modern Post Office. The gap between the Club and the housing further up the hill has been infilled with a small parade of shops and cafés. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)

James Gray: Photographs of both ends of this street [see also jgc_32_116 above]. Period uncertain, but obviously before 1914. jgc_32_117

2019: See jgc_32_010 for the history of the first two buildings on the left which were the home and studio of the artist Sir Edward Burne-Jones between 1880 and his death in 1898. In 1923 Sir Roderick Jones and his wife the writer Edith Bagnold bought the property, along with the third house in the row and combined all three into one huge home. In the 1980s they became three separate houses again. All three are listed buildings.

James Gray: Peaceful scenes in this, now alas, busy street. Would that Rottingdean still looked like this! jgc_32_118

2019: The buildings seem to be in better repair in 2019 than in the original photograph but the traffic is even worse now than it was in James Gray’s time. (Photographer: Ron Fitton) 

James Gray: No comment. Additional Information: Ten people posed whilst the photograph is taken in the High Street. jgc_32_119

2019: The main difference, other than the increase in traffic, is that a  pavement has been added to the western side of the High Street and there are fewer large trees. (Photographer: Ron Fitton) 

James Gray: This view without a year on it seems about 10 years later than the previous one, showing the same scene, but note the replacement of cottages by more modern houses. jgc_32_120

2019: This isn’t exactly the same scene as jgc_32_119, as suggested in James Gary’s caption, but further south down the High Street. In both this picture of about 1906 and the 2019 image the building on the immediate left is the almost unchanged Black Horse pub. (Photographer: Ron Fitton) 

James Gray: Fairly recent views of the Black Horse Inn and adjoining properties. This photograph was taken during the late 1950s. jgc_32_121

2019: The Black Horse, dating from 1513, is one of the oldest buildings in the village. It looks smarter in 2019 with hanging baskets and tubs of flowers, although it’s a shame that it no longer sports a hanging pub sign. (Photographer: Ron Fitton) 

James Gray: This view shows No. 55, The Olde Mill Café before its conversion into premises for Lloyds Bank, Rottingdean branch. jgc_32_122

2019: No 55 High Street is currently unoccupied. Lloyds Bank closed in March 2018 and the building has remained empty since. (Photographer: Ron Fitton) 

James Gray: Looking north in High Street towards the crossroads, see policeman. jgc_32_123

2019: The Queen Victoria pub, No 54 High Street, was built after the James Gray image was taken. Next door is No 58, GR Rushman Butchers and next door to that is the grocer SA Deveson at No 60. This occupies the site of the tall building with three rows of windows in the 1930s picture which was previously Richardson’s drapery stores.

James Gray: No comment. jgc_32_133

2019: Looking north up the High Street. Most of the buildings remain structurally much the same but several have been rendered and painted white. On the left are No 83, Hampton Cottage which dates from the 18th century and No 87, Ivy Cottage, a small 19th century house.

 James Gray: The wedding of Stanley Baldwin (Prime Minister from 1935-1937) and Lucy Risdale. The group is photographed on the lawn of the Dene, the home of the bride’s father, 12 September 1892. This is now the Dene Hotel. Additional Information: This building dates from the 19th century and was previously known as Elm Lodge and Dean Court and was used as a racing stable by Lord St. Vincent. It was acquired by E. Risdale in 1877 who enlarged it. jgc_32_135