James Gray: This photograph of Jew Street on 10 June 1979 was taken for the sole purpose of showing all that was left of the old archway which led to the small infantry barracks. These had a short life, soon being replaced by the much larger barracks between Church Street and North Road. Additional Information: Advertisement hoarding of Players cigarettes. jgc_25_034
2018: The arch to the old barracks has gone as has the Plastic Merchants shop on the right hand side of the original photograph. It survived in this location (10 Church Street) for over 50 years but has now been replaced by Unlimited, design shop and gallery. (Photographer: Nick Pannett)
James Gray: There seems to be no authentic information to explain why this little street was so named. Certainly, it was one of the oldest streets in the town and as early as 1818 it contained 14 houses. Some of these were removed when in 1852, Brighton’s first block of flats was built at the corner of Jew Street and Church Street, model dwellings for the artisan classes, as they were then described. This photograph is of 1-4 Jew Street in 1936, just before they were demolished. jgc_25_092
2018: It is now generally acknowledged that Brighton’s first synagogue opened in Jew Street around 1792, moving to Poune’s Court off West Street by 1808, and finally moving to Devonshire Place in 1824. The Model Dwellings mentioned in the description are still standing. 3 Jew Street consists of 4 storeys of flats/offices, Nos 9-10 is The Writers Place and No 11 houses a number of design studios/creative businesses. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: 9 Church Street, at the east corner of Jew Street, demolition in progress. jgc_25_093
2018: 9 Church Street has been replaced by a modern building, with Eten + Drinken, a café specialising in Dutch snacks, on the ground floor. The surrounding buildings in Church Street have changed very little: Nos 7 and 8 are still standing as is the five-storey Model Dwellings on the opposite corner of Jew Street, with a design shop and gallery, Unlimited, on the corner of the ground floor. The empty lot on the corner of Tichborne Street (from where the original photograph was taken?) now has an office block on the corner. (Photographer: Chris Nichols)
James Gray: 9 Church Street before demolition. jgc_25_094
2018: 9 Church Street, on the corner with Jew Street, is today a modern building, with Eten + Drinken, a café specialising in Dutch snacks, on the ground floor. On the opposite corner, just glimpsed in the James Gray image, was the Church Street Drug Store, now Unlimited, a design shop and gallery. (Photographer: Denise Taylor)