King Street

James Gray: Houses at the junction of Portland Road and Church Street. jgc_25_031

2018: This site was incorrectly identified in the James Gray Collection. It is the junction between King Street and Church Street. Today, most of King Street has disappeared to make way for the NCP car park in Church Street. The remaining properties on the right hand (west) side of the street survive but those on the left hand (east) side are later additions. (Photographer: Nick Pannett)

James Gray: A view of cottages in Gerards Court, showing both entrances. On the left, the way in from King Street and, on the right, the way out into Church Street. Twelve cottages were grouped around a small central area. I do not know when they were built but they are mentioned in the Brighton Directory for 1855. jgc_25_035

2018: The entire east corner of King Street/Church Street is now new buildings and the NCP car park. The Google Maps photo would face the cottages at the same angle as the James Gray photo, ie King Street to the rear, Church Street to the right. Note that 1850s directories spelt the area as Gerrard’s Court, not Gerards. The court was demolished around 1935. (Photographer: Google maps)

James Gray: See jgc_25_037. View looking into this exit bricked up at the end. jgc_25_038

2018: There is still a passageway which leads to the car park. (Photographer: Mark Stephenson)

James Gray: This court was hidden away behind the east side of King Street, with a narrow entrance between Nos 40 & 41. It was demolished in 1936. Another passage leading to the court can still be seen below 15 Church Street. jgc_25_036

2018: An NCP car park has replaced Gerrard’s Court. (Photographer: Mark Stephenson)

James Gray: Although the cottages of Gerards Court were removed in 1935, relics of it lingered on for 45 years, until 1980. These were the exit into Church Street, and the name board affixed to the side wall, though even this was mis-spelt! As final demolition approached, I had these photographs taken on 10 June 1979. Removal took place in mid-1980. The wooden and mis-spelt nameboard. jgc_25_039

2018: The 1898 fire insurance map of the area gives the name as ‘Gerrard’s Court’. The entrance is a covered way between 14 (east) and 15 (west) Church Street. The entrance into King Street was on the east side of the street. (Plan: extract from Goad’s fire insurance plans of Brighton, 1898. © British Library)

James Gray: This huge chimney remained for many years after generating ceased at the original electricity works in North Road. In 1929 it was decided to remove it and six photographs show the chimney in varying stages of its destruction. This is a view along King Street showing the erection of scaffolding around the mouth of the chimney. The public house in Church Street is the Brewers Arms, also removed some time later. jgc_25_018

James Gray: Looking from Tichbourne Street, across cleared ground in Bread Street, to dilapidated buildings, 15/19 Church Street, leading up to King Street. All now demolished. Date of photograph: 10 June 1979. jgc_25_041

James Gray: What still remained of King Street, north, on 27 November 1966. jgc_25_006

2018: The northern stub of King Street is now cut off to traffic by the Church Street NCP car park. The small row of houses on the right avoided demolition.  (Photographer: Nick Pannett)

James Gray: King Street south, part of a cleared site, a car park. This area will be subject to comprehensive redevelopment at some future date. jgc_25_007

2018: The NCP car park now divides the road, with King Street to the north and the renamed King Place to the south. (Photographer: Nick Pannett)

James Gray: 9/14 King Street. The photograph was taken in May 1955, but it was not until June 1957 that these buildings were demolished and the building of the bank premises commenced. jgc_25_009

2018: The bank now extends along North Street from King Place (as shown) to Portland Street. (Photographer: Nick Pannett)

James Gray: Looking towards Church Street, along this old street, on 26 March 1955, before the wholesale destruction of these buildings began. Now in 1974, it is a semi-derelict area of odd parking lots. What has Brighton gained by all this? jgc_25_024

2018:  Most of King Street was knocked down in the 1970s to facilitate the building of the Church Street Car Park.  Only the northern end of the street shown in the 1955 photograph still remains. (Photographer: Chris Nichols)

James Gray: Five photographs [jgc_25_025 to 029] of this, one of Brighton’s oldest streets, taken in the early 1950s. At the bottom of the street, houses were standing empty awaiting demolition. Probably the most interesting feature is the lack of traffic, which may have been due to continuing wartime petrol rationing. jgc_25_025

2018: This corner building, shown on the original early 1950s James Gray photograph, still survives. The mock-Tudor frontage on Church Street, the windows and pebbled frontage in King Street are still the same in 2018. Today, the lack of traffic can be explained by the fact that King Street is a cul-de-sac, with access through to North Street only available to pedestrians.  (Photographer: Chris Nichols)

James Gray: See caption for jgc_25_025 above.  jgc_25_026

2018: All the buildings in the 1950s picture were demolished before the building of the Church Street Car Park. The far (southern) end of the photo is where Barclays Bank now stands. At the northern end, the houses on the western side of the street are still recognisable (first 2018 photo). The second photograph shows the section of the street, known as King Street Way. which runs along the western side of the car park. (Photographer: Chris Nichols)

James Gray: See caption for jgc_25_025 above.  jgc_25_027

2018: The original 1950s photograph shows the bottom end of King Street, western side. These houses have been replaced by Barclays Bank, built between 1957 and 1959 by local architects, Denman and Co. (Photographer: Chris Nichols)

James Gray: The east side of King Street, looking towards North Street in June 1975. As can be seen, shops were boarded up and demolition had taken place where ancient Gerards Court had been. Removal continued in a desultory fashion until finally all the buildings seen went prior to the construction of the present enclosed car park, in 1982. jgc_25_033

2018: On the far left of the 2018 image can be glimpsed a corner of the NCP Theatre car park. Further south, on the corner of King Place and North Street, is the Premier Inn hotel with retail units on the ground floor. This replaced the Prudential Buildings in North Street which were demolished in 1967. The church tower in the distance is of the now decommissioned Holy Trinity Church, built by Amon Wilds in 1817. It closed down in 1985, and is now Fabrica Art Gallery. (Photographer: Chris Nichols)

James Gray: This photograph, taken at the junction of these two streets, shows the last four private houses, 31/34, in King Street, dating from the late 18th century. jgc_25_040

2018: This picture shows the change in the buildings at the junction of Church Street and King Street. The houses on the east side of King Street were demolished to create the car park and now only a short stub remains at the northern end of the street. (Photographer: Chris Nichols)

James Gray: This photograph is taken from near the bottom of King Street; looking north to Church Street and showing the vast cleared area destined for yet another multi-storey car park! jgc_25_042

2018: The car park today divides King Street in two with this southern part now called King Place. On its corners with North Street, there is now a branch of Barclays Bank on the left (west) and a large commercial property on the right (east) with retail premises on the ground floor and a Premier Inn on the upper floors.  (Photographer: Chris Nichols)