James Gray: The same area (as in jgc_12_058), 15 years later. The large house facing east at the bottom of Vallance Gardens had a remarkably short life. Built early in the 1920s hard up against the Coastguard Cottages, it was demolished with them in 1936 when the entire site was acquired and cleared. jgc_12_059
2018: The 1927 image is curiously labelled as St Aubyns Gardens. In fact the fine terraced houses of that name are actually just out of sight on the right-hand side. The curved frontage of Southdown House and beyond that, Dial House, are, however, visible.
James Gray: Kingsway and the Coastguard Cottages. jgc_12_089
2018: The 1912 image is similar to jgc_12_ 059 and 103 but taken around 15 years earlier. The large house on the corner of Vallance Gardens which lasted for fewer than 20 years before being demolished in 1936, has yet to be built. The adjoining Coastguard Cottages are shown here in their prime. In 1936 they were demolished and replaced by the low-level flats of Lancaster Court. Viceroy Lodge now stands on the corner of Hove Street, replacing Cliff House, clearly visible in the distance.
James Gray: Kingsway and the Coastguard Cottages. jgc_12_090
2018: This end of Kingsway looking west is better shown in jgc_ 12_059, 089 or 103 above. In the earlier image, the Coastguard Cottages on the right, and beyond them, on the other side of Hove Street, Cliff House, are just visible. Lancaster Court and, immediately behind, Viceroy Lodge, have yet to be built.
James Gray: Looking west along Kingsway, opposite RNVR station, about 1930. On the right is part of the block of 11 Coastguard Cottages, Hove Terrace, These were demolished in 1936, since when the site has been empty. Viceroy Lodge, the block of flats at the corner of Hove Street has not yet been built. jgc_12_103
2018: This image is similar to image 12_059 (see Kingsway (5) page) and taken around the same time. The large house on the corner of Vallance Gardens lasted for fewer than 20 years before being demolished in 1936 along with the adjoining Coastguard Cottages.
James Gray: Another view of the Cliff House School which stood at the foot of Hove Street, facing the sea from 1796 until about 1934. Period pre-1914. jgc_12_166
2018: This is one of several images (see also jgc_12_168 and 169 above) showing Cliff House on Kingsway, at the south-west junction with Hove Street, before it was demolished in 1936 to make way for Viceroy Lodge. The surrounding gardens have gone and the site is now fully developed. (Photographer: David Sears)
James Gray: The College left these premises in 1931 and for a few years the house was derelict before being demolished to make way for Viceroy Lodge. The photograph above, taken during this period shows part of the one-time large playing field, which was between the house and the sea. jgc_12_168
2018: This is one of several images showing Cliff House on Kingsway, at the south-west junction with Hove Street, before it was demolished in 1936 to make way for Viceroy Lodge: see also jgc_12_166 and 169 above.
James Gray: Another view. jgc_12_169
2018: This is one of several images showing Cliff House on Kingsway, at the south-west junction with Hove Street, before it was demolished in 1936 to make way for Viceroy Lodge: see also jgc_12_166 and 168 below. On the other side of Hove Street, the Ship Inn is visible in its new location, following road widening in 1913-1914.
James Gray: Viceroy Lodge, completed and ready for its first occupants in 1937. jgc_12_181
2018: Viceroy Lodge, at 143 Kingsway, at the junction with Hove Street, remains largely unchanged and in good order after 80 years.
James Gray: In this view can be seen the field on which was later built the houses in Princes Crescent. Part of this field was then used for allotments and also as tennis courts; house buildings started here in 1925. jgc_15_002
2018: The postcard in the James Gray picture shows crowds watching the Sussex divisions of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve hold a PT competition in 1922. The building in the background is Langton House, an Edwardian mansion which was taken over by Hove College in 1935.
James Gray: All the R.N.V.R buildings have gone, as has the lone house peering over the long shed in this photograph. jgc_15_003 and 15_001
2018: These 1922 pictures of crowds watching the Sussex divisions of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve hold a PT competition look east over the green space which is still there in 2018. The RNVR buildings were swallowed up in the King Alfred sports centre development and today only the tall gabled houses peeping over the top of the King Alfred buildings remain the same. (Photographer: Jan Sinkfield)
James Gray: A photograph of the Bowling Greens in 1958, showing the Hove College buildings in the right distance. Built in 1902 as a large private house, it became the College in the early 1930s. It closed in 1980 and was being reconstructed for use as a Nursing Home when in 1983 it was destroyed by fire. jgc_15_004
2018: The Hove and Kingsway Bowling Club greens are still in place.
James Gray: Photograph of the Nursing Home taken on 29 May 1983. jgc_15_005
2018: The Best Western Hotel, on the site of the Nursing Home, formerly Hove College. The houses on either side of the hotel are largely unchanged. The bus stop is still there but modernised. (Photographer: Jan Sinkfield)
James Gray: Two photographs of the house hidden away behind the large building and only revealed to view when the burnt-out building had been demolished and the site cleared. One of the masters lived here. These were taken in November 1983. jgc_15_006 and 15_007
2018: The master’s detached house stood behind the Hove College building, later a nursing home, which was demolished in 1983 after a fire. The house is now hidden behind the Best Western Hotel which was built after the fire. The house is not visible from the road but the managers of the hotel kindly allowed me access to their car park at the back so that I could take this image of it, showing that it had hardly changed. (Photographer: Jane Cheema)
James Gray: Children at play on the lawns south of Kingsway. This is now the site of the lovely bowling greens. The three tall houses, then newly built and known as 1-3 Westbourne Terrace, are now numbered 165-169 Kingsway. These houses stood on the Aldrington – Hove boundary and the modern houses to the east were not built until the 1920s. Date of photograph – 4 August 1892. jgc_15_008
James Gray: Dated by the photographer himself as 4 August 1892, his subject was a group of children on one of the lawns just south of the roadway. Many old Brightonians will remember when this untidy hedge screened the lawns. jgc_15_010
James Gray: Not far away from these lawns were the three houses seen in this photograph of 11 February 1973. They were built in 1929/30, but had very short lives being demolished in March 1973, and replaced by a block of flats. jgc_15_011
2018: There is now a large block of flats called Fairlawns on the site, replacing the houses built in 1929 and demolished in 1973. (Photographer: Jan Sinkfield)
James Gray: General view of the bandstand and arena. The exact year of the photograph is not known but it is thought to be 1928 or 1929. The bandstand dates from before the 1914-18 war while the cast iron glazed windscreens were erected in 1924-1925. jgc_15_029
2018: The bandstand has gone, as have the ornamental lamps, but some of the stone pillars remain and some of the landscaping is recognisable. The area is now overgrown with shrubs. In 2018 a Burger Cafe and car park can be seen on the left of the image, near the promenade.
James Gray: This photograph of a very bare Kingsway appears to have been taken not long after the road widening opposite the Coastguard Cottages in 1908, as the road surface is very rough and the paving stones quite new. The large house on the right is Langton House, now occupied by Hove College. jgc_15_026
2018: This is now a busy junction with traffic signals. To the far right, the Best Western Hotel has replaced the old Hove College building. Beyond that, the large gap is now occupied by Fairlawns flats, which replaced some smaller houses which were demolished in 1973.
James Gray: Building of the large house, 157 Kingsway, Hove, in progress – 1938. Reputedly built for an American millionaire, it covered the entire island site in Princes Crescent that had been empty for many years. Now the Hove Hospital Nurses Home. jgc_15_038
2018: No 157 Kingsway is now a care home called Barford Court operated by the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.
James Gray: The Bandstand and Walsingham Terrace. Period unknown but probably 1925-1930. jgc_15_051
2018: Many structural elements of the sunken garden are no longer there, including the bandstand and the shelter on the left, but some elements can still be seen today, such as the steps and the flint walls. On the south side of the garden is Venue, a beach bar and restaurant (formerly The View). The houses on the left in the background of the James Gray image have been replaced by a block of flats, Channings. Part of the terrace on the right remains. (Photographer: Susan Nicholls)
James Gray: Redraining work in progress – 1907. On the left the block of large houses then called San Remo and beyond Westbourne Terrace. jgc_15_049
James Gray: This view looks westwards along Kingsway from a spot opposite Westbourne Villas. jgc_15_129
2018: San Remo was the collective name for the whole block, Nos 173-187 Kingsway, between Westbourne Terrace and Sackville Gardens. In 2018 the buildings are well preserved. Nos 173-179 Kingsway are currently divided into flats and Nos 181-185 and 187 are still houses. (Photographer: Susan Nicholls)