James Gray: View of the Western Lawns opposite Kingsway, in 1928. Beyond the lawn is the marshy swamp formed by the overflow water from Aldrington Basin. For years this remained as a constant eyesore to residents and visitors alike. Finally, in 1929 it was drained and replaced by the present handsome boating Lagoon. In the far background can be seen the original Adur Hotel, probably the oldest building in this photograph. jgc_15_019
James Gray: The sorry contrast 40 years later, on 21 July 1968. The bandstand had been removed a little earlier and the arena was being cleared prior to the building of the new West End Restaurant. jgc_15_030
James Gray: But for the wood and glass windbreaker it would be hard to associate this dishevelled and overgrown area with the trim and popular Western Lawns of the ‘Thirties. The explanation is, of course, that these photographs were taken during the Second World War, when all the sea front area was wired off and mined as an anti invasion defence measure. How soon nature asserts herself and takes over, but still the flowers bloomed. Exact year not known, but probably 1943 or 1944. jgc_15_031
James Gray: [See caption for jgc_15_031 above.] jgc_15_032
James Gray: Photographs [jgc_15_033 and 034] of the front and rear of the Café building, on 21 July 1968, at the time of the commencement of the work on the replacement building. I am told that there was a café of sorts on this site as long ago as 1912. This may well have been the case and certainly there was one by the very early 1920s though whether it was as large as this is doubtful. The name West End Café seems first to have been used during the 1930s. It has now been replaced by a much larger building and the old café is now boarded up awaiting demolition. jgc_15_033
James Gray: [See caption for jgc_15_033 above.] jgc_15_034
2018: West End Cafe was demolished in the 1960s. The tennis courts are still there, but the shelter on the right has gone. (Photographer: Susan Nicholls)
James Gray: Sangers Circus passing houses known as Western Lawns in 1912. Beyond was Walsingham Terrace, the corner houses of which was destroyed by a bomb during the 1939-1945 war. jgc_15_035
2018: 195-203 Kingsway, or Walsingham Terrace as it was called, the terrace block on the right is still there. The houses 9-10 on the corner of Carlisle Road were destroyed in WWII. They were replaced by Dorset Court (207 Kingsway) in 1958. 6-8 were demolished in 1964.
James Gray: This photograph was taken in October 1964, just before the two adjoining houses were demolished for an extension to the block of flats built on the empty bomb site in 1958. jgc_15_036
2018: Part of the terrace no longer there has been replaced by a block of flats in the centre, Horizon, built in 2004. (Photographer: Susan Nicholls)
James Gray: A 1958 photograph of three houses, 251, 253 and 255, Kingsway. These were built in 1927 and had a very short life. After only 33 years they were demolished in 1960 to make way for the flats called Berriedale Court. jgc_15_052
2018: The houses (251-255 Kingsway) have been demolished and replaced with a block of flats, Berriedale House, built in the 1960s. (Photographer: Susan Nicholls)
James Gray: Four large houses between Carlisle Road and Langdale Road, photographed on 29 September 1968. Although now part of Kingsway they were originally called Western Lawns. Built in the early days of this century they were then the most westerly houses on the Hove front until nearly Portslade. jgc_15_053
2018: The houses have been demolished. There is now a block of flats in their place, Channings, which takes up the whole block between Carlisle Road and Langdale Road. (Photographer: Susan Nicholls)
James Gray: In this photograph is the front of 215 Kingsway or as it was first called, Victory House. This was built in 1897 so I do not know which Victory it was to commemorate. Later it was to become the Compton Court Hotel and finally it was converted to flats. It was said to have cost £8000 when first built. After having been empty for some years it was sold with three adjoining houses and other buildings in Langdale and Carlisle Roads in one lot, the intention being that the whole site should be redeveloped with blocks of flats. jgc_15_055
James Gray: The fronts and rears of the three large houses originally called Western Lawns, but recently forming part of Kingsway. Photographed in April and May 1967. From left to right the houses were named – The Lodge, Somerville Court and Ion Court. Initially occupied by single families they were long ago turned into flats and now they have been sold doubtless in due course a large new block will arise here as the demand for modern flats seems to be insatiable. jgc_15_058
James Gray: [See caption for jgc_15_058 above.] jgc_15_059
2018: The houses have been demolished and a block of flats named Channings with the address 215 Kingsway has been built in their place. The building on the left with the round windows remains. (Photographer: Susan Nicholls)
James Gray: A last look at the building seen on the previous pages. Dating from January 1970, they show demolition just commencing. jgc_15_060
2018: The row of houses in the picture have been demolished and replaced by a block of flats, Channings, which takes up the entire block between Langdale Road and Carlisle Road. The block of flats in the background on the right can still be seen today. (Photographer: Susan Nicholls)
James Gray: Four houses, Nos 231-235, between Langdale Gardens and Braemore Road, photographed on 8 March 1972, just before their demolition commenced. They were built by Barclays in 1927 on what was part of the large Wish Meadow, and were contemporary with the houses in Braemore Road, Berridale Avenue and Welbeck Avenue. Their builders could hardly have visualised that these well-built houses would have such a short life of only 45 years, but this was too plum a site to escape the prevailing demand for seafront flats. jgc_15_062
James Gray: [See caption for jgc_15_063 above.] jgc_15_063
2018: The houses have been demolished. In their place is a block of flats, Braemore Court. The postbox can still be seen on the corner of Langdale Gardens. (Photographer: Susan Nicholls)
James Gray: The screen erected in Kingsway, outside the yard of McKellar and Westerman, which was in this situation from 1921 to 1926. The roofs of houses seen at the right are those on the west side of Langdale Gardens. jgc_15_085
2018: See caption for jgc_15_081 in Kingsway (8). (Photographer: Mark Stephenson)
James Gray: Believe it or not, this is a view of Kingsway, looking west from the spot, the bottom of Langdale Gardens. In the next few years, along this barren frontage were built many houses in Kingsway, Welbeck Avenue, Berriedale Avenue and Braemore Road. jgc_15_086
James Gray: Building of Welbeck Court, at the corner of Welbeck Avenue, in progress. By this time most of Kingsway from Hove Street to Portslade had been built up. jgc_15_021
2018: Kingsway is now busy. Residential development extends all along the northern side. Braemore Court is on the right. (Photographer: Mark Stephenson)
James Gray: Connecting the drainage system of Aldrington parish into the main sewer under Kingsway. This photograph shows the curving excavation emerging from Langdale Road into Kingsway. jgc_15_127
2108: Kingsway was named in 1910 to commemorate King Edward VII who regularly visited. Channings, opened in 1971, has blue cladding and was named by William Weeks of R. Green Properties after his house in Southwick.
James Gray: Examples of old and new drainage and sewer pipes during work in Kingsway and the Langdale Road area in 1907. jgc_15_130
James Gray: [See caption for jgc_15_130 above.] jgc_15_131
James Gray: [See caption for jgc_15_130 above.] jgc_15_132