James Gray: A view, probably from St Peter’s Church, looking towards the Lewes Road, and said to date from 1935. It shows the full length of Waterloo Place (now demolished), the entrance to Phoenix Place, Richmond Terrace, the grounds of Hanover Terrace and the Level, with a tram going south to the Old Steine Terminus. What pleasure motoring must have been, with no parking problems. jgc_20_005
2018: This aerial view covers much the same area as the James Gray image – from Richmond Place in the south to Lewes Road in the north. The Level can be clearly seen on the left-hand (west) side of the photo and it is possible to pick out the rooftops of the Phoenix Gallery (replacing the terrace of houses in Waterloo Place demolished in the 1970s) and, in the top right (east) corner, the curve of Hanover Crescent. (Photographer: Google Earth)
James Gray: The funeral procession passing The Level on 14 April 1900. Seven seamen from a torpedo boat destroyer were drowned by the capsizing of the boat in which they were rowing to the West Pier. jgc_20_024
2019: The 1900 photograph appears to have been taken north of Hanover Place, beyond The Level, with 1 Gladstone Terrace (on the east side of Lewes Road) visible on the left.
James Gray: 8 June 1925. The south end of The Level after the removal of the railings. Taken from the balcony of 5 Richmond Terrace. jgc_20_055
2020: This photograph could not be taken from the original position because it is now private housing. This is still a busy junction at the start of the Level. (Photographer: Simon Cooper)
James Gray: Denyer’s shops at 16-19 Lewes Road, in 1902. This family’s association with this part of Lewes Road began in the 1880s. One of the shops was later converted into the Arcadia Cinema, long since closed down. The family connection with these shops had been preserved until now as A Denyer Ltd Undertakers still occupy No. 17. jgc_28_005
2018: Arthur Denyer Funeral Directors now occupy 18-19 Lewes Road. The Arcadia Cinema at No 16 was one of Brighton’s earliest cinemas, operating between 1910 and 1956. It now houses the Brighton Trades and Labour Club. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: View of the backs of the Percy Almshouses in 1962. Note all the bricked up windows. Some of these buildings date from the late 18th century and they are adequate by present day standards. They have often been threatened with demolition but in 1968 they are still with us. jgc_28_006
2018: The houses were restored in 1975–76 by architects Fitzroy Robinson Miller Bourne & Partners.
James Gray: Lewes Road at the junction with Elm Grove in 1912. Apart for the tram lines and standards, the biggest change is at the corner. The present shops and flats, 192-197, were built in 1934/1935 in the large garden of 1 Wellington Road, a glimpse of which can be seen on the right. jgc_28_007
2018: The premises formerly the Race Hill Inn has been converted to a surgery, health centre and pharmacy.
James Gray: Church Parade outside St Martin’s Church. Period unknown, but probably 1901-1910. Brighton was then a garrison town with troops quartered at Preston Barracks so this was a familiar sight. Note the tall trees lining Gladstone Terrace. jgc_28_008
2018: With the demise of both Preston Barracks and church parades and the vast increase in motor traffic, such scenes would normally be impossible nowadays.
James Gray: Just one of Brighton’s many public houses, but with one outstanding claim to fame – it was completely destroyed by a bomb in an air raid on September 20th 1940. As far as can be traced, the Inn was built in 1864 when Lewes Road was developing fast towards the Barracks. The date of the photograph is not known. My guess – the early 1920s. After the site had been empty for 17 years, the Inn was rebuilt and opened in September 1957. jgc_28_011
James Gray: The photograph of St Martin’s Church, which was built in 1874, was taken in 1907. The chief difference at the present day is that all the trees have been removed. jgc_28_013
2018: Except for the absence of the mature trees on the east side of the road and a substantial increase in street furniture, the image is remarkably similar to that visible today. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: The Allen Arms in 1931, after reconstruction and before the Gaiety Cinema was built on the adjoining site. jgc_28_021
2018: Unlike the Vogue Cinema, the Allen Arms initially survived the construction of the Vogue Gyratory in 1984 becoming variously The Counting House, The Hub, No Man’s An Island and finally The White Crow, in which guise it finally closed its door in 2014. After standing empty for some time it was finally demolished in 2016 to make way for a student accommodation block. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: These are probably the earliest photographs of Lewes Road in existence. This was taken in 1869 a few weeks before the Kemp Town Railway was opened. What few buildings were then in Lewes Road were almost wholly private houses, with an occasional shop. The small houses seen through the arch to the right are those in Melbourne Street, then known as California Cottages. In the distance through the central arch can be seen the Tower of the Lodge of the Extra Mural cemetery and the Barracks Tollgate, removed about 1875. jgc_28_032
James Gray: Houses at the corner of Aberdeen Road, photographed on the same date, 8 April 1973 [see also jgc_28_104 on the Lewes Road (4) page]. Twitchin’s the Grocers had occupied the corner shop for more than 70 years, probably for three generations. jgc_28_105
2018: I am not sure when Twitchin’s Stores and the neighbouring shop closed but the new buildings that occupy the space have been there since about 2009. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: Five snapshot photographs [jgc_20_039, 040, 041, 042 and 043] thought to have been taken about 1962. This may have been at the time when the serious poor condition of these old houses became evident, leading to talk of their being demolished and rebuilt. Fortunately this was averted though internal reconstruction and extension took place. jgc_20_039
James Gray: [See caption for jgc_20_039 above.] jgc_20_040
2018: The only substantial change is that the Percy Almshouses are now in a much better condition than in the original photo. Also, it is very hard to see the almshouses from the road now as they have many trees and plants growing in front of them. There is now a gate in front of the entrance to the cottages. (Photographer: Eleanor Price)
James Gray: [See caption for jgc_20_039 above.] jgc_20_042
2018: The only substantial change is that the Percy Almshouses are now in a much better condition than in the original photo. Also, it is very hard to see the almshouses from the road now as they have many trees and plants growing in front of them. The two telephone boxes from the original photo have been removed from the front of the almshouses. (Photographer: Eleanor Price)
James Gray: [St Martin’s Church, Lewes Road] Interior. jgc_20_020
2019: St Martin’s Church viewed towards the high altar. As a Grade II listed building, very little has changed since the original image dated 1893. Although the marble altar is not original, dating from 1949, the large reredos above it is. This consists of 20 pictures and 69 statues carved in Germany. (Photographer: Jane Jordan)
James Gray: [St Martin’s Church, Lewes Road] Interior. jgc_20_021
2019: A view across the nave of St Martin’s Church. Consecrated in 1875, it is the largest church in Brighton by capacity. A series of 144 painted shields adorn the nave ceiling. They are the coats-of-arms of the overseas missionary dioceses of the Anglican Communion founded in the century before the church was completed. A drone was recently utilised to create a virtual tour of the church enabling a clear view of the surroundings and paintings high above. (Photographer: Jane Jordan)
James Gray: Antill’s Wine Stores at the corner of Lewes Road, period about 1910. Antill and Co. were here from 1892 to 1917 and even now, 45 years later, it is still used for this business. jgc_27_120
2018: The actual address is 142 Lewes Road. By 1964 the store had been taken over by the Galleon Wine Company chain. The company subsequently became insolvent and the premises housed a second-hand shop before its current incarnation as a computer repair business. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: The coming of the trams. Work in progress during the fitting of the rails, at the junction of Lewes Road and Elm Grove, during the summer of 1901. As can be seen, the approach of this new form of transport aroused great interest. Note the large house shaded by the trees, No. 1 Wellington Road. jgc_28_001
2018: No 1 Wellington Road is now the premises of Fox and Son estate agents, a charity shop and a discount store.
James Gray: Laying the rails in Lewes Road, opposite St Martin’s Church and St Paul’s Street, in 1901. The long line of elm trees, which were probably planted at the same time as the original trees in Elm Grove, were removed soon after the trams started running as they inconvenienced passengers on the upper deck. jgc_28_010
2018: Most of the tram network was replaced by the trolley bus system or by motor buses by 1939. The trees on the left-hand side of the road were removed early in the 20th century. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: Erecting the centre tramway poles in Lewes Road prior to the introduction of the trams later in that year. St Pauls Street is on the right and St Martins Church in the distance. Note the butcher’s errand boy with the tray of meat on his shoulder. jgc_28_020
2018: The prominent trees on the left were removed when the trams started to run as they were accused of inconveniencing upper deck passengers. Most of the tram network was replaced by the trolley bus system or by motor buses by 1939.
James Gray: Another photograph of the progress of the work of rail laying in the summer of 1901, prior to the introduction of the tramway service in the following November. As can be seen, this was at the junction of Lewes Road and Union Road, showing The Level still enclosed within railings. Note the large number of men engaged in this work. jgc_28_003
James Gray: The junction of Lewes Road and Union Road in 1901, when the tram rails were being laid. Note the railings around The Level which were installed in 1877 and not removed until 1921. jgc_28_009