between Oxford Street and Preston Circus
James Gray: One of the solid, substantial private houses on the east side of the road, No 95, photographed about 1900. Built in the 1840s it remained a private dwelling until the end of the 1914-1918 war. By 1920 it had been taken over by the Co-operative Society and with several adjoining buildings it was demolished in 1929. The present large Co-operative Store, which now covers this site, was opened on 12 September 1931 and closed in 2007. jgc_10a_030
James Gray: Looking north from Baker Street, soon after the erection of the new Co-operative Society building. Note the changed appearance of the Primitive Methodist Church beyond. Additional Information: Posters for: Cerebos, Ovaltine, Bass, Palladium. The Methodist Church closed in 2006. jgc_10a_036
2019: The Primitive Methodist Church referred to in the James Gray image has gone along with many of the adjacent buildings.
James Gray: Four buildings on the west side of this, now, busy road about 1901/2. Left to right – 36 H Cooper, Furniture Dealer. 37 Charles Hurst, dining rooms. 38 Private house. 39 John Carpenter, grocer. Additional Information: © Phillipe Garner. jgc_10a_039
James Gray: View in 1896 on the occasion of the visit of the Duke and Duchess of York. Note the narrow road before the later widening on the west side. The three large private houses were Nos 95, 96 and 97 on the site of the present Co-operative Society Store. jgc_10a_092
James Gray: Buildings on the opposite side of the road, in the mid-1960s, when the premises adjoining the Co-operative Store were occupied as the Brighton Labour Club. jgc_10a_040
2018: The Brighton Labour Club building has been greatly altered and the premises are now occupied by the Cycle Store and PDSA shop. (Photographer: Mary Nixon)
James Gray: Old houses in Brunswick Court in November 1953. The last remaining cottage in Brunswick Court. Originally there were 8 cottages, dating from about the middle of the last century. In 1938 all but one were demolished but for some reason the first cottage was spared and it was still occupied when photographed 15 years later. The court was approached by a narrow passage by the side of 25 Oxford Street. jgc_10a_050
2018: Brunswick Court and Oxford Court have been demolished and now form the Oxford Court car park. However the cottage is still there, albeit shrouded in foliage, at the back of the Caroline of Brunswick pub.(Photographer: Mary Nixon)
James Gray: By 1932, when this photograph was taken, the business had extended to take the in five shops, from 27 to 31 London Road. An entirely new building was erected on this site of Nos 27, 28 and 29, but the outward appearance of Nos 30 and 31 is still unchanged. The façade of the old private house can be seen behind the shop front of No 28. jgc_10a_077
James Gray: An unfamiliar looking London Road, as it was on 17 January 1885. The photograph shows the buildings numbered 46-53, on the west side just below York Hill. As can be seen, most were private houses with small gardens, except for Long’s furniture shop at No 47 and at the extreme end, with the hanging sign, the Branch Tavern. jgc_10a_080
2020: The buildings/shops seen as Age UK and Brighton Nails in the recent image remain. All others appear to have been demolished and rebuilt.
James Gray: The Branch Tavern, and the adjoining No 52, photographed 80 years later, on 1 August 1965. With a view to widening London Road the Corporation gradually acquired the gardens and forecourts on this side of the road, a task which was completed by 1903. Then the road was widened to its present width. I do not know the year when the Branch Tavern was completely rebuilt. jgc_10a_081
2019: The building is much the same but for some window glazing and a deeper fascia panel. (Photographer: Kate Ormond)
James Gray: The reverse view to that seen on the previous page [jgc_10a_080]. It would be nice to say that this photograph was taken by the same photographer and on the same day, 17 January 1885, but one cannot be sure of this. The bystanders are not there and the photograph is not so clear as the other so the furniture cannot be compared. One wonders what induced the photographer to take these, unless asked to by the enterprising Mr Long, certainly one of the first business people in this part of the then narrow London Road. Additional Information: © Phillipe Garner. jgc_10a_082
James Gray: The west side of this road, between Ann Street and York Hill, photographed on March 7 1964. For some reason, the photographer was in some doubt about which building was No 46. It was that occupied by Kaybers Carpets. The roadway bears little resemblance to the traffic-clogged one of today, thirty years later. jgc_10a_084
2019: This stretch of London Road is surprisingly intact. It is spoiled only by the flat-roofed building. (Photographer: Kate Ormond)
James Gray: This photograph of 1904 shows the horsed engine of the Volunteer Fire Brigade passing Nos 96-103 London Road. At that period several houses still retained their small front gardens. These were later converted to shop premises before being demolished in 1930 when the present Co-operative Society’s store was built. jgc_10a_086
James Gray: These photographs [jgc_10a_088 and 089], showing also the old and new fire engines, were taken at the same periods as those on the previous page [jgc_10a_086 and 087], viz: 1904 and 1955. This photograph gives a good view of St Bartholomew’s Vicarage and shows part of the old façade of the Methodist Church that was erected in 1894. jgc_10a_088
James Gray: [See jgc_10a_088 above.] Here the view is northwards from 93 London Road towards Rose Hill Terrace. jgc_10a _089
2020: Only James Gray’s text gives a clue to the exact focus of this image. That is St Bartholomew’s Vicarage, white, set-back, and partially seen in the 2020 image. Reference to the Methodist Church in the James Gray text may now be the presently unused Methodist Chapel draped in scaffolding and adjacent to the vicarage. (Photographer: Kate Ormond)
James Gray: These two photographs of 72 London Road, the same building, although at different periods. As can be seen, in both cases Southern Counties Dairies Company occupied it. I was told that the original of this photograph dates from about 1895. What a pity that this view did not show more of the façade of the adjoining house, No 73, which for many years was occupied by a Veterinary Surgeon. Additional Information: Geese, turkeys and rabbits on open sale. jgc_10a_090
James Gray: The building, greatly altered in appearance, is still there in 1979 and the copings dividing the shops are still to be seen. jgc_10a_091
2020: The decorative column-like rendering on each side of the building (better seen in jgc_10a_091) identifies the building. The extent of change is difficult to assess, particularly on the upper floor. In the 2020 image the mentioned rendering has deteriorated on the left side. (Photographer: Kate Ormond)
James Gray: A few years later, in the early 1900s at the corner of Viaduct Road. There are signs of the old Hare and Hounds Inn, so the photograph must date from before 1904. The chief difference at the present day is the disappearance of the large house with walled front garden, then the Brighton and Preston Constitutional Club. jgc_10a_093
2019: Many of the early houses remain along with the occasional infill. New England House dominates in the background. The building is the world’s first purpose-built high-rise business centre. (Photographer: Kate Ormond)
James Gray: Later still, about 1920, showing the large private house, 74 London Road, which faced into New England Road. As can be seen this had a very large garden, though this has been very much curtailed when London Road was widened early this century. Compare this with the next photograph. jgc_10a_094
James Gray: Identifying this house proved to be quite a difficult problem. Although obviously it faced into New England Road, it was in fact 74 London Road, the last house on the west side of that road. Built about 1840 it was the home of Henry Longhurst whose Amber Ale Brewery was across the road where the Fire Station is now. Known as Brighton Lodge it remained in private occupation until in 1924, Lloyds Bank converted the ground floor into offices with an entrance from London Road. In 1906 the garden wall and pavement had been set back several feet to make more room for the trams. The building was demolished in 1935 when the entire corner was rounded off, as we know it. jgc_10a_095
2020: The detached house with the large garden in the foreground is the focus of the James Gray image. The 2020 image shows a very different built environment that includes the widening of London Road. The image also shows an expansive background from a perspective difficult, if not impossible, to match. However the 2020 images submitted show a vastly altered scene that extends to the rail station. (Photographer: Kate Ormond)
James Gray: Marks and Spencer’s premises at 6, 7 and 8 London Road, west side, early in 1966. Marks started in London Road in small premises at Nos 43/44 in 1927 but soon outgrew these, so they had this building built and opened in 1935. The firm occupied it for fifty one years until being closed on 26 July 1986, when the business was concentrated at the Western Road store. This building still stands, now in multiple occupation. jgc_10a_110
James Gray: A much later photograph. Taken on 24 January 1988, it shows Nos 110/113 between Marshall’s Row and Francis Street, before their removal in the following February. Originally the building at the left was two separate private houses, one of which was occupied by W Dawkins, the blacksmith whose smithy was in Marshall’s Row. The Elephant and Castle Inn had only recently been extended. jgc_10a_117
James Gray: It is hard to realise that these two photographs were taken within a few yards of each other. The old villa at the corner of London Road and New England Road in 1931. Compare the dilapidated building with the fine house seen in a much earlier photograph on another page. As seen the building was within a few years of demolition and was then being used as a branch of Lloyds Bank. jgc_10a_118
James Gray: Two of the original cottages on London Road photographed on 7 October 1962. Built in the 1830s as small houses, No 102 was a butcher’s shop a few years later. It remained in this trade until the end, which came in 1963 when the buildings were demolished. jgc_10a_133
2018: The corner of London Road and Baker Street is now a large building known as Abacus House. It includes shops at street level including Poundworld and student studio flats above. (Photographer: Nick Eastham)
James Gray: Approached from a narrow passage by the side of 6 Baker Street and with an exit to Rose Hill Terrace, this row of houses known as London Terrace was built during the 1860s. At that time it faced the long back gardens of what were mostly private houses in London Road. The large Co-operative Society’s store extended a long way over these former gardens and to facilitate further expansion, in the 1970s, many of the buildings seen in these photographs of 3 August 1975 have since been demolished.
James Gray: Two photographs (this and following) of Geering & Son’s shop at 78 London Road. This photograph dates from the 1890s. It can be seen from this that the adjoining house, No 79 had been a double fronted private house though part of the ground floor had by then been converted to a shop. jgc_10a_138
2018: See caption for jgc_10a_137 above. (Photographer: Nick Eastham)
James Gray: Two photographs [jgc_10a_139 and 140] during the tramway era. The one above dates from 1930 and the buildings are little changed 35 years later. The façade of the Methodist Church has altered and the garden of St Bartholomew’s Vicarage is now set back to the general building line. Additional Information: H. Ogden, Bakers, Halfords, Cycles. Cars. jgc_10a_139
2018: See caption for jgc_10a_137 above. (Photographer: Nick Eastham)
James Gray: 25 years earlier, in 1905, only a year after trams came to London Road and when there were houses as well as shops there. The entrance to Baker Street can be seen on the left. Additional Information: Hoardings: Daily Telegraph, OXO. Horse drawn carriages and lady cyclist. jgc_10a_140