North Road (Brighton)

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: The first shop of the Brighton Equitable Co-operative Society on the south side of North Road, between Tichbourne Street and Bread Street. It was opened on May 16th 1888.  jgc_25_131

2018: The first Co-op store at 32 North Road survived until around 1945. The premises have changed hands many times since then and in 2018 was an off-licence. In 2022, a Turkish barber’s shop occupies the site. (Photographer: Geoff Kavanagh)

James Gray: Not many Brightonians knew of the existence of these four cottages, situated near the bottom of North Road. They were approached by a narrow passage between 101 and 102 North Road and lay well back between the small yards of Vine Street and Cheltenham Place. They were of flint and brick construction and were demolished in 1933, since when the site has been covered by Nicholls’ extensive garage with its entrance in North Road. jgc_25_147

James Gray: Workmen of the 1860s outside the Regent Foundry in North Road. This gave the name to the nearby Foundry Street. After a life of about 80 years the Foundry was demolished in 1921 to be replaced by the present Postal Sorting Office. jgc_25_161

2018: The Royal Mail sorting office built in 1926 is still there. See also jgc_25_162 below. (Photographer: Alice Jackson)

James Gray: A copy of a very ancient photograph, which provides a good view of the Regent Foundry and Manufactory. The year is unknown but the crinolined lady suggests the 1860/70s. Note the large private house adjoining the Foundry, and further down, the Dolphin Inn at the corner of Foundry Street. jgc_25_162

2018: The Royal Mail Sorting Office was built on the site of the Regent Iron and Brass Foundry in 1926.

James Gray: A long forgotten advertisement comes to light just prior to the removal of a building on which it had been painted, many years ago. This was at the north eastern end of Jubilee Street, very near to its junction with North Road. It was demolished in the late 1950s. Mr J Sayers, Brass finisher, Hot water & Sanitary engineer, had learned his trade under the guidance of Mr D T Bostel, founder of the well-known firm of Bostel Brothers. jgc_25_163

James Gray: Road operations in North Road, prior to laying the rails. The route to the Station via North Road was constructed some 3 years after the original routes and this photograph were taken in the spring of 1904. This view up North Road was taken from just below Cheltenham Place. Every second building seems to be a public house! Additional information: jgc_25_165, taken at the same time, shows more roadworks in preparation of the trams in nearby Gloucester Place. jgc_25_164

2018: The trams have come and gone. North Road is now a busy west-east link between Queen’s Road and Gloucester Place. At least one of the public houses mentioned by Gray (now the Fountain Head, on the corner of North Road and Cheltenham Place) survives. (Photographer: Alice Jackson)

James Gray: This magnificent photograph showing almost the whole of North Road probably dates from the 1930s during the last years of the trams, which served Brighton so well for nearly forty years. It was then a street of mainly small shops for the needs of the less affluent inhabitants. Not much more need be said; the picture speaks for itself. The road at the extreme bottom left is Jubilee Street, while that on the right, from which the car is emerging is Robert Street. jgc_25_166

2018: The view today. (Photographer: Geoffrey Kavanagh)

James Gray: The forlorn appearance of the old Grand Theatre building after the serious fire in 1961. Opened in 1891 as the Hippodrome Circus. Later known as the Eden Theatre, it became the Grand in 1904. Then it alternated between films and live theatre until it finally closed in 1955. The building spent its last few years as a furniture factory and was demolished following the fire. jgc_25_167

2018: This erstwhile place of entertainment, fire damaged and ‘forlorn’ in 1961, is long gone and replaced by the North Road multi-storey car park. (Photographer: Geoffrey Kavanagh)

James Gray: Looking up the road from Marlborough Place in the 1930s, nothing worthy of comment. jgc_25_168

2018: The view today up North Road is still recognisable, although the corner property on the right-hand (north) side of Marlborough Place has lost its balcony.  (Photographer: Geoffrey Kavanagh)

James Gray: This fine, clear photograph, probably copied from a postcard, needs little comment, as the picture can speak for itself. It was taken near the foot of this important road – at the left, Jubilee Street, at the right, Kensington Street. The period is uncertain, but most likely between 1904 and 1914. jgc_25_169

2018: Many of the older buildings have now gone, as well as the tramlines but the two storey building with a pediment on the corner of North Road and Kensington Street is still recognisable. For over 35 years, this building has been the home of North Laine Timber & Joinery.  (Photographer: Geoffrey Kavanagh)

James Gray: Two photographs [jgc_25_170 and 171] taken in the summer of 1903 showing a great deal of activity when the tramlines were being installed, prior to the opening of the tramway from the Pavilion to Brighton Station. This view is from the bottom of North Road, looking between the Gardens to Grand Parade. jgc_25_170

2018: The tramlines have gone and the cranes in the background show where construction is taking place at Circus Street. (Photographer: Geoffrey Kavanagh)

James Gray: [See caption jgc_25_170 above.] Here the reverse view to the previous photograph, from Grand Parade to North Road. Accustomed as we are now to the one way traffic system in this locality, the maze of criss-cross lines may be difficult to fathom, but in those days of little traffic it flowed in both directions along Marlborough Place and Grand Parade.  jgc_25_171

James Gray: [See jgc_25_172 above.] jgc_25_173

2018: This corner site is still given over to retail and houses Infinity Foods. (Photographer: Alice Jackson)

James Gray: [See jgc_25_172 and 173 above.] jgc_25_174

2018: Marks and Spencer has moved to larger premises and the shop is now occupied by Infinity Foods. (Photographer: Geoffrey Kavanagh)

James Gray: Looking down North Road, about 1958. This shows three prominent buildings all of which have now gone. The old dispensary building at the corner was built in the 1960s. The Presbyterian Church Hall was destroyed by fire in 1981, while the Grand Theatre, lower down, suffered the same fate in the disastrous fire in June 1961. jgc_31_201

James Gray: A photograph of the quiet burial ground in Queen’s Road, at the same period as the previous photograph [jgc_31_202]. A few years before, this had been very unkempt with gravestones covering the grassy area. These were removed to where they now stand to the extreme right and left. jgc_31_203

James Gray: The Hanover Chapel, built in 1824, now forms part of the Brighthelm Centre. jgc_31_204

2020: The external appearance of the former Hanover Chapel is largely unaltered in 2020, but all the buildings around it have changed since 1958, and it now forms part of the Brighthelm Centre which fronts the southern side of North Road close to Queens Road.

James Gray: Two photographs [see also jgc_25_137 on the Church  Street (2) page] of the date, 29 September 1968, as overleaf, when the future of this building was in doubt. They show the classic frontage of the church, unchanged since its erection as Hanover Chapel in 1825. The facing burial ground was until the 1950s covered with memorial and headstones above countless graves which were then removed to the sides and the area grassed over to make a public open space. Events moved very slowly, the building deteriorated, and it was not until 1985/1986 that the work of reconstruction began. It is to be hoped that the best feature of the old building will be preserved.  jgc_25_138

James Gray: Corner of North Road. This small snapshot dates from the early 1950s. jgc_30_069

2018: The cobble-fronted property on the corner of Marlborough Place and North Road (26, The Coach House) has changed very little since the early nineteenth century and is now Grade II listed. At the time of the 1950s photograph, it was occupied by solicitors and is today occupied by Graves Jenkins, estate agents. To the south, No 25 is no longer a café but the offices of a small publishing business and, round the corner, 1 North Road was occupied by Gates & Sons, builders, decorators and shopfitters, and is now part of Graves Jenkins.

James Gray: 110 and 111, Queen’s Road, private houses at the corner of North Road. These houses were probably built in the late 1840s when Queen’s Road was formed as a link between Brighton Station and Windsor Terrace (now part of Queen’s Road).  Additional Information: Brighton Sussex Mutual Provident Society, Bloater Paste, Oliver Weston, Daily Telegraph. jgc_31_197

2020: These buildings on the corner of North Road and Queen’s Road have gone and an assortment of early 20th century buildings are there now – the prominent corner building is Sundial House. Further down North Road, at the junction with Frederick Street on the right of both images, can be seen the Three Jolly Butchers pub. (Photographer: Alan Stratford)

James Gray: This photograph shows the same spot [as jgc_31_197], a year later. No 111 had been rebuilt as offices for the Brighton and Sussex Mutual Provident Society and renamed Sundial House. It has remained unchanged externally to this day. jgc_31_198

2020: Sundial House is now the home of one of two Sundial Clinics in Brighton, offering chiropractic, physiotherapy and massage treatments. The building remains much the same as it was in 1896, even including the sundial on the south wall.  (Photographer: Kate Ormond)

James Gray: The large photograph, showing the tram lines turning in from North Road, was probably taken in 1934, not long before the houses behind the lamp standard and Nos. 1-4, Gloucester Place were removed and the site cleared for the building of the huge Telephone House. jgc_30_068

2022: A number of changes since 1934 are obvious in the 2022 photograph. The main architectural change is the multi-storey office building, One Gloucester Place, on the right-hand corner of the photograph (see also jgc_30_073 on the Gloucester Place page). This replaced Telephone House, mentioned by James Gray, in 1985. But the buildings in Marlborough Place on both sides of North Road are still recognisable, although Nos 31 and 32 have both lost their first floor balconies and No 31 no longer has advertising boards on its south-facing wall. There is also now a much wider pavement and new traffic lights at the junction of Marlborough Place and North Road. The pavement has changed even since 2018 (see jgc_25_069): the former service road which allowed access to the cobble-fronted property on the corner (26, The Coach House) and to 31-37 Marlborough Place on the other side of North Road was paved over as part of the recent Valley Gardens Improvement Scheme. The tram lines and street lamp are both long gone.  (Photographer: Lyn Turpin)