James Gray: The Royal York Hotel in 1929, just after its sale to Brighton Corporation who have since used it as Municipal offices. Additional Information: Returned to use as an hotel in 2008. jgc_10_016
2018: The Royal York Hotel is now a thriving YHA Brighton Hostel with the Royal Albion Hotel standing to the left. The empty road in this now very busy thoroughfare is only due to the time of day. The cars are another significant comparison of how times have changed. (Photographer: Jane Jordan)
James Gray: View of the front entrance to the Royal York Hotel, in Old Steine, about 1870. The adjoining houses, built in the 1830s, were originally separate private houses numbered 42 & 43, but they were soon taken into the Hotel, the ground floor rooms of the corner house being known as the Royal York Shades. jgc_10_017
2018: The view today… now a thriving YHA. (Photographer: Jane Jordan)
James Gray: Three photographs [see also jgc_09_123 and 124] of Pegg’s Royal York Hotel and Old Steine. Period 1868-1872. By the shadows in the large photograph it must have been in the early morning, but even so where are all the people? jgc_09_125
James Gray: The original photograph, from which this one was copied, may well have been taken at about the same time [as jgc_09_125] as the buildings look exactly similar. The Ladies swimming bath building (extreme left), probably Brill’s, removed in 1870, helps to suggest a date in the late 1860s. jgc_09_127
James Gray: The hotel, named after Frederick, Duke of York, was first opened in September 1819. The photograph shows the peaceful scene in the Old Steine, about 80 years ago. It dates from before 1874 because in that year the hotel was sold by Mr Pegg, to Mr Hoadley (see name over portico). jgc_09_129
James Gray: This small photograph looking beyond the fountain to Lion Lodge at the rear of Lion Mansion Hotel, is of the 1870 period. jgc_10_018
2018: The view of Victoria Fountain today. Inaugurated on 25 May 1846 in celebration of the 27th birthday of Queen Victoria, it was originally filled with water lilies and goldfish. The Sarsen stones visible in the centre of the pool were first found in the Steine by workers digging a trench in 1823. 2018 has been an exceptionally hot summer and the gardens are showing visible signs of the drought. However, the trees now stand tall and although providing welcome shade, obscure the buildings and associated changes in the distance. (Photographer: Jane Jordan)
James Gray: This is a recent copy of a stereoscopic photograph taken at some time in the 1860s, from just within Marine Parade. As well as showing the Royal Albion and Royal York Hotels, it affords a glimpse of Pool Valley before the erection of Brills Baths in 1869. (Photographer: Philippe Garnier). jgc_10_033
2018: The Royal Albion Hotel remains. The Royal York Hotel was purchased by the Council in 1929 and, called Royal York Buildings, included the register office. It is now home to the YHA Brighton Hostel. (Photographer: Jane Jordan)
James Gray: A very clear copy of an old stereoscopic photograph of the Steine. The year is unknown and it would be idle to speculate when this was. At the left there is no sign of Brills Baths (1869) but this may be due to the angle of the photograph. The chief feature is the complete absence of traffic. jgc_10_035
2018: The view today looking west across the Steine with the YHA Brighton Youth Hostel prominent on the corner. The lack of cars on this now very busy road is only due to getting up with the lark to beat the traffic. (Photographer: Jane Jordan)
James Gray: When the tramway system started in 1901, the Terminus was at the Church Street end of the Pavilion but a few years later this was extended to Old Steine. jgc_10_037
2018: The terminus has gone. The inner road is now part of a network of dedicated bus lanes from which cars are banned. This has greatly enabled buses to keep to their timetable despite heavy traffic congestion. (Photographer: Jane Jordan)
James Gray: This view shows the railings, which date from 1907. At this period the trams travelled north on the east side of the Steine but in May 1929, in view of the one-way system, they were reversed and used the west side on the outward journey. jgc_10_039
2018: The railings have gone from the south side of Steine Gardens. However, there are numerous less decorative but functional railings in place across the Steine to guide the heavy one-way traffic into the appropriate lanes. The very shiny coach belongs to the ‘Spirit of Sussex’ bus company. This was formerly Brighton and Hove Coaches and provides bus tours and day trips. (Photographer: Jane Jordan)
James Gray: This postcard gives a clear view of the front of the [Royal York] hotel as it was in the early years of the present century. It is postmarked March 1914, but may well have been taken a year or two earlier. jgc_09_128
2019: Not visible in the original photograph is the statue of Sir John Cordy Burrows which at the time was still in its original position in the Royal Pavilion grounds (see jgc_09_107) where it was unveiled on 14 February 1878.
James Gray: Empty Pool Valley in January 1929, at the time of the removal of Brill’s Baths in East Street. Note the contractor A Harvey’s hut at the left. Royal York Hotel was sold to Brighton Corporation later in this year. jgc_09_100
James Gray: This shows the Pool Valley façade in 1929, when Brill’s Baths had just been demolished. In that year the hotel was acquired by Brighton Corporation for use as offices and the Southdown Bus Terminus was established in Pool Valley. jgc_09_130
There are more images of the Old Steine on the ‘Historic Images of Brighton and Hove’ site: Click here to view