Ship Street

James Gray: Duke Street, formerly Craggs Lane, is one of the oldest streets in the town. In this photograph, the original of which was taken in 1850, can be seen the very narrow street which was only 17 feet wide. There were actually houses adjoining the south wall of Holy Trinity Church.The church was built as Trinity Chapel for Thomas Reade Kemp in 1817 and almost certainly these houses were already there then. Additional Information: Note the large tree in Duke Street and the ghostly figure of a woman looking out of the top window of the flint house next to the church. jgc_08_012

James Gray: An original photograph, probably by Edward Fox, and dating from the 1860’s. It shows the old flint house 37, Duke Street at the corner of Ship Street, adjoining Holy Trinity Chapel here seen with its original façade. In 1867 this house, with several others adjoining, was demolished and Duke Street widened to its present width. Additional Information: S.Cash, House Painter resident at 37 Duke Street.The church was later covered in stucco and Duke Street was pedestrianised in the 1980s. jgc_08_013

James Gray: I make no apology for including in my collection, this third example of the fine old 1850 photograph, looking up Duke Street from the corner of Ship Street. It is by far the clearest print I have seen, particularly of the buildings at the top of the street, and it almost brings out the shape of the handcart in the roadway. Additional Information: © Phillipe Garner. Enlargement of jgc_08_012. jgc_08_028

James Gray: This photograph forms an interesting compliment to those of Old Duke Street which appear[above.] It was copied from an old photograph of 1867. In that year Duke Street was widened from 17 feet to its present width of 32 feet by the removal of all the houses on the north side including those that hemmed in Holy Trinity Church. Here can be seen the widened road, the refaced wall of the church and the demolition in progress of one of the old houses, probably the original No 34. A century ago photography attracted quite a crowd of interested bystanders. jgc_08_029

James Gray: Yet another copy of the famous 1850 photograph giving a view of the full length of Duke Street. Additional Information: Repeat of jgc_08_012. One of four on page.  jgc_08_030

2019: These two images show the transformation, not only of the Holy Trinity Church but also of Duke Street. Before the demolition of the houses on the north side, Duke Street was too narrow for the carriages needing access to the old town.

James Gray: A 1960s photograph of the north end of Ship Street showing buildings just beyond those seen in the old photograph [jgc_08_030]. However, the Underwood building can be seen at the extreme right of the sepia photograph on an earlier page [jgc_08_013].  jgc_08_031

2019: The exterior of the buildings on this part of Ship Street remains substantially the same although the uses to which the buildings are put have all changed since the James Gray photograph was taken in the 1960s. It is a sad sign of the times that several of the shops have closing down Sale and To Let signs. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)

James Gray: The old Post Office, about 1907. It was established here in 1849 having moved from smaller premises in New Road. Enlargements of the premises took place in 1858 and 1870. The larger adjoining building served for many years as the Sorting Office until the present building was erected on the site of Reed’s foundry in North Road, in 1922. Soon afterwards the public departments of the Post Office moved next door into the present building. jgc_08_034

James Gray: The transition from horse to petrol 1 June 1905. These photographs [jgc_08_035 and 036] show the last horse-drawn mail van [and first petrol van] outside the old Sorting Office in Ship Street. Several of the officials appear in both photographs. jgc_08_035

2019: See caption for jgc_08_034 above. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)

James Gray: The motor van may well have been that which later crashed in Preston Road. [see Preston Road (1) page jgc_18_026]. jgc_08_036

2019: See caption for jgc_08_034 above. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)

James Gray: Identifying the buildings seen in this photograph of the early 1860s proved to be far from easy. Eventually the name “Pocock” on the fascia of the centre window provided the clue. The photographer was standing on the redbrick pavement outside the Old Ship Hotel, looking to the west. These buildings were completely reconstructed later in the century. jgc_08_037

James Gray: Two photographs of 66 & 67 Ship Street, the buildings which adjoined the Heart & Hand to the south. Both older than the inn building, they have the appearance of having been at first private houses, especially No 67 with its small dormer window. However, even in the early 19th century the ground floors were used as shops, so who can tell. I do not know the approximate age of No 67 but it must have been one of the oldest houses in the Old Town still standing when photographed on 7 February 1973. Both demolished in 1974. jgc_08_038

2019: Two views of the area originally occupied by Nos 66 & 67 Ship Street today. Following demolition, the buildings in the original photograph were replaced by a modern doctor’s surgery with flats above. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)

James Gray: [See caption for jgc_08_038 above.] jgc_08_039

2019: See caption above. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)

James Gray: This photograph has no relevance to the others. It is of the new Motor Mail Van outside the then Sorting Office, in 1905. jgc_08_040

2019: The older part of the building seen on the right was converted into a branch of FatFace, a well known clothing retailer, not long after the Post Office ceased trading there in May 2007. The northern section remained empty for some time after the closure and became the scene of a somewhat contentious squat during 2012/13. Eventually a restaurant, The Ivy, opened on that part of the site. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)

James Gray: Mascall’s Brush Makers shop, at No 19 Ship Street, photographed in the closing years of Queen Victoria’s reign. I do not know the year that Thomas Mascall founded his business here, but he is listed in Leppard’s 1845 Brighton Directory at this address. The business continued in this family for nearly a century, finally closing in 1930. A photograph of Thomas Mascall in the midst of his baskets can be seen on another page in this volume. jgc_08_041

James Gray: As befitted one of the oldest streets in the town, Ship Street had some elegant doorways to its houses some of which remain though many have gone. Here are a few examples. This photograph is No. 69 on the east side, which at one time had been a Ladies Proprietary School, photographed in 1949. jgc_08_043

James Gray: As befits one of the oldest streets in the town, Ship Street had some elegant doorways to its houses, some of which remain though many have gone. Here are a few examples. Nos 59-63, east side. No 62 & 63 retained their doorways, but the doorway of No 61 was lost during conversion to shop premises. jgc_08_044

James Gray: [See caption for jgc_08_044 above.] jgc_08_045

2019: Externally much the same but looking south rather than north (as in jgc_08_043) No 69 was the home of a number of firms of solicitors up to the late 1960s before becoming the home of the British Council for a while. It has been a Young People’s Centre since 1999. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)

James Gray: As befits one of the oldest streets in the town, Ship Street had some elegant doorways to its houses, some of which remain though many have gone. Here are a few examples. No 7 on the west side seen at the same time as the others on this page. Occupied for many years by the Sussex Motor Yacht Club. jgc_08_046

2019: Whilst looking much the same as in the original photograph, No 7 today is now an annexe of the Hotel Du Vin rather than the separate premises it once was. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)

James Gray: As befits one of the oldest streets in the town, Ship Street had some elegant doorways to its houses, some of which remain though many have gone. Here are a few examples. No. 9 west side, photographed in 1954. Main occupants, for the period of more than 30 years, the South Coast Dairy Company. jgc_08_047

2019: Whilst looking superficially the same, the doorway to No 9 is in fact a modern reproduction and the whole building has been completely reconstructed as an up-to-the-minute office suite complete with all mod cons. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)

James Gray: The New Ship was a 17th century inn that was referred to in Goodwyn’s Rental in 1665 as “a cottage, stable & garden called the New Ship”. In 1741 it was used as the first coach office and a barn had been added to it by this time. The hotel premises shown in the photograph replaced the old inn during the course of the last century and were themselves demolished in 1933 to make way for the present Henekeys premises.

James Gray: [See caption for jgc_08_048 above.] jgc_08_049

2019: See caption for jgc_08_048 above. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)

James Gray: [See caption for jgc_08_048 above.] jgc_08_050

2019: Henekeys later became Lanes Café Bar and the site is now the Hotel du Vin. Ship Street seems to have suffered less inappropriate development than some of the streets in the Old Town area. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)

James Gray: This was a very old established business and the year shown, 1868, is correct for in that year James Thorpe opened his secondhand booksellers shop at No 4 Union Street, just a few yards away. Later he moved his business to these premises, I know not when, but he was certainly here by the 1890s. Thereafter the Thorpe family ran it until about 1955 when it was acquired by Sextons. The years of both photographs (jgc_08_051 and 052) are not known but obviously the small one is earlier and may have been taken in the late 1950s. jgc_08_051

2019: No 53 Ship Street is today a Grade II listed building. Since 2010 it has been occupied by Cafe Coho, one of Brighton’s many coffee shops. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)

James Gray: [See caption for jgc_08_051 above.] In this photograph it can be seen that they mention they are “Successors to J. Thorpe”. The lettering on the adjoining building was to advertise THE BRIGHTON HOVE & PRESTON BUILDING SOCIETY. Then, as now, this building ran round into nearby Union Street. jgc_08_052

2019: See caption for jgc_08_051 above. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)

James Gray: These [jgc_08_053 and, on the Black Lion Street page, 054] are recent copies of two quite old originals. This photograph taken by the well-known artist Edward Fox looks at the turn from Ship Street into Duke Street and shows the original façade of Holy Trinity Chapel. This was doubtless taken in the early 1860s, as the Duke Street houses were removed in 1866-67. Additional Information: © Phillipe Garner. One of two on page. More likely, this photograph was taken by Edward Fox Junior who was a professional photographer and had a business in the town, his father, also Edward, being the artist. jgc_08_053

James Gray: The old General Post Office in Ship Street, in 1909. jgc_08_062

2019: See caption for jgc_08_034 above. (Photographer: Ron Fitton) 

James Gray: The premises of the London & Midland Bank (later Midland Bank) 38, North Street, at the corner of Ship Street, in 1896. The bank opened its branch here in 1893, but only stayed until 1903 before moving across North Street to its present site on the corner of Bond Street. Previously the premises had been put to a variety of uses such as a baker’s shop, booksellers and a music warehouse, but since the Bank moved it has chiefly been used as a ladies costumiers. jgc_21_089

2020: What was a bank in 1893 is a travel agency in 2020. (Photographer: Mike Doodson)

James Gray: In this year the building was threatened with destruction. A proposal was made that part of the widening of North Street should be carried out on the south side of the street, which would have meant the demolition of these premises. It will be seen that one of the bills states that the building is coming down, while the large hoarding refers to a temporary extension of lease and proclaims that the building is not coming down yet. In 1956 it is still there, just the same as it was in 1931! jgc_21_090

2020: The main changes since 1931 are the demolition of buildings on the right hand side, to widen the road, and replacement with various newer buildings including the Barclays Bank nearest to the camera. (Photographer: Mike Doodson)

James Gray: This group of photographs [jgc_07_144 to jgc_07_148], taken during the 1950s, show the transformation which has since happened in the central area of the west side of this street. The three tall houses, all numbered 17, have been replaced with new offices called Friese-Greene House. Actually, he lived at No.20. jgc_07_147

2023: The three tall houses seen in the 2023 photograph are, from left to right, Nos 15, 16 and 17 Ship Street, all three Grade II listed and none of them associated with William Friese-Greene (see also jgc_07_148). (Text: Lyn Turpin. Image: Alan Hobden)

James Gray: This group of photographs, taken during the 1950s, show the transformation which has since happened in the central area of the west side of this street. The three tall houses, all numbered 17, have been replaced with new offices called Friese-Greene House. Actually, he lived at No.20. jgc_07_148

2023: Either James Gray wrongly attributed this image and that of jgc_07_147 to Middle Street or there was a transcription error at the time of digitising the entries. James Gray’s text is identical in both entries and both photographs are of Ship Street, not Middle Street. There is no evidence that William Friese-Greene lived in either 20 Middle Street or 20 Ship Street although he briefly used a workshop at the rear of 20 Middle Street (see jgc_07_145 on the Middle Street page). (Text: Lyn Turpin. Image: Alan Hobden)