James Gray: Three of the original six streets of Cliftonville, taken in 1905, when they were about 50 years old. Two of them, Hova and Ventnor Villas, were probably different from this when they were built in the 1850s, except for the trees. Additional Information: Ventnor Villas. jgc_13_140
James Gray: This one-time elegant road has probably been one of the least altered roads in central Hove. Built in the Upper Cliftonville estate between 1859 and 1863, more than a century later externally its houses were virtually unchanged and there had been no demolitions or additions. This happy state of affairs came to an end in 1973 when this house was taken down to make way for a small block of flats. Unique in being the only detached villa in the entire road, Ventnor Lodge was a pleasing house of some character and it is doubtful whether the building which replaces it will tone in so well with the surrounding houses. Date of photographs 18 March 1973. jgc_13_144
James Gray: See jgc_13_144 above. jgc_13_145
2018: See jgc_13_144 above. (Photographer: David Sears)
James Gray: A very good view of the top of Ventnor Villas, also showing the two churches – Holy Trinity and Cliftonville Congregational. As this is but a copy photograph it is not possible to date it exactly, but the well protected saplings give us some clue. They seem to be of the same size as seen in the next photograph. This is known to be of the period 1870/1873, so I should think this view dates from then. Additional Information: ©Philippe Garner. jgc_13_147
James Gray: This is a very early photograph of this church, which was built in 1867. Originally the low building beyond it, with the steeple, had served as the church until the main building was erected. Later, during the reconstruction, the steeple was lowered and the original church rebuilt as Ventnor Hall.
At the time of this photograph, 1873, Blatchington Road was being built and beyond George Street can be seen two small private houses. Until 1870 George Street was shut in by a high wall and traces of the recent removal of this wall are clearly evident at the side of one of these houses. jgc_13_148
James Gray: This picture, taken outside the Church Hall, needs no explanation. It gives an excellent display of women’s clothes of 1915. jgc_13_149
2018: It is unlikely that women who attend what is now the Central United Reformed Church would pose quite so decorously and in such large numbers outside the Church Hall facing onto busy Blatchington Road before going on a ‘Cliftonville women’s afternoons & class outing’!
James Gray: The photograph of the Church is said to have been taken in 1911 or 1912, which is probably fairly accurate. If so, the building was approaching its 50th anniversary. One wonders if the trees on either side of Ventnor Villas were those seen as saplings in one of the Holy Trinity Church photographs, seen on another page. jgc_13_150
2018: This image is the view looking south-west into the northern end of Ventnor Villas from the pavement in front of Holy Trinity Church in Blatchington Road. It shows two-storey Newport Lodge, added to the road in about 1880, just to the south of what was the Congregational Church, later the Congregational and Presbyterian Church and now the Central United Reformed Church. In 1912, the east end of the church had not yet been changed and the entrance door was still under the right-hand arch. In 2018 the entrance is central and the tree on the corner has been removed, as have the railings round the church. (Photographer: David Sears)
James Gray: The contract for this work covered not only these two roads, but also Ventnor Villas. Work started on 9 April 1906 and finished on 22 June 1906. The photograph was taken during that period. jgc_14_132