James Gray: View of old houses on the west side of the street, affording a glimpse of the Kings Head Inn sheltering between the taller buildings. Note the position in the street of the side seated carriage, which is in the same spot in photographs on other pages. Evidently a regular carriage stand. jgc_07_001
James Gray: The original Inn on this site dated from the early seventeenth century, and was known as the George, and later as the Old George. It was from this Inn that King Charles II made his escape to France on 15 October 1651. After the restoration of the Inn, about 1770, the name was changed to the Kings Head.
James Gray: Directly opposite was the Kings Head Inn (see photographs on other pages). Here a coach party is about to leave on an outing. The period is about 1920, during the licenseeship of A. Goodman, who had the Inn until 1924. jgc_07_009
James Gray: The lower end of the street, dating from the 1920s. jgc_07_040
2019: (Photographer: Clare Hughes)
James Gray: Early in the 1920s, the Kings Head had been almost completely rebuilt, as will be seen from comparison of the previous photo [jgc_07_002 above]. Within just a few years, however, the site was sold and the building was removed to make way for the Sports Stadium, the girders of which can be seen at the extreme right. jgc_07_003
2019: The Travelodge is now on this site. (Photographer: Chris Nichols)
James Gray: Adjoining premises, 7 and 8 in 1910. 7 was originally a large four-storey private house, built about 1830, later a guesthouse and finally a shop on the ground floor. jgc_07_004
2019: The north-east corner of the Odeon Cinema / Pryzm Nightclub in West Street (to the right of the 2019 image) form almost exactly the same spot as did Nos 7 and 8 West Street. (Photographer: Chris Nichols)
James Gray: The West Street Brewery had been here since 1750 and remained until 1920 when the company amalgamated with Smithers Ltd. and ceased brewing here. jgc_07_005
2019: The entrance to the West Street Brewery survives as the open area between the main entrance to the Odeon Cinema and the Travelodge Hotel. (Photographer: Chris Nichols)
James Gray: The receipted bill of 1812 for the supply of ¼ chaldren of coal, about 5 cwts., to the Union School (Middle Street School) for the sum of 14/-. jgc_07_006
2019: The entrance to the coal merchant’s premises was via a carriage way between the Old King’s Head and a shop.
James Gray: Here is a genuine piece of Old Brighton, which few Brightonians still living would claim to remember. For this reason I attach a copy of this area [see jgc_07_011] from the Ordnance Survey of 1875, and have marked the houses in red ink, with XXs. They were 8 and 9 Kent Street, the narrow cul-de-sac turning from the corner of King’s Road and West Street. Where the horse is standing on the left was the side entrance to the large West Street Brewery. The photograph was taken in the early years of this century and the houses that are left in this tiny street finally went when the Brewery area was cleared away in 1932. jgc_07_010
2019: See jgc_07_011, which is an extract from the 1875 50″ map, for an explanation of the exact location of Kent Street. The street line would have been further south in the past, hence this picture of the seafront as the 2019 photograph. (Photographer: Chris Nichols)
James Gray: A copy of this area from the Ordnance Survey of 1875, and I have marked the houses [shown in previous photograph] in red ink, with XXs. jgc_07_011
2019: The street line for the junction of West Street and Kingsway on the eastern side is several yards further forward than the western Kingswest side. The 1875 O.S. map and the early Goad maps indicate that the street line (i.e where the houses join the pavement) would indeed have been similar on the western side of the street. As Kent Street was at the junction, it is safe to assume that its location would have been on what we now see as the pavement in front of the Kingswest, and in the Kingswest itself … hence this ‘updated’ photograph. (Photographer: Chris Nichols)
James Gray: Old West Street, about 1878, showing the original George Inn which was built in the early years of the century. It was demolished and rebuilt in 1892. Additional Information: Signage, lettering, people. jgc_07_020
2019: This photo of the west side of the street is similar to jgc_07_001 above. (Photographer: Chris Nichols)
James Gray: These three photographs [this jgc_07_027 and following jgc_07_028 and 029] give a good indication of what West Street was like soon after the 1914-18 war. Taken in 1925 they show the lower part of the street between King’s Road and Little Russell Street. It will be seen from this photograph that the traffic, such as it was, was controlled by a single policeman. jgc_07_027
James Gray: View looking south. jgc_07_028
2019: All the buildings on the west side of the street have been replaced by the Odeon Cinema and Pryzm nightclub complex (also known as the Kingswest Centre), the Travelodge Hotel, and an Italian restaurant. More of the east side of the street remains and these buildings now house bars and clubs. The railings are a new addition. (Photographer: Clare Hughes)
James Gray: The lower end of the street, dating from the 1920s. jgc_07_041
2019: All the buildings on the western side of the street have been replaced. Some of the buildings at the southern end of the street remain and are now pubs and clubs. The bow fronted building is now Revolution nightclub and a very lively venue on Friday and Saturday nights.
James Gray: The lower end of the street, dating from 1911. Additional Information: Pelican Hotel. jgc_07_042
2019: See 2019 caption to jgc_07_024. (Photographer: Clare Hughes)
James Gray: A similar view to previous original [jgc_07_020]. jgc_07_021
2019: West Street has changed almost beyond recognition since the 1878 image was taken.
James Gray: The view up West Street on 3 July 1954, when men still wore suits and short hair! The George Inn (left) went in 1963 and the Ice Rink in 1966. jgc_07_026
2019: As with other images, the west side of the street has completely changed apart from St Paul’s Church. (Photographer: Clare Hughes)
James Gray: These photographs [jgc_07_032, 033 and 034] show the extensive clearance of many old buildings prior to the erection of the Sports Stadium in 1933. In addition to a number of old shop premises in West Street, no fewer than 29 small houses in Little Russell Street, Little Russell Court, Kent Street and West Street Cottages were swept away. This and the following photograph [jgc_07_033] shows the area cleared by the removal of houses in Little Russell Street and West Street cottages. Note the backs of four houses in Russell Street, the end one of which was the old public house ‘The Fisherman at Home.’ jgc_07_032
James Gray: See caption for jgc_07_032 above. jgc_07_033
2019: jgc_07_032 and 033 both show images of the clearance of the west side of West Street in the 1930s. The OneFamily finance company now stands on the site. (Photographer: Clare Hughes)
James Gray: These photographs [jgc_07_032, 033 and 034] show the extensive clearance of many old buildings prior to the erection of the Sports Stadium, in 1933. In addition to a number of old shop premises in West Street, no fewer than 29 small houses in Little Russell Street, Little Russell Court, Kent Street and West Street Cottages were swept away. In this view can be seen the demolition of West Street Brewery, established here about 1750. The building at the back is the Palladium cinema (see jgc_01_217 [on the King’s Road (3) page] and following). jgc_07_034
2019: The One Family Finance company now stands on the site of the demolished buildings. (Photographer: Clare Hughes)
James Gray: The only known photograph of this tiny court [West Street Court]. Approached by a narrow covered passage, the entrance to which was between 9 and 10 West Street, it gave onto a small paved area with a low wall beyond. Six small houses were on the north side with just two outside WCs., one being seen in this photograph. The tall building in the rear was part of the West Street Brewery. The cottages were probably 100-150 years old when demolished in 1932. jgc_07_051
James Gray: Nearly 30 years later [than jgc_07_054 on the West Street (Brighton) (North) page], in 1925, at the bottom of West Street. These two premises were occupied by Mr Harry Taylor, No 3 as Dining Rooms and No 4 as the Seaview Hotel. Both buildings were demolished in 1936 and the cleared space added to the Stadium Car Park. jgc_07_055
James Gray: Three photographs [jgc_07_102 below, jgc_07_103, and jgc_07_104 on the West Street (Brighton) (Central) page] of the lower end of this famous street, with little to commend them or even write about. The dates are unknown and even the periods are difficult to determine. The Dining Rooms seen here, as well as the Sports Stadium, were removed in 1966/7. jgc_07_103
James Gray: View looking north to The Clock Tower. Additional Information: Newspaper: Air Ministry Recruiting Appeal. People and fashion. jgc_07_097
James Gray: The transformation is all but completed. Nos 4 and 5 of the old street are still standing, but are soon to be removed and the cleared site used as a car park. Above the church, Phoenix Building has been completed but hoardings still surround the adjacent vacant site and for a short distance the original remains. In only five years the west side of the street has been almost entirely rebuilt. Contrast this photograph with that taken in 1930 from almost exactly the same spot [jgc_07-058]. Additional Information: The Regent -Brighton’s Premier Talkie Theatre; West Pier – visit the new Sun Terrace. jgc_07_101
James Gray: The view from the bottom of the street looking north. The only visible widening is between Cranbourne Street and the Clocktower, where Burton’s building had been erected in 1928. Note the King’s Head Hotel on the left. From an earlier Inn on the same site as this, King Charles II is said to have made his escape to France in 1651. The King’s Head was demolished in 1932 to make way for the Sports Stadium. jgc_07_058
2019: Another view looking north up West Street; this time taken from the corner of South Street. The only building that remains on the west side of the street is St Paul’s Church. (Photographer: Clare Hughes)
James Gray: Building of the Odeon Cinema in progress. This building was completed with extraordinary rapidity. jgc_07_105
James Gray: Building of the Odeon Cinema in progress. This building was completed with extraordinary rapidity. This photograph was taken in November (see advertisement) yet the cinema was complete and opened in Christmas week 1937. The buildings at the end of the street have been removed and the cleared space added to the Stadium car park. Higher up can be seen the extension to Phoenix Building, but no sign, as yet, of the new Regency Road. jgc_07_106
James Gray: 25 years later and the George Inn remains as the only relic of the old western side of West Street. It was removed in 1963 and the site is now being redeveloped. Before long the Sports Stadium will be demolished after a life of only about 35 years. jgc_07_107
James Gray: The Sports Stadium, then know temporarily as the Brighton Palladium, advertising its ice show for Christmas 1963. jgc_07_108
James Gray: The S.S. Brighton, as it was originally named, in the summer of 1934, soon after its opening as a large swimming pool. In the following year it was converted to an ice rink. jgc_07_115
James Gray: The Stadium on the day it closed down, 17 October 1965, at the end of the Conservative Party Conference. jgc_07_116
James Gray: So, after a short life of only 31 years, the Stadium was scrapped. Demolition necessarily took a long time, in fact nearly a year. Here is the cleared site from the pavement of Little Russell Street, on 27 November 1966. How long it will remain empty is anyone’s guess. jgc_07_117
James Gray: Looking across the cleared site of the Sports Stadium (demolished 1966) on 27 November of that year.
James Gray: A very fine photograph, of the 1880s, which for once shows the east, rather than the west side of this old street. Note the Grand Skating Rink, the old style Chatfield Hotel at the narrow entrance to South Street, the Women’s Lying-in Institution, private houses with their forecourts, and the profusion of gas lamps. My guess is that the year was 1887, the year of Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. Additional Information: W. Hall & Son, photographers; Sea View Coffee & Dining Rooms; The corner building at RHS has been rebuilt – see previous photographs. jgc_07_024
2019: More of the original buildings remain on the east side of West Street than on the west, and those in the foreground of the image remain fundamentally the same. However they are now predominately pubs and nightclubs. The building in the foreground of the image on the west (right) side of the street is now the Odeon Cinema and Pryzm nightclub. The clocktower is just about visible in both images. (Photographer: Clare Hughes)