The history portal for Shoreham-by-Sea, Sussex, England
Never really considered the age of this photo too much before but on looking closely it shows The Church of the Good Shepherd (1913) but no film studio (1915) added to which the Pashley brothers finally closed their flying school at Shoreham in December 1914. Perhaps the earliest aerial photo of Shoreham?
For those that like the Shoreham lighthouse, then we have a treat for you today. For years we’ve seen the dull grimy path with the old door and often wondered what it was like inside.
A much damaged photo but perhaps the only one of that subject that still survives. ‘The View’ stood near today’s junction of Woodard’s View with King’s Drive.
Mention of the Fountain Inn recently prompted a further look. The two 1780’s maps show it (highlighted with a blue dot) followed by the 1872 map after it was, we are told, absorbed into the first Bridge Hotel building.
I’d always thought what was left of the Fountain was the building numbered 2 but it looks from the maps as if it must have been the tall gable-ended building 1 which certainly looks more 18th century or earlier in style than the others.
It had quite a history. Apart from being an inn it had an assembly room that was used to perform plays by touring actors; the local Freemasons met there and poor young James Rook from Old Shoreham was committed for trial there and later hung for his part in the 1790’s robbery of the mail.
This from Roy Wood of photos from William Wood’s funeral in 1934. Wiliam lived at 5, Middle Road (later renumbered 36), Shoreham. He had joined the Royal West Kent regiment in 1892 and was finally discharged in 1917. The Army honours their own – the funeral processon was provided by the Sussex Regt. He is buried in St Julian’s graveyard.
Heading west along the Upper Shoreham Road, just past the radar speed trap coming up to the junction with Downsway on the right and Oxen Avenue on the left with the dip in the road ahead …………………. one hundred years ago.
We know for a fact that a photo of buildings in Shoreham High Street was taken in 1891 – the 31st of March that year to be precise and this enlargement of one of them is a bit puzzling. The house, just beyond the King’s Head, is a low structure compared with the buildings around and is thought to be quite ancient – a very old chamfered queen post in the roof trusses was found during the 1970’s demolition.
What is intriguing is this enlargement that seems to show items outside it. At least three of the items look identical. Was it a shop or perhaps the occupiers moving in/out? The items look almost like inflatable dinghies but it seems those did not appear for a couple of decades or so after?
Over the years we’ve explored cellars and vaults in places such as Church Street, Middle Street, High Street and discovered photos of some that no longer exist. Here’s another lost cellar (below left) from the galleries of Brighton & Hove Stuff – as far as we can make out it shows the final stages of demolishing the old sail loft at the west end of the High Street and the cellars beneath it.
Carolyn Orme has sent us photos of her Belfield predecessors and their bungalow in Bungalow Town asking for more information as to its location. ‘Maelvy’ is readily identifiable on the available photos and records. We’re now trying to date the main photo of her family outside the bungalow that also shows the neighbouring ‘Anchorage’ beside it. It is difficult to see for sure but it does look like the photo was taken before ‘Seaside’ was built (where they are standing/sitting) to obstruct their view of the sea.
‘Seaside’ appears to have been built in 1917 so before then; the Belfields are shown occupying ‘Villa Lido’ in 1911 and 1914 before the well known Melville family start appearing there. One of the Belfield family was attending Lancing College at the time and he was born in 1900. No Belfield’s are shown at ‘Maelvy’ in the directories but they may only have rented it for a short while.
Victims of the 1930’s High Street widening were these two characterful buildings. Behind them was the old ship building yard that later became Suter’s yacht yard.
