Category: Blog

This blog contains articles and posts taken from the Shorehambysea.com Forum.

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Sussex Pad

Sussex Pad

Just love the questions that old photos ask. The lower one is noted as circa 1903 – the top one is undated but despite it showing the building in a more dilapidated state it, and the lady’s style of dress, seems to indicate an older image perhaps and therefore a refurbished rendering in the lower image?
The cyclists advert suggests a landlord then (circa 1903) of Harry Jas (James) Burt (rather than what looks like Harry Jasbury) but with a small poster just above it appearing to include perhaps the words ‘New Management.’ The changing management theme is further indicated by the name ‘F.Smart’ appearing to have been recently added to the pub sign.
There is also a signpost pointing south indicating I guess the carriage works but why also Brigden at 187 Western Road when there were obviously others in that road? Someone with access to a Lancing directory of the period will have the answers

More pubs…
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Maples – Shoreham fisherman

These wonderful shoreham fishing photos come courtesy of Mary Gibbs. A newspaper cutting (written in a comical vein) from our own collection suggests that the fishermen were from the Maple family who appear elsewhere in articles on our website as oyster merchants at the western end of the High Street and sportsmen, mainly racing oarsmen and footballers.

One of the photos shows one fisherman wearing a jersey with the name ‘Imatra’ on it. This was one of the yachts built at Shoreham by Stow & Sons, launched in 1899 and over 100 years later is still sailing in water around New Zealand (see http://www.shorehambysea.com/stow-suter-yachts/ )  Like many other Shoreham fishermen this Maple man probably ‘double-jobbed’ as part of the crew for local yachts as and when required.

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Shoreham Military Funeral

This from Roy Wood of photos from William Wood’s funeral in 1934. William 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 procession was provided by the Sussex Regt. He is buried in St Julian’s graveyard.

Middle Road today (notice the ivy still growing)
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All in the detail

This well known photo of the veterans 1907 race at the Oxen Field (now Windlesham Gardens) was of particular interest to me as it provided a glimpse of the Mill Lane windmill that was owned at the time by a predecessor. More interestingly though was the fair there that included what looks like gypsy caravans and swing boats including one mad individual that  propelled his swing boat so high it was nearly vertical!

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Britannia

Photos to date of the ship Britannia in full classic side-on pose are in dirty condition and poor resolution – that is until one turned up that was included with the collection donated by Jean Tyler. The full length shot will be included when we have the galleries up and running (shouldn’t be long now) but, as usual, we couldn’t resist looking at the background detail. The Britannia was launched in 1877, the map is dated 1872.

Continue reading “Britannia”

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House Builders of Shoreham

The Parlett family name often appears in the Shoreham records around the  1930’s onwards, notably Frank, James and John Parlett who were largely involved with the building trade. John lived on the west side of the Old Shoreham Road, just below the viaduct where he had his workshop beneath one of the arches there. One of his advertisements in 1938 shows a neat looking bungalow he had built that Spinalman has since discovered still survives largely unaltered at number 357 Upper Shoreham Road.
The advertisement mentions  the houses, bungalows and shops that John was also building near the golf course and seems to be in competition with Braybons who were building at the nearby ‘Downside’ area. Building though came to a halt during the war years and the majority of both those areas did not become completely built upon until the 1960’s and after.

Garden Close: the bungalow featured in Braybon’s advert. Note the loss of chimney and curved windows.
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Disappearing Shoreham

Originally stretching all the way on both sides of the road from the suspension bridge to the flood arch, the old railings on the north side have recently been replaced by wooden ones.  Whether or not they were erected at the same time as the bridge itself (1833) is uncertain although it can be seen in many late 19th and early 20th century photos. This used wooden posts with the distinctive square iron rails held in place by a metal strap. Sometime since the wooden posts were replaced with cement ones but still using the square iron railings. Some of the south side railings still survive, for now, and although they may be of little architectural importance it is sad to see yet another part of the town’s history quietly disappearing almost unnoticed.

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Doodlebug discovery

In preparing photos to load on the website we made an interesting discovery when sorting through the Marlipins Museum photos which has led to an article for the Shoreham Herald appearing.

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5 bob for the caretaker

Little bits of history in snippets here from E. R. Harmsworth’s letter to the New Shoreham Local Board in 1891 most significant of which is the instruction that the new tramway terminus must be sited at the top (western end) of Ham Road.