Sad to miss the school
It made my day to read the comments about George Street and remembering the memories of the stores. I went to George Street School for two years from 1957, I certainly remember Mr Jones. I visited the street some years ago, although it is lovely and modern, it was sad to miss the school. But I walked through into the car park to help me with the lovely memories and I certainly could feel them as I stood in what I felt would have been the playground. I feel it would have been coming up to a hundred years old now as I remember being there and celebrating its 50th birthday.
What shops do you remember? If you can share memories with us, please leave a comment below
On the internet to reminisce
I loved De Marcos coffee shop, and the store that ground the coffee beans, I will never forget that wonderful aroma. I bought my first record of Elvis Presley at the record store. My mother worked at the greengrocers that was halfway up the street on the right hand side going up. I remember the street being painted, done up and decorated for the Queen’s visit; what an occasion that was. As I now live in Australia, I often jump on the internet to look up Hove to reminisce. It was certainly lovely to read the comments and reminisce about George Street.
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Hello Barbara, great to read your memories of George Street. You mentioned the Queen’s visit, did you know there is a short film on the wonderful Pathe News website? It shows the Queen walking down George Street (you may even be in the crowd). Here’s the link http://www.britishpathe.com/video/queen-in-sussex/query/brighton+and+hove
I too have fond memories of George Street as, in 1978 when in my last year of senior school (Dorothy Stringer), I got a part time job – Friday evening after school and Saturday morning at Bellmans supermarket, filling shelves. An experience which I still remember vividly after all these years. A portion of my 15 shillings wage I spent in the record shop across the road.
Lived in Cromwell road in the 50s and early 60s and remember going to the old Sainsburys in George Street with its marble tops and eggs for 1 1/4 penny each. Shipphams fish and chips on the right hand side just before the school, a favourite place before cubs at Ralli Hall. Wickham, Kimber and Oakley for records. Later I worked part time in University Plastics, a rival to Hove Decorating Centre that is featured in the photo. Pleased the old fire station crest still remains over the cafe.
I used to live in St Aubyns, just around the corner and spent many hours in George Street. Not only do I remember the Royal visit but also Frankie Vaughn opening a clothes store there. I remember the greengrocers as we bought all our veggies for the hotel there. One of the chaps working there had a sister who was a local beauty queen. This was my main reason for going in there, a hormonal teenager, hoping for a glimpse. Ah, the smell of the roasting coffee wafting down the street, the ice creams in DeMarcos and the cakes in Clarkes Bakery. Nostalgia rules ok.
I lived in Goldstone Villas, then Blatchington Road. I too remember seeing Frankie Vaughan opening the clothes store. I worked in Drages the greengrocers on a Saturday to earn some pocket money. I remember the smell of roast coffee beans. Coe’s fishmongers and Butchers, Shaws Stores, Lyons leather goods, Broadley Brothers, Liptons, Sainsbury’s, De Marcos. The list goes on and on. Ah, the memories.
Hello Jim Lewis, just read your message and surprised it is so recent. My mother used to work for a greengrocers in George Street and I am sure it was called Drages, her name was Elsie, she used to start work about 12 noon every day, we lived in Seafield Road until about 1964/65 then moved to Lancing, she travelled from Lancing to Hove for a while then managed to find work in the greengrocers in Lancing opposite to where we lived. She would have left Drages about 1965/66 she started there about 1958/59. It was a mother and son that owned the greengrocers. Several actors and actresses used to buy their veggies there especially Dora Bryan.
I worked at a hairdressers in Blatchington Road from 1962 until 1965, I think it was called “Evelyns” I along with my brother and sister went to George Street School. We were Barbara, Keith and Marilyn Spencer. I realise it was the schools 100th year birthday, we celebrated, with a huge party held in the assembly hall everyone contributed something towards the party. Not been on here for a few years, Paul Clarkeson I saw the queen at the other end of Blatchington Road, thanks for the link I will look at it, my boss let me and another assistant run at the last minute as she was driven up I think would have been Sackville Road. Had a good view of her, I thought she was beautiful.
I wasn’t the one that took certain parts of my previous message out of the list of messages and used it as a heading “memories of an ex pat,” the co-ordinators have done this. Thank you so much for this I feel honoured. As I am getting older my past memories seem to be getting clearer but I forget what I did yesterday. My family and I emigrated to Australia in the 1970s I live on the Gold Coast in Qld. I do love my childhood memories of Hove and lived on the beach practically every day in the summer school holidays. At about 11.30am Before mum went to work she would bring down a small brown case of sandwiches and soft drink down to us on the beach as we would have been down there from 9am and stayed there until about 3.30pm and not once did we get sunburnt even though we sunbaked and lived in the water. Other times in the year you would have found me roller skating along the promenade. A wonderful place to grow up.
My name is Gail Scott, the Drages fruitshop was my Granny and my dad’s. I knew Elsie as I used to go to the shop when I was a little girl. I remember the Queen opening George Street. I also used to go the De Marco’s and I remember the Coe brothers! Lovely memories.
Gail, it was lovely to see your message. (I haven’t been on for a long while). Your Granny came to my engagement party with I think it was her second husband, they will be passed on now, what about your Dad, I remember him well. For about a year I used to have my lunches there upstairs sitting with your granny. Your Granny and your Dad were two lovely hardworking people. Mum loved & treasured her time at Drages, she died in 1985.
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