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Do you remember the 1950s?

Constructed in the 18th century

King Street, constructed circa 1745-1779, ran south from Church Street to North Street.

Unfortunately today it is very short, as it was cut off across the end by construction of the usual ugly low-storey car park.

The first photograph here shows King Street in 1955, and the second shows what remains today. Below is the Brighton Borough Map 1934/35 which shows the area before demolition.

Do you remember King Street? If you can share your memories, please leave a comment below.

King Street 1955
Image reproduced with kind permission of The Regency Society and The James Gray Collection
King Street 2015 showing the back of the car park
©Tomy Mould: images copyright protected
Pre-demolition map of the area containing King Street
Royal Pavilion and Museums Brighton and Hove

Comments about this page

  • I started work for Patching Bros in Centurian Rd. They were upholsterers, they had an account with furnishing fabrics (the shop in the picture) and I was sent down there to collect items twice a week, that was in 1958.  Church St and surrounding area was full of different amazing shops, part of old Brighton, sadly all gone now.

    By Terry Hyde (06/01/2015)
  • I lived for a while with my parents in my grandmother’s house at number 37. I remember Stennings the grocers across the road from us. Funny, but only yesterday I was looking for photos of King Street. My Dad who passed away on 16th August last year wrote about his early life in King Street. I will go through his memoirs and post more information about life in King Street from the 30s through to the 50s.

    By prwood (07/01/2015)
  • I remember The Running Horse Pub which was I believe was at 21 King Street. I used to go there in the lunch hour when I was working Saturdays at Fine Fare, Western Road. Darts and a Toby were the order for Saturday. Age was never questioned!

    By Dennis Parrett (08/01/2015)
  • Oh its a shame about the horrible car park, it would have been nice left and developed as part North Laine!

    By Peter Groves (09/01/2015)
  • I was employed at Offords, which traded under the name of Offrex (I think) which made office equipment. I was there from Sep. to Dec. 1955 whilst waiting to start my apprenticeship with CVA at Portland Road. They had rows of fly presses worked mainly by women with about 4 toolmakers making the tools for the presses. There was also a large power press in the basement. Spray booth was on the first floor. The owner, whose name I can’t remember, chain smoked dumaurier cigarettes all day in his glass fronted office overlooking the main workshop. There was also about 10 men employed for the heavier jobs. I think they moved to Fishersgate 1956-7 . Does anybody remember it?   

    By John Boxell (11/01/2015)
  • As an Upholster (trainee at the time)King street was a regular trip for me to get trimmings from the shop in the photo. In 1950/51 it was called Roseal, run by 2 women, and was sold twice more that I know of.
    A little further down, a part was bulldozed and on the corner was the Ballard tree coffee house/tip. naturally as a young lad in the time of skiffle and beatnicks, tips, were the in thing.

    By ivor boofty (21/04/2021)
  • In the 1930s, my Mum, with her parents, had some holidays in a house in King Street owned or rented by some people with the surname of Coppin. She thought that they came from the Channel Islands. I have a photo of Mrs. Coppin.

    By Bill Armstrong (14/08/2023)

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