Glue, satin and lace
When I was a child we lived in St George’s Place. Just around the corner, in an old shed, was a man who used to make coffins. I would sit for hours watching him; the smell of glue and varnish and the white satin and lace pillows are forever in my memory.
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The smithy
In Gloucester Place/Street, I cannot remember which, there was a little old shop run by Mrs. Mantle. It sold everything you could think of, and always smelt of paraffin. The smithy just down from there was a hive of industry. I would watch the flames and see the men hammering the red hot metal to make some sort of springs for cars I think.
Smallpox outbreak
When the smallpox outbreak started in 1950, I can remember queues of people waiting for their vaccinations. Just along the road from our house was the Astoria Cinema in Gloucester Place. Although I am too young to remember what film was on, I can remember that in the foyer, there was a huge cage of monkeys, can anyone else remember this?
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From Pikes Directory 1937, Mrs Mantle [general stores] was at 8 Gloucester Street and at 4/5 was A.Stone & Sons general smiths. I would imagine that the coffin maker was in St Georges Mews behind, working in Newman & Son undertakers.
The last building on the left used to be the Brighton Council Rent Office. I remember people queuing along the road waiting for it to open when I was on my way to work in the ’80s.
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