The Royal Pavilion

Father’s first job

When we moved to Brighton in 1949, my father’s first job was at the Royal Pavilion. I didn’t know what he did at the time, except he wore a dark suit with a peaked cap. I now know that he was one of the team of Information and Security officers – ISO’s as they are now called.

Rare school trip

I can remember being taken for a rare trip out of school, into the Royal Pavilion and downstairs to walk along the tunnel which led to the Dome. My father was waiting to greet us and I can remember shyly waving at him.

Uncle was a guide

My Uncle John, who had moved to Brighton with us, also worked there but as a guide. Thinking about it now, I don’t know how he got the job as he couldn’t have known much about the history of the building at that time but I do have photos of him dressed in Regency costume.

50 years later

My mother told me that he used to stand very still in the corner of a room when visitors came in, they assumed he was a mannequin and then he would begin to speak to them – many a scream could be heard! It seems strange that just over 50 years later, I became a guide at the Royal Pavilion