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JF Ivey & Co: North Road

Proposed rebuilding

Angela Simmons first contacted the website when she posted a message on our Local History Board about the very fine drawing shown here, which she found amongst her architect father’s belongings. The drawing is of the proposed rebuilding of the premises of Ivey & Sons of 84 North Road, and was signed E.H.Nash 13th September 1886.

Company history

Our resident local historian, Andy Grant, was able to tell us that J.F. Ivey & Co were Grocers trading in Brighton from around 1875 until around 1898 at different addresses. The building at 84, North Road appears to have been their main premises, and it was next door to Messrs Walter & Lynn, wholesale grocers at numbers 85-88. This company was also set up around 1875, originally being Walter, Lynn & Lomas.

Continuing in the grocery trade

The second photograph, taken in 1923, shows that the premises were still engaged in the grocery trade. And as a matter of interest, I know that when I came to Brighton in 1980, the premises was still a grocery outlet. They used to sell discount items as well as lots of rather exotic continental foods and chocolates. My husband and I were pretty hard up at the time so it was a favourite place for us.

Do you remember this shop? When was that and what did it sell? If you can share your memories with us, please leave a comment below.

Proposed rebuilding of 84 North Road
Drawing by E.H.Nash 13th September 1886: from the private collection of Angela Simmons
Kensington Gardens in 1923 showing 84 North Road on the right: notice it is still a grocery store
Image reproduced with kind permission of The Regency Society and The James Gray Collection
North Road location photographed in 2013
Photo by Tony Mould

Comments about this page

  • I remember this shop in the seventies as a child. They displayed their food on tables outside and served from there too. I don’t ever recall going into the shop though.I remember my Dad shopping here every Saturday for big bars of nougat and boxes of dates.

    By Carol Homewood (16/02/2013)
  • Am I right when I seem to remember a pet shop at the other end of Kensington Gardens, going on to Gloucester Road and roughly opposite Sydney St where the cork shop was?

    By John Davis (12/11/2013)
  • I think the pet shop was Cramphorns.

    By Carol Hardy (03/05/2018)

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