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VE Day street party

This street photo was taken on VE Day 1945.

VE Day 1945 Florence Avenue, Hove
From the private collection of Nick Pattenden

Comments about this page

  • Does anybody recognize themselves in this photo? I’m the small boy in the front middle wearing sort of overalls; my sister Nancy is behind me in the black sweater, and my eldest sister Sheila is the first child in the front row on the right of the picture.

    By Nick Pattenden (28/12/2007)
  • My father and his family lived in Florence Avenue. Their name was Phillips. There were 8 children. I think I can recognise my Auntie Sheila in the photo. My dad was Ron. He had two brothers George and Ken and then the sisters were Win, Eileen,Sheila, Elsie and Lil. Sadly my Dad George and Win have died. Ken and Lil emigrated to Canada, Elsie now lives in Cornwall and Eileen and Sheila are still living in Hove.

    By Marilyn Rendle (19/07/2008)
  • I am in the front row third left of this photo, and my brother Keith is front row left end. We both have the same jumpers on that my mum would have knitted. We lived in Bellingham Crescent but spent most of our time with our aunts/uncles at our Nan Phillips house in Florence Avenue so that is why we would have been in the photo. I remember this photo that mum had but did not have a copy of it so am grateful to be able to see it. My mum Win Tipler (nee Phillips) is in the photo above me in the black jacket. My aunt Elsie is behind her and my Nan is next to her. My aunt Sheila is above and just to the left of me. I also recognise Warren Bath and his mum. I would have been 3 in the photo and my brother 2. Marilyn who has commented is my cousin. My mum would have loved to know that this photo was on the internet.

    By Brian R Tipler (25/08/2008)
  • I have this photo. We (the Phillips family) lived at number 35 Forence Avenue. I was the youngest of eight siblings. My Mother (Lillian), sisters (Wynn, Elsie & Sheila), nephews (Brain & Keith Tipler) are all in this photo group, plus childhood friends. I recognize Michael Ormarod, I remember we used to pinch his mothers gooseberries. I believe he became Chief Police Inspector of Worthing. I also recognize David Bortch, Billy Bowles, David Knott, Bonny & Jimmy Harwood, Brian & Dennis Bonnyface & parents, Dennis Trussler, Jeanette Baxter, Shirley & June Jakes, and Warren Bath and his Mum. Needless to say I should have been on this photo. I was seven years old and for some misdemeanour (can’t remember what) was sent to my room. When allowed out later for the VE party I stubbornly dug my heels in and would not go, so missed out on all the celebrations. Since 1967 I have lived in Canada. In 1980 the strangest phenomenon happened when I was playing darts at the ANZA club in Vancouver. I overheard English voices and started talking to two separate visitors who turned out to have both been brought up on Florence Ave. One of those kids lived there at the same time as me. Guess who! It was Nick who initiated this web site. We have never conversed since – until now.

    By Ken Phillips (31/08/2008)
  • Yes, Ken, I remember very well meeting you at the ANZA club (was it really 1980?). That was the strangest coincidence that has ever happened to me. Some of the names you mentioned are familiar – the Harwoods (wasn’t one of them called Ken?), and Warren Bath, and David Knott. The Knotts were family friends of ours and they lived almost opposite us in Florence Avenue. In 1948, both of our families moved up to the new Hangleton estate, and the Knotts ended up living next door to us in Midhurst Walk. My sister Sheila is still very good friends with Pat Knott after all this time!

    By Nick Pattenden (14/10/2008)
  • I recognise many faces from Florence Avenue, I lived at no. 43. I saw Sheila Phillips a couple of weeks ago and she told me about this picture. It’s great to see everyone.

    By Jeanette Bax (now Smith) (01/08/2009)
  • You haven’t changed a bit Nick, although I never realised you lived in Florence Ave. I lived in Isabel Crescent after the war until about 1962, and at the time of the photo I remember looking out of my bedroom window at a similar street party in Elm Drive, having caught measles or something, and being forced to eat junket (ugh) instead of jelly and blancmange.

    By Geoff Stoner (26/08/2009)
  • My grandmother lived at No 41 – would anyone know if she was in this photograph? Her name was Kate Warner and my father was Harold (aka Jack) but I assume he would have been away with the air force as he would have been 25 at the time of this picture.

    By Sue Warner (02/09/2009)
  • Ah just thought, my grandmother remarried and would have been Kate Boxall by 1945. There were several Boxall children but no idea what ages they would have been.

    By Sue Warner (03/09/2009)
  • I also have a copy of this street party photo. My family lived at number 10, my mum and dad – Sidney and Peggy South, my sisters Rae, Ann, Pauline and my brothers Mick and Ted. The little boy at the front on the left hand side of the photo was my brother Mick holding my sister Ann’s hand. The lady with the scarf was Mrs Jakes. I’m standing in the centre of the photo two rows back to the left of the girl with bows in her hair, who is my oldest sister Rae. David Knott is now married to my cousin Miriam. I remember the Leppard boys, the Smith family, the Gadd family, the Goldsmith family, Margaret was my friend, all the Jakes – Shirley, Maureen and June, I still see June around as she lives close to me in Portslade. I remember the Pattendens, Mrs Harwood, who used to come into the shop I managed in London Road, and her son Mick. On leaving school most of us went to work at Kayser Bondor. I also met up with Michael Ormorod, who went into the Police, he lived in the same street. I have very many fond memories of growing up in Florence Avenue – everybody helped everyone else and it was a real community.

    By Patricia James (nee South) (26/12/2009)
  • My Gran is in this picture Ellen Gayler who lived at number 43. My Dad also lived there his name is Donald Gayler who served in the Royal Marines in the Second World War. Jeanette Bax is my cousin. I have got a copy of this picture but it is lovely to see it on the net. I wonder if anybody remembers my dad, he is 85, or maybe his father Arthur Gayler.

    By Linda Gayler (19/05/2010)
  • My family lived at number 15, I was the youngest of three. I had a brother John who was in the merchant navy and a sister Margaret. I remember the Souths, the Baxters the Jakes, the Bonnyfaces, the Gadds and many more. I used to play with Sheila Jakes and Pauline South also Christine and Rhona Baxter- we would play skipping in the middle of the road and there were hardly ever any cars. I remember carol singing round the doors at Christmas and the street party for the Queens Coronation. I bet someone has a picture of that street party- I had some very happy times in Florence Avenue.

    By Sandra Goldsmith (Taylor) (14/07/2010)
  • Hi there **genuine request**. I am researching for a TV series based around archive photos. I would be delighted to hear from anyone who can put me in touch with as many of the people in this wonderful photo as possible. I would be delighted to provide further details if you email me on andrew.blackwell@terntv.com Hope you can help.

    By Andrew Blackwell (16/11/2010)
  • I was amazed to see my name and my sister Rhona mentioned in Sandra Goldsmith’s letter. They were such happy times. It would have been lovely to see a street photo of the Queen’s coronation party. We lived at no 28 from 1950 to 1965 when I got married from no 28. It would be lovely to hear from other friends that lived there.

    By Christine Carden Nee Baxter (31/01/2011)
  • This picture is fantastic! I have lived in Florence Avenue for the last 27 years. Does anyone know where this picture is taken in the street? We still have the same lamp post (bases).

    By Angie (19/04/2011)
  • In answer to Angie’s question – the photo was taken just before the bend on Florence Ave, before the alley way outside number 37 (the Godfrey’s home at the time). My home was number 35.

    By Ken Phillips (07/08/2011)
  • I have been doing some research on my grandparents and was always lead to believe they lived in Florence Avenue from 1910 onwards, but records show that Florence Avenue was not named until 1925. Can anyone tell me the original name of Florence Avenue? Doing research for visiting cousins from Canada and Australia. Thank you.

    By D. Thomas (03/05/2012)
  • Geoff Stoner, I lived in Isabel Cresc from 57-68. I lived in number 14, the Pentons two doors up from the rent office. My dad was Cecil, or Mick to some. Ring any bells?

    By Steven Keith Penton (20/11/2012)
  • Steven, I regret that I do not recall your family. You do not state your age or indeed whether you remembered me (we lived at Nr.3), but I suspect that maybe you are much younger than I am, and therefore we would not enjoy that easy association that children of a similar age strike up. However, I’m sure that we have many mutual friends and aquaintances. With kind regards. Geoff Stoner.

    By Geoff Stoner (21/11/2012)
  • I’ve just come across this post and string of comments. My family lived at 37 Florence Avenue. My Grandad worked on the building of the houses and my Nan/Grandad were the first tenants; Flo and Dick Godfrey and then my parents Kath & George Hillman took on the tenancy and us 4 children were all born in the front bedroom; Brenda, George (Terry) Keith and lastly me. I remember Warren Bath at 33 and my parents talked of the Philips who used to live next door. Brenda would remember more than any of us as she was the oldest and born in 1943. Thank you for posting this photo.

    By Deborah Cope nee Hillman (31/05/2022)
  • To Deborah Cope, nee Hillman.
    The information that I collected some years ago on the names of those in the VE Day photo may be of interest to you.
    VE Day Photo Florence Avenue

    Front Row
    Keith Tipler/Brenda Hillman/Brian Tipler/Brian Boniface/Warren Bath/Jackie Boniface/Hazel
    Downer/Nancy Pattenden/Nick Pattenden/Maureen Jakes/June Jakes/Joan Rolff/Diane Petit/
    Bobby Harwood/Kenny Harwood/Monica Long/Norma Long/Sheila Pattenden
    Second Row
    Peter Stringer/David Knott/Jimmy Harwood/Denis Boniface/Audrey Stringer/Shirley Jakes/
    Jeanette Bax/Sheila Phillips/Eric Ormerod/Johnny Petit/Joan Blackman/Pat Knott

    Third Row
    Bill Boniface/?/Dolly Boniface/Mrs Bath/Kath Hillman(leaning forward)/Nan aylor/Lillian(Nan)
    Phillips/Elsie Phillips/Win Tipler/Michael Bowen/Dennis Trussler/Audrey Trussler/Mrs Petit/ Betty Hutson/D.Bowen/David Baltch/Michael Ormerod/Mr Moore(with baby Roger)/Joan Wright/ Mrs Griffiths/Mrs Smith/Mrs Long(carrying David Smith)/Eva Moore/Mrs Downer/Mrs Blackman/ Mrs Lewonski/Billy Bowles
    All of this information I have obtained from my aunts Sheila and Eileen Phillips (sadly Auntie Eileen passed away July 2017)

    By Brian Tipler (24/06/2022)
  • Brian Tipler,
    I’d appreciate you getting in touch with me regarding your Phillips heritage to see if we share similar “Hove, Phillips” roots. You can contact me at: alme.phillips@gmail.com

    By Alan Phillips (25/06/2022)

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