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Hove VE Day street party

This photo is a reminder of a very happy day in Isabel Crescent, Hove.

I am the chap in the hat at the back.  Some of my neighbours here were, Mr Steadman (sailor), Mrs Godley, Doris Steadman, Dave Vigar, Bill Godley and Arthur Vigar.

Are you in this photo – or maybe you recognise someone.  Please leave a comment below.

Isabel Crescent VE Day party
From the private collection of Frank Blake

Comments about this page

  • Frank, the name Vigar in your photo, do you still have any contact as that name occurs in the 1901 Census as looking after a ‘Nurse Child’ (Roland FRITH) who I am researching. My e-mail is: mcbrien410 aol com Regards Chris.

    By Chris McBrien (18/10/2009)
  • Hello Frank. What year was this? As a child l remember a street party not sure what it was for. I was born 1944 in Brighton, and this celebration had to be about 1950, can you enlighten me? Thank You.

    By Sheila Jones (18/10/2009)
  • Frank, from MultiMap you get a fine view of Isabel Crescent with the ‘Banjo’ at the top and the two house at 90° to each other as in your photo… http://www.multimap.com/s/BrsBuWP3.

    Sheila, Victory Europe day was the 8th. May 1945 so the Street Party would have been a day or two afterwards. As you were born in the same year as me, I think you’d have been to a Coronation street party in June 1953 for Queen Elizabeth II. Chris.

    By Chris McBrien (19/10/2009)
  • Hi Frank, you may like to look at the “Bombing of Olive Road” here: http://www.mybrightonandhove.org.uk/page_id__9247.aspx As you will see although it relates to bombing in Olive Road, I’m sure houses in the top end of Isabel Crescent were also damaged – perhaps you remember the bombing and can tell us more?

    By Peter Groves (19/10/2009)
  • Hi Chris, thanks for your reply, but it had to be something between the two of them. In 1945 l would have been 6 months old, so l wouldn’t have remembered, and by 1953 we lived in May Road and had the Coronation Party there. At the time mentioned in my previous comment, we lived at Kingswood Flats; l must have been about six. l remember the tables set out in front of the flats. Sheila

    By Sheila Jones (19/10/2009)
  • Sheila, howzabout the Festival of Britain in May 1951. I think there were street parties for that occasion. I went up to London with my parents on the train from B’ton; it only took an hour then. I remember lots of bomb damage as we pulled into Victoria Station. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festival_of_Britain

    By Chris McBrien (20/10/2009)
  • Hi Chris, That date is just about right. Thank you.

    By Sheila Jones (21/10/2009)
  • There was a family by the name of Godley who had a builders merchants and ironmongery shop in Church Place, Kemp Town in the 1950s: H C Godley. I have a photo which my mother took in connection with a window display competition for Walpamur paints. Also living in one of the ‘new’ houses in Church Place was a Vigar family. I believe Mr Vigar ran a firm called Dor to Dor Carriers. He had a new green Wolseley 4/44. Any connection with the families mentioned above? TCS.

    By Tim Sargeant (22/10/2009)
  • I have a photo which my mother-in-law, Mrs Catt, gave to her son. It is of a street party in Firle Road at the end of the war. If you want to use it for your site you have my email address.

    Editor’s note: Check your email Kathleen. Thank you.

    By Kathleen Catt (12/02/2011)
  • Hello. I would like to make contact with Shelia Jones for a History Project Tarner Stories. A Lottery funded history project about life in Tarner. We are aiming to find people with stories and photos about the area. Also, looking for people with memories of Kingswood and Milner Flats. Please contact Chloe and Jess on info@tarnerhistory.org

    By Chloe Howley (11/06/2011)
  • Was the second girl on the right hand side of this photo Vivienne Keminek and was Pat Remnant there as well? It was such a long time ago but I remember it well.

    By Vivienne Allen (25/02/2017)
  • Sorry but we have had to delete your post. We are no longer allowing the posting of requests to find third parties, as sharing information like this breaches their privacy. Perhaps you could try one of the many social media sites.
    Comments Editor

    By terry ley (24/10/2017)
  • Was Mrs Godley the lady standing on the right and was Bill Godley her husband standing next to her? It would be possible that the four boys sitting on the right at the back were her sons Jack, Leslie, David and Dennis.

    By Jacquie McCaskill (21/12/2017)
  • The Coronation Party for Isabel Crescent was held in Glebe Hall, Glebe Villas.

    By Geoff Stoner (21/12/2017)
  • At the time of the 1948 Olympics the kids in the Crescent held their own ‘Games’, complete with torchlight opening ceremony. There were field events and various distance races on the green, and the marathon was two laps round the crescent and Florence Ave. combined. To my shame I hid on the first lap, and joined the front runners on the second, to be instantly disqualified – but then I was only 6. Happy days!

    By Geoff Stoner (06/01/2018)

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