Completely RANDOM things about Brighton & Hove...

[mune ni kamome]

Me too. My first work experience. There was a whole seating area on the first floor but was never used in my time there

 

[origigull]

Ernest Hayes the bookie
Beavers Nest Caff
The Newmarket Diner
The Bottle n Jug off licence at the bottom of the steps at The Bevendean Hotel Pub
Saturday morning cinema at The Vogue
The 67 Centre
The biggest slide in the world at The Level
Coloured lights on The Pavillion at night
Bonfire night at Withdean
Melford, E and A, Coombe Rovers and Hollingbury Hawks
Mr K's
St Andrews friday night disco
The old bird that used to sell toffee apples from her kitchen window
who lived in one of the houses on the steps between Birdham Rd and Hodgrove Rd

When my sisiter went to the 67 centre I so much wanted to go (1969-71) she said we (my buv & I) couldn`t. When we were old enough it didn`t seem the same. Anyone remember Moulsecoomb Targets FC, we won Sussex Sunday Cup one year, played at Southwicks ground, sure we won, buv said we lost about 1972-73.

 

[mune ni kamome]

Ernest Hayes the bookie
Beavers Nest Caff
The Newmarket Diner
The Bottle n Jug off licence at the bottom of the steps at The Bevendean Hotel Pub
Saturday morning cinema at The Vogue
The 67 Centre
The biggest slide in the world at The Level
Coloured lights on The Pavillion at night
Bonfire night at Withdean
Melford, E and A, Coombe Rovers and Hollingbury Hawks
Mr K's
St Andrews friday night disco
The old bird that used to sell toffee apples from her kitchen window
who lived in one of the houses on the steps between Birdham Rd and Hodgrove Rd

Good call here. Remember 67 Centre football team forming and winning all the leagues as they moved up the divisions.
Are those woods still there between Birdham Rd and Hodshrove. Used to give me the creeps
The giant umbrella rides, slides and swings at Saunders Park

 

[mune ni kamome]

plus:

'Clapshaw & Cleave' Sports Shop in Queens Road

'Diplomat' Records in London Road

'Stunning Rags' Clothes Shop in Queens Road

Allen Arms next door wasn't it and "The Alex" (Alexandria) also on the gyratory

 

[Barrow Boy]

Anyone remember the blind harpist who used to busk in town? There used to be a painting of him hanging in the old library but that's disappeared now.

No-one I know seems to remember the fella - I think he died about 1967/68 - but he was a well-known local character.

Found this on the excellent mybrightonandhove website, someone had asked the same question as you and this was one of the replies.

The two musicians who played harp and violin were Frederick Alexander on the harp, and Marc Antonio on the violin. My nieces and nephews are four of Frederick Alexander's grandchildren (my sister married his son), and they still have the harp in their lounge in Brighton, it's beautiful. There is a portrait of Frederick and another harp he used on show at the Royal Pavilion.

Mr Frederick Alexander's son Boshi, my brother Phil who would have been about 12, and myself at about 5 years old, used to do comedy acts in a competition at Sherry's and do different shows around Brighton. We were called the 'Three Black Bows', this would have been in the late 1920s, our faces wear blackened with boot polish, and we tap danced. I wore boots way too big for me, hair in rags and I was called Topsi. I followed on doing tap dancing at Jack Sheppard's, on the stage above the Aquarium, and on the Palace and West Piers, and the Grand Theatre. Does anyone remember us?

By Olive Hooper (12/10/2007)

 

[Gwylan]

Found this on the excellent mybrightonandhove website, someone had asked the same question as you and this was one of the replies.

The two musicians who played harp and violin were Frederick Alexander on the harp, and Marc Antonio on the violin. My nieces and nephews are four of Frederick Alexander's grandchildren (my sister married his son), and they still have the harp in their lounge in Brighton, it's beautiful. There is a portrait of Frederick and another harp he used on show at the Royal Pavilion.

Mr Frederick Alexander's son Boshi, my brother Phil who would have been about 12, and myself at about 5 years old, used to do comedy acts in a competition at Sherry's and do different shows around Brighton. We were called the 'Three Black Bows', this would have been in the late 1920s, our faces wear blackened with boot polish, and we tap danced. I wore boots way too big for me, hair in rags and I was called Topsi. I followed on doing tap dancing at Jack Sheppard's, on the stage above the Aquarium, and on the Palace and West Piers, and the Grand Theatre. Does anyone remember us?

By Olive Hooper (12/10/2007)

Thanks for that, really brought back memories.

There's some more here
Frederick Alexander Brighton Museums

He died in 1963 so a lot earlier than I remembered - he died when I was six but I certainly remember him playing for some years before that. No mention of him being blind though - I was wrong about that, or perhaps that came late in life.

 

[BigGully]

Wishing well Churchill Square
Coffee Shop beneath Miss Selfridge
Chelsea Girl
Escalators up to Odeon West Street
Through the Odeon doors to a single centre kiosk, easy to run past and scatter into cinema, then down to open Fire Exits to let mates in.
Skateboarders the 'Wall' and the ramps on the seafront where skateboarders would slalom around empty coke cans.
Chatanoogas, can still see the owner, at the door, letting people in and trying to stop 'runners', I am sure there was latch high up on the door.
Small sweet shop at the start of the alley between Western Road ( or Sussex square ) and Queens Road. ( opposite Boots )
Greenhouse hairdressers at the start of Imperial Aracade.

........

 

[HovaGirl]

Hove Town Hall fire, 1966

(It was a big fire)

I remember that. We all went down to watch it.

 

[HovaGirl]

Also remember the night the grand got bombed heard a dull thud thought nothing of it went to work in shoreham via kingsway early in the morning absolute chaos.As an after thought anyone remember the gas works at portslade always stank of rotten eggs along the bottom of boundary road.

Watched the Tebbitt rescue on TV then went to my usual Friday shopping at Tescos in old Churchill Square but first, went down to the seafront to have a look with my little boy (now a member of NSC!). Police and tape everywhere. Beautiful sunny day and so surreal.

 

[HovaGirl]

So, is it Kemptown or Kemp Town? Don't sit on the fence!

It's Kemptown.

 

[HovaGirl]

was called Trends i think- now a 'proper' wig / hair shop?

Trends was always a wig shop, at least as far back as the late 60s. Don't remember it being a joke shop as well.

 

[HovaGirl]

Running along Carden School roofs in the evening!!!!

I gotta feeling my hubby used to do that.

 

[HovaGirl]

I'll never forget walking around Hove Park the following morning after the big hurricane of '87. One could see things that were not visible before (ugly buldings) and massive great trees had been thrown around like mere playthings.

http://www.mybrightonandhove.org.uk/category_id__1033_path__0p116p183p.aspx

We probably passed each other. I may even have a photo of you there! Sad sight, it was.

 

[HovaGirl]

I remember a tiny Virgin Records being opposite the club shop in Queens Rd.

I worked at Amex and I went to buy a record in the little Virgin during my lunch hour. I realised I'd left my purse in the shop when Gladys the tea lady came round a couple of hours later. Being a record shop full of subversive rockers, I didn't hold out much hope of getting it back. But there it was, right by the till where I'd left it!

 

[HovaGirl]

You don't know how lucky you were, growing up in Brighton in the 60s 70s and 80s

Personally, I do.

 

[cliveh27]

Many a time I've ran down the 109 steps from norwich Drive only for the bus to pull away from the stop!

What about the 144 steps (I think) that we had to walk down in the mornings, then crawl up in the afternoons, leading from Osborne Road to Balfour Road School?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

According to yesterday's Sunday Mirror, there was a 23 degree difference in temperature in Brighton & Hove between 3rd December 2010 (-11) and 3rd December 2011 (+12).

 

[jmsc]

Is there a pub in Brighton that has a bar billiards table?

West Hill (ex Belle View) in Buckingham Place!

Hidden round the back.

 

[bradx]

Wow, what a memory you have for record shops! I'd forgotten the guy in The Cottage having a plastic hand, and ta for reminding me of John in Polysound - a thoroughly sound geezer I seem to remember.
One thing I think you got slightly wrong: pretty sure it was New Moon Through Glass, not Full Moon - but hey!
I was the bass player of later incarnations of Carved to a Noise and have just found that keyboard player Ric has uploaded the video we did with Antimo Rivetti, our manager, who went on to do same for Curiosity Killed the Cat. I can't post links here, but a search on YouTube for Carved to a Noise should pull it up.

I wonder whether you or anyone remembers the fanzine 'Dogma' from around those times ('82 probably). Me and and friend now living in Oz put it together using the Resource Centre's old Gestetner/Roneo machine. It ran for four issues and included interviews with the wonderfully warm-hearted Clare Grogan/Altered Images and the distinctly a***y Nick Cave, probable done just before the Birthday Party gig you mentioned.
Running the fanzine was a great for blagging our way into gigs in exchange for writing a review and listing forthcoming gigs. We'd sell mags whilst there to fund our nightly beer and kebab habit. Good times!
If you or anyone has any copies of Dogma in their archives I'd love to hear from you!

Yes I have a copy of Dogma #1. I saw your post on Punk Brighton about it and have emailed you.

 

[Hove Lagoonery]

According to yesterday's Sunday Mirror, there was a 23 degree difference in temperature in Brighton & Hove between 3rd December 2010 (-11) and 3rd December 2011 (+12).

But that's not comparing like with like. The +12 was the highest daytime temperature but the -11 was the lowest at night.