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Popular pubs photographed in the 1970s

The Southern Cross

Demolished to make way for the Old Shoreham Road widening scheme

The Stag

In the Old Village, open for business

The Alexandra Inn

On the Wellington Road

The George Inn

In the Old Village just up from the Stag

Southern Cross
From the private collection of Ray Hamblett
The Stag
From the private collection of Ray Hamblett
The George Inn
From the private collection of Ray Hamblett
The Alexandra
From the private collection of Ray Hamblett

Comments about this page

  • I wonder how long it will be before these popular pubs are forced out of business by the extreme views of a the small but vocal anti-smoking minority.

    By J. Curtis (non smoker) (12/01/2008)
  • They wont be forced out of business at all. It’s just a smoke screen (pun intended) to make people feel sorry for smokers. In any case, these pubs went downhill YEARS ago.

    By Don Cropone (26/01/2008)
  • Hi, glad to see The Stag still around I was born there on the 6th July 1949. I now live in Yorkshire but am now making regular trips down to Brighton. Plan to visit The Stag next time.

    By Fran Perry (nee Dawes) (23/11/2009)
  • I remember the Stag well I was married in 1961 and held my reception there. We had a great time. My maiden name was Morley and I lived in Valley Road.

    By Beryl Thompson (27/12/2009)
  • My Grandparents managed the Southern Cross Pub in that era they served the community of Portslade well during the war times and after. It was a sad old day when the Old Shoreham Road got widened and shops stood empty. Portslade was a thriving village, now everyone dismisses it in a blink of an eye.

    By Carol Lee (15/01/2010)
  • Does anyone remember Burt Hickley – worked at The George for years – think somewhere probably in the sixties and seventies

    By denise (22/02/2010)
  • I remember the old Southern Cross pub,the beer was Brickwoods and a lovely old couple used to run it. I used to go in there in my teens. I was a Wicker lad of Highdown, Southwick and I had Grandad Thompson who lived in Trafalgar Road and Auntie Bet who lived right hand turn before the bridge (I forget the name of the road). The good old days eh! Whatever happened to the Mile Oak chalk pit we used to play in by the pub? This site is bringing up loads of old memories of Portslade, Mile Oak, Easthill Park and so on. I’ve got more…..

    By Tony (anthony) Thompson (26/02/2010)
  • Old Ted ran the pub in the 1960s with his dad. Old Henry used to pick up the glasses for a half of mild, Bubbles used to come in with the husband – forget his name, lived in the far corner of the village. The Stag used to be a local for me. The George was nice but not quite right for us youngsters at the time. The good old days - 8 pints a quid. Findlaters off licence on the corner. I also worked at the Southern United engraving company….

    By Tony (anthony) Thompson (26/02/2010)
  • I remember the Stag pub well. I used to live in Valley Road, in 1961 I was married and had my wedding reception at the Stag. We were treated very well and everyone was friendly.

    By Beryl Thompson (nee morley) (08/03/2010)
  • I heard that during the war a Candian soldier took a bren gun off the roof of the brewery (Le Carbone) then proceeded to fire it through the letter box of the house next door to the Stag. I think some one was killed, but I stand to be corrected!

    By Peter Abbott (01/08/2010)
  • I also lived in the Stag’s Head from 1968 until 1984 with my grandparents Ted & Dorothy Routledge.

    By Karen Highfield(Routledge) (04/08/2010)
  • I was Ted’s (deceased 1992) daughter married to Derek (now deceased). My dad had the pub 1969 till, I think, 1982. I remember the great Christmas celebrations and the boys Stag parties! I now live in a small village in Nottinghamshire. My niece Karen lives up this way too, she has 3 children, two of which are married and she is Grandma to 3 little girls. By Maureen Smith

    By maureen smith (07/08/2010)
  • Do any Mile Oakers or thier Grandads know if an organisation called the Buffaloes used this pub for meetings in the middle forties? Only I remember being left out side with me crisps and lemonade as kids often were in those days while me Dad was attending a meeting, and having a drink or two as well! I believe it was a charitable society so it was for a good cause.

    By Den King (13/10/2010)
  • Hello Karen.  If I remember correctly you worked behind the bar on occasions along with Ted and Chris. I used to drink in there with Dave Shields and was captain of the darts team. I used to work at the ‘naughty boys’ school.

    By Steve Redhead (20/01/2011)
  • I agree with you J.Curtis, sorry I don’t agree with Don. These are nice pubs (no they didn’t go downhill, some people, myself included, like pubs the way they are, unpretentious and traditional). Unfortunately the smoking ban is to blame for the closure of pubs (25% of British pubs now closed because of the smoking ban). Littlehampton and Peacehaven pubs went the same way after the smoking ban. I too remember the Southern Cross, it would be so lovely to have these old pubs back again, I find going to an old pub for a drink rather comforting and reasuring.

    By Trevor Wilcox (13/02/2012)
  • Saw Max Miller outside the Southern Cross. I think he had some connection to it, the cheeky chappie…

    By Peter Abbott (02/10/2012)
  • People always forget the estate pubs, Mill House being one, now a free house cause enterprise got bored, not big business but it is still a community pub for the locals run by a young couple but owned by business people who have bought a few other forgotten pubs not local. Only problem is they want to double its size making it a sausage pub with a restaurant. Will it take off or will the community lose its local? We’ve recently lost the Halfway, Gardners. Little Cricks, soon Blue Anchor.

    By Ken Rist (25/02/2013)
  • We have run the Battle of Trafalgar in Portslade since July 2011. It was also under threat off closure – thanks to the support of our customers thing are going well. Does anyone have any pictures of the Battle through the years? We have some pictures but would like to have some more as we want to dedicate a wall to the history of the pub. Thanks, Buster & Julie.

    By Julie Smith (08/05/2014)
  • Do any old timers recall which old village pub hosted the Buffaloes meetings during the war years – was it the Stag or the George? I remember sitting outside one of them with my lemonade but did we have crisps in them days ?

    By Den King (12/02/2015)
  • I have a medallion awarded to my grandfather (Edgar Smith) which is engraved on the reverse: “United Darts League; Winners; Alexandra Inn 1938 – 39. E Smith.”

    By Alan Phillips (24/01/2017)
  • I used to live in the house that was attached to the Alexandria (shown as an empty shell in the photo above) until about 1960. I then moved to Wickhurst Rise in Upper Portslade.

    By Arthur P (08/08/2017)
  • Arthur P, I only just saw your post regarding where you used to live. We went through all our school lives together I believe Arthur and it would be nice to meet up again after all these years – along with anyone else you may be in touch with. Please get in touch via alme.phillips@gmail.com Arthur if you are interested in a beer one day or evening.

    By Alan Phillips (15/03/2018)
  • Was The Alexandra on the main coastal road? I’m researching all the pubs I’ve been in and only have vague recollections from my time down south in the mid 80s.

    Thanks.

    By Peter Ryan (03/03/2024)
  • Yes, The Alexandra was on Wellington Road, Portslade, a part of the A259, coast road.

    By Alan Phillips (05/03/2024)
  • I lived in North Street, close to the Alexandra pub, in the 1950’s and 1960’s and it was quite popular. My main recollection though is that it was patronised by quite a few of the merchant sailors whilst they were docked in Shoreham Harbour and it could get quite rowdy.

    By Dudley Whittaker (07/03/2024)

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