There were Jewish residents in Brighton from the second half of the 1700’s. Jew Street itself is named from Brighton’s first synagogue which was probably sited at the southern end, from about 1792, and is said to have also had a school. The synagogue had moved to Poune’s Court off West Street by 1808 before finding a permanent home in Devonshire Place.
Jew Street
Jew Street
At the corner of Jew Street and Church Street are the Model Dwellings, a five-storey block of flats originally built as housing for the poor of the town in about 1852 by a charitable trust under Dr William Kebbell. The charity’s intention was to provide decent quality properties at a rent that working people could afford. Each of the fifteen flats in this block had three rooms, a separate scullery and a lavatory. Another block was erected in Clarence Yard in 1854, but was removed when the Head Post Office was extended in 1892.
Comments about this page
My grandpa, Douglas Kenneth Pike had his accountancy business in Jew Street from the early ’50s until his death in 1964. The entrance was through the arched doorway and to the left at the rear of the Plastics Merchants now on the corner of Church Street.
My mother’s family, the Washers, lived at 4 Jew Street from before 1921 until the houses were declared ‘unfit for human habitation’ in the early to mid 1930’s. The family was then rehoused at Manor Hill in a new council house with a bathroom and indoor toilet. My mum said she missed all her friends and neighbours from the North Laine area but the new house was a real luxury. She worked at Wilson’s laundry until she married in 1954.
My mum used to live on Jew Street behind the blue recycling bins. She said it was a peaceful spot. She was soon removed by the council for being an eyesore.
Add a comment about this page