Do you remember the shop?

Buxton's: Ditchling Road
By Jennifer Drury

This photograph shows Buxton’s furniture shop at 31/33/35 Ditchling Road in the early 1960s, prior to rebuilding.

Mr P.H. Buxton started the business in 1919 at number 31, previously a small dwelling house and took over adjoining premises as business expanded. The shop was completely reconstructed during 1961, but sadly the store has been closed for a number of years now.

Do you remember the shop? Did you buy anything there? Maybe you went with your parents to buy some furniture?

If you have any memories you would like to share with us, please leave a comment below.

Click on the photograph to open a large version in a new window.

Photo:Buxton's furniture shop in the early 1960s

Buxton's furniture shop in the early 1960s

Image reproduced with kind permission of The Regency Society and The James Gray Collection

This page was added on 10/08/2012.

Comments about this page

Yes, Jennifer, I remember this shop. I am having difficulties in placing it though. My mind takes me up Ditchling Road, out of town, towards Springfield Road, Roedale Road and Downs School. I can visualise up as far as Fiveways...but the numbers are not registering nor the exact placement. Come on folks, jog my memory further please.

By Sandra Bohtlingk (nee Baldwin) (12/08/2012)

Hi Jennifer, The account of the premises is not quite correct - Percival Hadlow Buxton did start trading from these premises from around 1919, but it had been in use as a furniture dealer since the turn of the century. A Miss Mary Ann Richardson was probably the one who converted the adjacent houses of #31 & #33 into a furniture store, whilst Arnold Ling did the same at #35. A bit of to-ing and fro-ing took place up until 1917, when Ling joined the properties into one, but the following year, Samuel Bennett was trading as a Furniture Dealer at #31 & #33 - Buxton merely took over the premises as they then were. Regards, Andy

By Andy Grant (12/08/2012)

I worked there as delivery driver for two weeks around 68/69, van kept breaking down and no one seemed to now what they were doing so I left.

By John Cording (12/08/2012)

The store may have closed, but the business continues in Woodingdean; same family owned

By jenny shaw (12/08/2012)

Many years ago I was left alone for a day while why wife was out after I had said I was quite happy to look after our toddler all day. Of course I had never unfolded the baby buggy on my own! I thought, who would know how to do it? I rang Buxtons and a bemused man asked why I was asking him about prams...I replied "your shop is called Buxtons Baby Carriages", he replied "it had not been that for 10 years!" I eventually asked a neighbour...

By Geoffrey Mead (12/08/2012)

Sandra: The store was at the bottom of Ditchling Road, opposite the Level. Jenny: I had no idea - that's good to know. I've just looked up their website. Geoffrey: Great story!

By Janet Beal (12/08/2012)

In the early seventies, I bought a round wooden table in this shop. The tall young man who sold it to me was a very keen cyclist. Unfortunately, I cannot recall his name.

By Joe Reid (14/08/2012)

My Mother-in-Law worked at this shop during the late 70s to early 80s. She was in the pram dept.

By Ken Valder (14/08/2012)

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