Bedford House, Marine Parade

Photo:Marine Parade: Dorset House in the centre of the picture

Marine Parade: Dorset House in the centre of the picture

Not built to last
By Jean Penney, pensioner

"This is known as Bedford House. It was built by the Duke of Bedford and he only built this smallish house because he didn't think Brighton's popularity would really last.

After the war it was bought by Doyley John(?), the artist, and afterwards by Terence Rattigan, a well-known playwright.

During the great storm of 1987, the whole of the side of the house came away and for a very long time it was shored up so that one couldn't come down Bedford Street at all."

Image and text from the 'My Brighton' exhibit
This page was added on 22/03/2006.

Comments:

Do you have any information about the artist, Doyley John? Thank you
By Cecily Marchesi (08/06/2005)
D'Oyly John (maybe with a hyphen)1906 - 1993, according to Stewart Gallery (with hyphen) and Bonhams.
By R. Robson (22/08/2005)
Cecil Rochfort D'oyly-John lived in Rottingdean in the latter part of his life. He is buried in St Margaret's churchyard. I have several of his oil paintings - there were several in the Queen Mother's private collection.
By Paul Smith (26/07/2006)

We have just bought a couple of D'Oyly John paintings and I am now looking for any literature about the artist - do you have any suggestions of books containing pictures and information linked to him?

By Tracy Egan (31/07/2007)

As the owners of Bedford House, my wife and I checked with the Duke of Bedford to see whether the house had any connection with his family. We were told quite categorically that this was not the case.

By Roger Hancock (01/10/2007)

My late partner used to go to parties (before my time with him) and Doyley John was a regular visitor with a sortee of girls. I understand he was the illegitimate son of Augustus John and his favourite model. I can't verify this and it might be boasting on his part or hearsay. However I do believe he was a painter but not very successful. That's all I can remember.

By Sylvia Molver (08/10/2007)

Somewhere along the line I have picked up the info that D'Oyly-John was a nick name attributed to him by his friends and colleagues from his various haunts on the Riviera; his paintings being nearly always in oil. Maybe hearsay but sounds feasable, can't remember where I got that info. I am always darting about art sights on the 'net'. I have a 21x17 signed oil on canvas titled 'The Kiosk' (St Tropez) that I purchased from the sadly now closed 'Emporium'  flea market at Newhaven for the princely sum of £3.00; now valued @ £500-700. So if you're a car boot or market addict keep your eyes peeled.

By Chris Novis (28/11/2007)

We have an original Doyle John oil, white stone bridge over small river, in small Mediteranean town with tile roofs and may be of Bruges, Belgium. Purchased in Johnannesburg, South Africa in 1949. Would love to know more about him. It's one of our favourite paintings.

By Sharon Kappel (30/11/2007)

He was actually married to my aunt, and as a child I saw him quite often when they lived in London. There is a son called Christopher, but I have lost touch with him. I seem to think he was working in film production, and he would be about 60 years old now.

By Carol Walton (07/08/2008)