Early photo
Houses in Carlton Row, the scene of a brutal child murder in 1826. The houses were not demolished until 1933.
Image reproduced with permission from Brighton History Centre
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The murder did not take place in Carlton Hill but in William St. The householder from William Street ran to Carlton Hill for assistance and returned to find the murder committed.
Tracing my history it seems my relatives lived in No.41 Carlton Row, I assume this is the same place? I was born in Moulsecoombe, thankfully. Far better than Carlton Row! Nice photograph though.
My two times grandparents lived at 43 Carlton Row. It’s great to see a photo.
We have ancestors who lived at 43 Carlton Row and others in my tree lived at No.4. Also we have someone who lived at 78 Carlton Hill. I wonder if Sue’s grandparents were called Wilkins?
One of my Great Grandfathers, Adam Taylor lived at number 16 Carlton Row in 1871 with his wife Elizabeth Taylor (nee Russell) and at least seven of their children.
My great grandfather lived at 33 Carlton Row in 1902, what is the name of the road now? I’m going to Brighton next month and would like to see what is there now.
Editor’s note: see here for maps relating to your query.
in 1926 my parents lived at 24 and 26 Carlton Row before they got married. They would have been 23 and 25. My dad’s name was John commonly known as Newey, and my mum was Georgina, commonly known as Cherry Ellingford. Does anyone remember?
Henry and Elizabeth Washer resided at 38 Carlton Row (census 1881). They had four children: two boys and two daughters. I am researching my family tree, can any one help?
I don’t understand – my ancestor Henry Lintott lived at 38 Carlton Row in 1851, yet he was a lawyer so I wouldn’t imagine he would live in a slum! Is there possibly a different Carlton Row in Brighton somewhere ?
Editor’s note:
Please post your question on our ‘Notes and Queries‘ message board and one of our local historians will look into it.
My Great, Great, Great Grandmother Hannah Page lived at 27 Carlton Row in 1861 aged 61. Her son was Samuel Page who was married to Ann Cook, my Great Great Grandmother and lived at 28 Carlton Row. Samuel & Ann Page had 3 children, one being Sarah Hannah Page who was to become my Great Grandmother who we think was born at 28 Carlton Row. At the age of 18 in 1868 she married William Manser who was to become my Great Grandfather. Sadly William died in 1882 aged 34 whilst living with Sarah at 3 Carlton Row. One of Sarah and William’s sons Henry Frederick was to become my Grandfather who I never knew as he was killed during the First World War. However his wife Ada Amelia Potiphar was pregnant at the time of his death. Her son was to become my Father Albert Ernest Manser. I hope this is of some help to someone.
My Great Grandmother was born at Number 50 Carlton Row. One of five children in the William Pullen family. They lived there in the 1850s-1870s (not sure on dates).
In the 1891 census my ancesters are down as living at number 24 Carlton Row, Brighton. Their surname was Hibbs – John, Kate, Emma, John, Ellen and Jesse. Although I have birthdates I cannot find any record of any birth certificates. Can anyone help?
My GGG Grandfather Robert Johnson lived at Number 5 according to the 1841, 1851 and 1861 census. Wife Mary and children George, Albert, Mary, William, Susan and Rebecca.
My great grandfather was called John Mitchell and came from a fishing family and lived at 16 Carlton Row.
My GGG Grandmother was living at 5 Carlton Row in the 1911 census aged 70.
This is in response to comments left by David Manser on 24/10/2007. Very interested to read your comments as I too have descended from Hannah Page through her son Samual and then through his son James (brother of your Great Grandmother Sarah). Have done quite a bit of research into this family which I will happily share with you if you wish. P.S. Are you aware Henry Frederick Manser’s British Army Service Records are now on computer? (He joined in 1904, so had already done ten years before WWl)
Interested in comments by George Harrison as I have just discovered that my grandparents lived in Carlton Row: John Ellingford at No. 30 and Louisa Harding at No. 7. Do you have any more information on your Cherry Ellingford, George?
George Harrison: we are definitely related as your mother Georgina was my Dad’s aunt. There is a relatively full list of Ellingfords on this site http://genforum.genealogy.com/ellingford/ which actually mentions your parents.
Nicki and George Harrison: we are related through John Ellingford and Ann Eaton who married at Halton in 1874. I would love to be in touch with you guys. I have the Ellingfords back to the mid 1700’s.
My wife’s relations, Charles Cornell and family, lived at 32 Carlton Row in 1891. Neighbours included William Lewis and family at 31; Susanna Cohen, widow, and family at 33; and Sarah Laycock, widow, and family at 34.
Note to Sheryl Mcnaught; was your John Mitchell married to Barbara Welch?
I would love to get in touch with Sue, who respoded to my comments on Hannah Page, either by email or telephone – 01273 382900.
Hi Sue, we have found Hannah Page’s grave at a Brighton cementry, which we are really excited about – another piece of the jigsaw. Would really love to meet up for a long chat, I have included my email address: dave-is-cool@live.co.uk
Hi Sue, sorry gave out wrong email address please see right one enclosed, dave-is-cool@hotmail.co.uk.
Hi, is there any way that you can relay a message to Sue. l am desperately trying to get in touch with her as she does not appear to be responding to the Carlton Row web site, any help would be very much appreciated,
To David Manser. I cannot get through to you by e-mail (I have tried both e-mail addresses). I will ring you at the weekend.
Very interested to see photo of Carlton Row. I had read that this area was demolished as slum clearance during 1930s, but hadn’t realised how bad it was. My GG grandfather Joseph Boulter lived at Carlton Hill, and his bride Fanny Marsh was living at 18 Carlton Row at the time of their marriage in 1862.
Steven Ellingford: Georgina “Cherry Ellingford” and John Harrison are my great grandparents. Their son John being my grandfather. I would love to contact anyone with family info and or photos.
Three generations of my family lived at number 32 Carlton Row starting wth my great great grandfather Frederick Martin Pettit (1872–1929) who lived there from 1917 until his death, followed by his daughter, my great grandmother Annie Pettit (1898–1979), then finally her daughter Violet Mary Pettit (1920–1997). I believe Annie continued living there until the houses were demolished, when she and her husband John Curly moved to 1 Wiston Road, Brighton, which was then the newly built Whitehawk estate. Annie was ever after known as Number One! An active advocate for local issues I understand, continued by my Grandma Vi and now myself. It must be in the blood!
My g.g.grandfather and family lived in Carlton Row in the 1850s. Mary and Thomas came from Lewes where they were married; and previously Thomas lived in the Mayfield Wadhurst area. His last child, George, born in 1840 clawed his way out of the poverty pit, buying houses and owning a shop. What a long time it took to pull this awful place down!
This comment is for Patricia Wares. I too am looking for some more information on Henry and Elizabeth Washer. Henry’s sister Eliza is my great great grand mother - she was born in Brighton in about 1863.
For Nicki Chisholm, John Ellingford was the name of my grandfather on my mother’s side and he was married to a Louisa Harding until she died of TB. He then remarried to Mary Ann. Same people?
My great grandfather, Albert Finnis, lived at No 9 Carlton Row with his wife and their six children, the youngest being my Nan. Considering their previously addresses, I was shocked to see this is where my Nan grew up.
My ancestors Richard and Sarah Marchant (nee Gillam) lived at 33 Carlton Row in 1861. Richard was a fisherman/mariner. He would have been about 74 years old then and probably quite poor. Obviously not a wealthy area! Great to see a photo.
My husband’s family also lived at Carlton Row. John Mitchell living at 37 Calton Row. His son George James Mitchell who married Sarah Jane Marchant, living at number 9 in 1891 then at number 24 in 1901 and 1911. Fishing families.
Both my mother and older brothers were born and lived here. My grandparents were Emily and Henry Packham and they lived at number 50, along with my mother they had William, Emily, Lucy, Rene and Thomas and a another girl called Holly who died in childhood. When my mother married she also lived here but I am not sure which number. My mother’s name was Elizabeth (Bessie) and she married Charles Gunn. They had Charles, George and twins Leonard and Lesley. My mother was widowed and the council moved her to Tarner Road when they demolished Carlton Row. She went on to marry my father John (Jack) Jones and I was born in 1944 in the front bedroom of number 1 Tarner Road. Carlton Row looks very grim but my brother, aged 90 has fond memories of his childhood, although times were hard when my mother was widowed at 28 with four boys.
I have discovered that in1841 my great great great grandparents lived at 18 Carlton Row, Sarah and George Stevens. In 1848 their son James married Caroline Souter. By 1861 Caroline and James ( great great grandparents) were living at 19 Carlton Row with Susannah Souter (Caroline’s mother). By 1871 Caroline Stevens, who is now a widow and a charwoman, is living at 7 Carlton Row. In 1871 she is still living in Carlton Row with her children, Caroline (my great grandmother), Eliza and William. If anyone knows anything of the Stevens or the Souters, I would be thrilled to know. Does anyone know when Carlton Row was built? Were they linked with an occupation eg the sea or agriculture. I see from the wonderful photo that some were 3 storey and others just 2, does any one know how they were numbered and who built them? Were they owned privately by the occupants or rented? Thank you to anyone who can help answer my queries.
Re the last entry, Carlton Row would have been built in the early 1800s as speculative dwellings for the thousands who poured into Brighton at that time. Between 1811-1821 the population increased by 103% (unofficial figures probably higher) and housing was thrown upon the steep hillsides of the Hilly Laine. The housing was all rented and let and sub-let to give frightening population densities. By the 1901 census only East Ham had a higher density than Brighton and the St.John’s ward (with Carlton Row) was the densest in Brighton. All property would have been owned by local business people who were reluctant to see slum clearance and the loss of income to the local businesses, pubs shops etc that the inhabitants patronised.
Hi Penny, Benjamin Scutt owned the land that was sold off in parcels between 1805-8, one of which Carlton Row was subsequently built upon. There is little significance in the naming of the road (it was named by Scutt) other than it followed a pattern of similar names derived from Carlton House, the Prince’s residence in London. It is probably misleading to assume that the road was built as a slum; initially Scutt had probably intended the occupants provide labour and services for his more prestigious development of Carlton Place. There were some artisans, stables and a bakery there before at the start, but by the 1840’s the area had been infilled and as Geoff intimates, had become one of the worst slums in the town. The three storeyed properties which once housed a single family offered more letting space to unscrupulous landlords and hence the overcrowded inhabitants overwhelmed the available privvies and cesspits. Numbering followed a pattern typical in Brighton, from Sussex Street number 1 to 30 and returning from Carlton Hill numbers 32 to 59 (after all infilling had been completed). Regards, Andy.
Thank you Geoffrey and Andy for enlightening me with some of the historical background to Carlton Row. I wonder if another Brighton ancestor, Benjamin Tuppen, a builder, could have been one of the unscrupulous landlords!
Re Carol Homewood’s post, my great grandfather was John Mitchell known as shrimp. His daughter Rose was my grandmother.
I can’t find any thing on the murder. Can anyone tell me where to look?
Hi Shelly, William Burt tried to murder his wife, Harriett, at 32,William Street in August 1826, after she had left him. However, she survived the frenzied attack, but he succeeded in murdering their baby son, Isaac. Regards
Hi Penny, my 2nd great grand parents were James and Emma Stevens who were the publicans of the Star pub at 95 Carlton Hill from 1878. This side of the family came to Brighton – Charles and Margaretta Stevens – in the 1820s and they were originally from Dorset. The family goes back to at least 1680s in Dorset / Devon. Other Stevens descendants lived in Carlton Court as well as Carlton Row.
Stevens: I am researching my great grandfather Henry Havelock Cornell. In his papers he talks about a Mr and Mrs Stevens who were publicans in Carlton Hill; this is in 1939. Could there be a link here?
Hi Lauren, the Star Tavern closed in 1932, and I believe that Mrs Stevens ran the pub on her own right when her husband died, possibly through to closure.
Hi Lauren, I am intrigued that Mr and Mrs Stevens are mentioned in your great grandfather Henry Havelock Cornell’s papers.
Just to add to this, I too have a family connection. In 1881, living with the Stevens family (James 32, Emma 31, George 5 and Amos 3) was my Great Great Grandfather, Sam Page.
Does anyone know if a photograph of the Star Tavern exists?
Hi Suzie, I am also interested to see if a photograph exists of the Star Tavern. I was aware your great great grandfather lived with the Stevens family as saw it in the 1881 census.
Hi Paul, I have, in the past, tried to find a photo. I will have another try. Some time ago I was lucky enough to buy some prints of old Brighton pubs (I come from a long line of Brighton Publicans) in a shop in Queens Road Brighton. I shall pay a visit to that shop again – if it is still there. If I do find one, I will put it on this site. Regards, Suzie.
Hi Suzie – Thank you – that will be brilliant if you come across a photograph of The Star.
Sheryl McNaught, I’d love to chat to you about the Mitchell’s if you wouldn’t mind emailing me sometime at carolhomewood@sky.com. Sorry for the delay, I have only just seen your message.
Hi, I have just read some posts from David Manser and Sue. I am a relative of this Manser family and would love to be able to contact you both. email; jackie2889@msn.com. Thank you. x
Henry Lintott in Carlton Row was a sawyer not a lawyer- if you looked at the 1861 and 1871 censuses he was still a sawyer and living in very poor parts of Brighton. If you look at the occupation of the other residents of the street, it gives you an idea of the street. I suspect Carlton Row in 1851 was better than it was in 1931, but the quality of the houses were always the same.
Paul, Re: The Star Tavern. This week I went to Brighton in search of a photo. In the old post card shop in Queens Road, I searched through hundreds and hundreds of views of bygone Brighton with no luck, but the search goes on.
What a grim looking place. My great grandmother’s family were living at number 45 when she was born in 1856, the eldest daughter of William Howett.
On the 1851 Census one of my distant relatives (Obed Divall) and his family lived at what I believe (Census not too clear) was number 17 Carlton Row.
Replying to Steven Ellingford of New Zealand 24/1/10. Georgina was the sister of my grandmother therefore my great aunt, I visited her many times at Upper Lewes Road, Brighton during the 1950s.
Hi, tracing my family’s records, my nan was born at no 6 Carlton Row in 1888 to an Elijah and Alice James. Alice’s former name was Hewlett. My name name was Sarah Ann James. I would appreciate any feedback on this.
G’day, tracing my family tree my G Uncle John Davis and his wife Mary Anne Frances nee Howell, lived at 46 Carlton Row in 1881 he died at 17 Sussex St, as did she, they seem to have had no children. His estate seems to been left to a Sarah Ann Reed wife of Charles Reed, 22 Sussex St Brighton. Is it the same Street? Would love for someone to contact me if they like, I live in Australia. Many thx Sue.
Carlton Row was a turning south off the top of Sussex St and it ran down to Carlton Hill. It was a very poor area and was cleared in slum clearance in the years before WWII.
My Great grandparents lived at 26 Carlton Row- James Henry Back / Beck
Does anyone have links to a Dennis Scully from Brighton around about 1930?
Some of my ancestors lived in Carlton Row. My grandfather, Thomas Marsh, lived at number 6 and married Elizabeth Chapman who lived at number 2, in 1886. They lived at number 44 after their marriage and were still there for the 1891 and 1901 census. Elizabeth passed away in 1904. There appears to be several Marshes in Brighton and I’m having difficulty tracing Thomas’s family back from here. Does anyone have any clues?
Useful street directories. Just pick a year to look at. So much information available:
http://www.mhms.org.uk/search/apachesolr_search/Carlton%20Row
My grandmother, Dolly McLachlan, lived at no. 16 Carlton Row with her parents and siblings from between 1911 and 1923. Coincidentally another family, the Redmans, who I have just discovered a connection with, lived at no. 46 in 1911.
My uncle was Joseph Wilkins who lived in Carlton Row he was a Fly man,apparently one man one carriage and one horse ,his brother was a wheelright and carriage builder who lived opposite the big church behind London Road.I am Peter Wilkins my Grandad was Henry Wilkins.
My nan, Alice Mary Bond (maiden name Pullen) was living at 40 Carlton Row when she married in 1927 to Albert Bond of 12 Carlton Court. At a later date they moved up the hill to 2 Tilbury Way, on the Tarnerland council estate .
My ancestors lived at no 42, William and Emily Windsor in the 1911 Census.
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