My Brighton and Hove | Tours | Brighton in 1967 | The Clock Tower

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The Clock Tower

Christmas night, 1967

Clock Tower looking east. Christmas Night, 1967

Photo by Peter Allison

Added to the site on 18-09-04

This page was added on 22/03/2006.

Comments about this page

I think these photos are lovely. They bring back some wonderful memories.

By J. (21/06/2006)

I can't imagine my life without Brighton. I was leaving there last year and this picture is really lovely.

By Carol (23/01/2007)

I have never before seen it so extraordinarily empty! Normally you can only see a few metres in front of yourself. I will have to go down there next Christmas.

By Yana Huntington (06/04/2007)

I cannot believe this photo dates back to 1967. Apart from the names of the shops, the Clock Tower and the view down North Street does not look all that much different from today 40 years on.

By Kevin Gunn (22/10/2007)

My Aunt Vera (Saunders)was manageress of Lewis separates shop about this time, later on she was the manageress of "Chelsea Girl" just along the road. I think it's River Island now. Remember the huge trendy shop front made up of the letters G.I.R.L. ?

By Barrie Appleyard (28/06/2008)

Hallo Barrie,
On 12th December '08 I added a comment on the 'Christmas Past' page under the Clock Tower as follows:

(Glad I found this picture of the Clock Tower and glad you listed it as 1967. I see the sign 'LEWIS' hanging on the right side. I went to work there in 1968. It was then called Lewis Separates selling ladies underwear, blouses, etc. A small shop on two floors. About a year later they up-graded it inside to a funky boutique with black painted walls and zany coloured spotlights and re-named it 'Chelsea Girl'. Our uniform was the shortest red mini skirt known at that time and the music was off this planet. Shops were starting to ROCK.
By Sandra (12/12/2008)
******
In later years I came back to visit Brighton and found a bigger Chelsea Girl further along the road as you said. I do believe I saw Vera there in that short visit and we spoke briefly. I remember Vera very well at the little Chelsea Girl. She was not manageress at the time I was there but many people thought she was. She had such a lovely nature and so kind to everyone. At that time she only worked part time. I have very fond memories of her and liked her enormously. I also remember her daughter Vicky/Victoria.
I was there together with others called Hetty, Diane, Mrs Pickard, Mrs Heaney and a Mrs Bourne and more. If Vera remembers me at all, do please send her my best regards and thank you for contributing to this page Barrie.

By Sandra (21/01/2009)

Message to Yana above.
Hi Yana. In those days things were pleasantly much quieter. Of course if you look at the clock it says 4.25 which is clearly early morning so I don't think there would be more cars than this. Just going home after a long night out I expect!! I wonder if you did go to Brighton in 2008? I would love to visit again.

By Sandra (21/01/2009)

Rowleys the china shop on the corner, was owned by a girl I went to school with; Gillian Rowley. I think they lived in Rottingdean.

By Jenny (04/02/2009)

Another glimpse here of the roof of the wonderful Regent Ballroom - it's peeping over the building to the left of the Clock Tower and has its Top Rank ownership signed on it in ten foot high lettering. As for the correspondent who says the scene looks much the same now as it did then in 1967, well I'm afraid looks are deceptive. Everything on the left hand side down almost as far as you can see - Rowley's, the Regent Ballroom, the Virgin record store, the Essoldo cinema and much else have long since been demolished. And no, this isn't 4.25 in the morning, it's 4.25 in the afternoon of Christmas Day which explains why it is so deserted.

By Chris Taylor (20/07/2009)

I still miss the toilets at the Clock tower - so very useful in an emergency !! Paul Edwards

By Paul Edwards (19/10/2009)