My great great great grandfather, Thomas Augustus Swaysland, was the Hon Sec of the "Brighton Proprietary Grammer School" in 1836 as per record from "The Times" August 15, 1836, when he announced a meeting to appoint an assistant master. I note that the "Brighton Proprietary Grammar and Commercial School" was founded in July 1857. Does anyone know if they were one and the same school? I am hoping there may be archives somewhere from the earlier school ie from 1836.

This is an amazingly fantastic book. Well done Tim.

I have had this wonderful reference book of Brighton (the best in my opinion) since it was first published in 1990 and have used it so many times when wishing to find something out about many areas of Brighton. I have been asked on several occassions to sell it on (for more than I paid for it!) but I will never sell - it will be a family heirloom! Thank you so much Timothy Carder for hours of joyous "dipping in".

I have hunted high and low to buy this book all to no avail.
Why oh why cannot it not be re-printed. I have spent many hours in a library using this book for research. It's a wonderful source of information.

I too have been looking for this book and wonder why it hasn't been re-printed.

Since my last comment, I have been in touch with the Brighton History Centre and have been advised by Paul Jordan, Snr History Officer, that there are no plans at present to re-publish the Encyclopaedia of Brighton. Perhaps more inquiries would make them think again!

I would love to see the book re-published. I live in one of the houses originally featured in it, and would be delighted to read the book.

I'm delighted to tell you that I have been commissioned by Brighton Libraries to substantially update the 'EOB'. It will be published early May 2010, as the 'New Encyclopaedia of Brighton'. Watch this space!

My partner was lucky enough to be given one of the originals for Christmas 2009. Our local bookstore in Kemptown managed to obtain one in order for it to be given as a gift. Great news that you're updating it Rose. We'll look out for the updated version, although it has to be said that the original is delightful

That is great news. I will also contact the book store in Kemptown just in case they have a source to find another original. Look forward to the updated version.

It is regrettable that there has not been wider publicity about the intention to to publish a new edition of the Encyclopaedia. There are a considerable number of major omissions in the original edition, despite the heroic work of Tim Carder, and there seems every likelihood that they will still be there in the new edition. If more people had been aware of the intent to republish then more suggestions for correcting omissions would have been forthcoming. Such things as the story of 'Brighton Voice', the longest running alternative newspaper in the country, or or the 'Brighton Combination', a major influence on Sixties Brighton, or the Unicorn Bookshop saga would have found a well-deserved place in the book. It is unfortunate that this opportunity has been lost.

I am assuming from other comments, that the new edition of the Encyclopedia has already gone to press, although it won’t be published until May 2010. However, just in case this isn’t so, I thought that Rose Collis, who has been updating it, might find the following interesting. I recently discovered that my ggg grandfather Captain Frederick Marryat, sea captain and author of many books, including the well known 'Children of the New Forest' was living in the Montpelier Villas from 1833-1834 with his family. (EOB says they were built around 1845) I found this information in David Hannay's book, 'The Life of Frederick Marryat', written in 1889. Frederick’s ninth child, Florence, was my gg grandmother and she also was a well known writer, actress, singer and spiritualist. She was born on June 9, 1833 in Brighton, so presumably whilst living at the Villas. She was christened on August 21st, 1833 at St Nicholas, Brighton. Florence’s nickname was ‘Bluebell’ and as the EOB says that the Montpelier Villas, were thought to have been built on the site of a bluebell wood, this might add credence to it. According to Hannay, Frederick wrote three of his books: 'Jacob Faithful', 'Mr. Midshipman Easy' and 'Japhet in Search of a Father', while he was living at the Villas. Unfortunately David Hannay's book doesn't say which of the villas he actually lived in.

I do get a bit irritated when people jump to conclusions. Firstly, the book has NOT gone to press yet - I am still working on it and it will be published at the end of May. Thankfully, modern technology means that there is a far shorter time between submitting a manuscript, correcting galley proofs and printing. Secondly, this is a NEW version of the Encyclopaedia, with around 170 brand new entries plus updated/revised original text, including many sections/subjects that were not in the original version, including many shops, publications, etc. To assume that an opportunity to include such subjects has been 'lost' is rather insulting to me as a professional writer, researcher and editor with 25 years experience. Thirdly, Tim is well aware of the errors in the original text (and I have also pinpointed some); what I will not have already corrected, Tim will be correcting himself at galley proof stage. I have also received a number of corrections from members of the public, in response to the articles already published in the Argus; I am incorporating these. Perhaps people could actually read the book when it's published, before they dismiss its contents out of hand? And thanks for the info, Simone. By coincidence, a friend of mine is currently researching the life and work of Florence Marryat - fascinating family!