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Furze Croft, St Anne's Well Gardens

Photo by Julia Powell

Notes and Queries

Query
by Pat Sheehan, bookseller
e-mail sent to site 19 September 2002

Like an Art Deco ocean liner
"I live in Furze Croft, and I think it's a gorgeous building. I love the curves, the light stone, the concrete waves around the circumference of the building. I feel as though I'm stepping onto a fantastic Deco ocean liner everytime I come into the lobby.

Captures the essence of living at the seaside
I can't understand why, when so much care is taken to restore and conserve the Georgian, Regency and Victorian architecture, so little is done to help with the buildings built in the 20's and 30's...They say so much more about living in a seaside town.

Does anyone know where I can find any photos of Furze Croft around the time it was built?"

Response
by Geoffrey Mead, local historian
e-mail sent to site 19 September 2002

Furze Croft is (as the message above makes clear) a wonderful set of Thirties blocks at the southern end of St Annes Well Gardens. It was advertised in a copy of the Brighton and Hove Herald in June 1936 as being brand new and there are some illustrations of it. However, on the newsprint of 66 years ago these are not very clear. During much of its life Furze Croft was a seen as a luxury development, and (I believe) as a development with a high proportion of Jewish inhabitants

This page was added on 22/03/2006.

Comments:

I agree, Furze Croft is a pretty building. I live opposite at Wick Hall, and am currently researching the history of the area. I found the original promotional literature for Wick Hall at Hove Museum, where there is an exhibit about housing in the area. The Local History library in Brighton is also worth investigating, as the old newspapers and telephone books from the 1930s give a real flavour of life at the time both Furze Croft and Wick Hall were built.

By Lois Ellett (16/06/2003)

I live there too, it is a most unusual style building. My friend lives on the top floor - the views are super. On my floor, the first floor, I can see the hideaway and the back gardens

By Anonymous (12/02/2004)

One thing that particularly amuses me at Furze Croft is the post box in the south tower. What a reminder of the decadence this building may have purported to offer, what with the back staircase for the 'staff' and the small kitchens, indicating that no substantial cooking was expected of the residents in the larger flats. The only disapointment is the lack of balconies; that's why, for me, Wick Hall wins. Not only do I get to look at Furze Croft and enjoy the sight, but I can stand out on to my balcony and enjoy the openness towards the sea.

By David Lilly (27/02/2004)

I live here, it's a nice building shame the management company run it like a school. Does anyone know what font (type face) has been used on the driveway entrance signs?

By Steven (25/10/2004)

I'm an American re-locating to Brighton. Friday, I was shown a lovely flat at Furze Croft. Even though it is only on the first floor, it has a lovely sea view, in a fantastic building. Expecting to move in next month.

By James Vetter (11/12/2005)

In the late 50s I worked as a van boy for a firm in Crown Street off the Western Road. The firm was P. Panto & Co. On the side of the vans was a picture of a policeman arresting a cold, I think in the form of a burglar. The word JILPS was also on the vans being a cough sweet to arrest the cold. My boss was Mr. Hyme Panto, and sometimes we had cause to go to his apartment in Furze Croft to deliver stuff. Furze Croft had a large Jewish Community. I was fascinated by this lovely building, and the quietness that was around and inside it. The floors inside were polished and very shiny. I was also fascinated by the little scrolls that were on every door frame by the front door of the flats. I liked working for this firm, being owned by Jewish folk. We did not have to work on Saturdays.
Lovely memories. Why don't they design buildings as beautiful as this anymore? Art Deco forever.

Mick Peirson.

By Mick Peirson (06/11/2006)

I've owned a flat in Furze Croft for 10 years and have always loved it. It has been used as a holiday home since I bought it but now, due to work commitments, I will finally get to live there during the week too. And I can't wait.

By Sarah Morris (11/06/2007)

Talking of St Anne's Well Gardens, does anyone remember Billy's Little Cottage?

By Andrew Seear (12/03/2008)