Does anyone know the history of Hartington Road? Tried finding out but there's no mention on the net of what used to be around the area. We live in a student house that could easily have been a shop, but finding it hard to find any history!

I know a lot about Hartington Road. I lived at the bottom of Bernard Road for 22 years, all through the 1960s and 1970s. At the bottom of Bonchurch, there was a small newsagent/ grocery. Whippingham had no shop on either corner. On the other side of the street, on the corner of Whippingham Street, there was a Baker's shop. They actually baked the bread there, and would slice it on a machine if you wanted. The lady who owned it had a big Blonde Bouffant hairdo! Next is Brading Road; a Newsagent on the lower side of the street, I don't remember the name of the original owner's, but Harry Crane had it for many years. I worked for him as a paper delivery boy when I was about 12, to about 15. If there was horse racing on TV when I was supposed to get paid, he didn't want to come out to the shop, so he let me take the money out of the till, and a large bar of chocolate. Talk about trusting. On the other corner was a small Grocer shop. I can't remember their name's but their faces are still clear to me. There was a Ladies Hairdresser at the bottom of Bernard Road, called Flair. The owner was Angela and she was married, with 3 boys if I remember correctly. It was something else before it was a hairdressers, but I can't for the life of me remember what. Lastly, as far as shops go, at the bottom of Totland Road, there was a grocer's, run by a little old lady, full of energy, and with a Scottish accent. She sold fresh sliced meat and cheese, and vegatables and all the stuff you needed, when you ran out. I wish I could remember her name! After she died it became, "Arnolds". Same type of store, but I don't think it did too well, and it soon became a junk shop. Oh sorry, Antique shop! Also, there was a sweet shop on the corner of Bernard Place, (the twitten) and Bernard Road, which had many owners over the years.

My 'Uncle' John and 'Aunty' Peggy Smith owned the corner shop in Bernard Road (and Bernard Place) until the 1960s. I often stayed with them as a little girl and went everywhere with their daughter Jackie. 'Uncle' John used to drive a Morris 1000 Traveller and I used to go with him on his deliveries whether it was groceries or his customer's dry cleaning. He had a spinal problem and walked bent over but was a great practical joker.

I enjoyed the comment 06/01/2005 by Patrick Collins. My great aunt, Mabel Legendre (nee Phillips) also had a fruiterer's store at 74 St. George's Road sometime in the 1920's. She called it MABS FRUITERERS. My great aunt Mabel was one of two sisters who did not emigrate to Canada with the others. My grandmother Lily, her husband "Tom" Atkins and family emigrated in 1907. The website BRIGHTON PHOTOGRAPHERS 1841-1910 tells the story of Alfred Alphones Atkins, my great grandfather. I imagine that Patrick's granddad would have known my Aunt Mabel. Later Aunt Mabel had a tearoom at 24 Market Street.

Does anyone have any memories of Holland Street to share? I was born at no 46 in 1946. It was my grandmother's house (Mabel Hobden) as my mum and dad were lodging there at the time. I have some memories my self and some photos of the street party for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth in 1953. I always remember lots of people speaking to my mum but not their names, except for a Mrs Jestico who lived opposite.