Good picture showing changes from when I went to school in Hanover Terrace, 1952-55, and we used to walk through this street most lunch times going to and from The Level where on the path between the trees we kicked a tennis ball about for half an hour. No cars or yellow lines then. Do I recall a laundry on the downhill corner with Southover Street?

I seem to remember you John (John Hancock 8/11/2006) at the Brighton Secondary Technical School in Hanover Terrace in the 1950's. I used to catch the Horsham Flyer steam train from Portslade to Brighton, then walk to the Hanover Terrace school.  The stink from the old Phoenix Brewery nearby was a regular experience on the journey. I still remember most of the teachers' names. We had no playing fields there and had to bus all the way to East Brighton Park for football and cricket. You mention the Level where we went for the lunch time breaks, but I and my mates were always wary there and on the look out as the lads from nearby (Pelham, was it?) school would seek out us Technical School boys for a fight.

I lived at number 41 Hanover Street in the late 60's early 70's. I remember "Bob Grover" from the band The Pirahnas playing his guitar outside his house on Hanover Street, I was very small at the time and Bob was in his teens then before the band. I remember the Co-op as well.
I also remember a family story that there was a terrible smell in the house and the floorboards were ripped up to discover rats. I think we moved out not long after that. Not sure if our house was the only one affected or not.

I have only just returned to this site Roger - how time flies! I regret I have not a single photo of the school and only a few of our prefects Industrial Tour Parfitt took us on around Bristol which was brilliant. Steel works, docks, Vespa factory, Frys, Bath to look at rolled lead roofing etc. Yes I too recall the Phoenix (KempTown?) Brewery smell as well as all the teachers by name. A certain aging (then young) Colewell (maths) still lives nearby to me in Patcham. The Headmaster was 'Goofy' (he certainly wasn't - and he knew every boy by name) Downing ; the massive framed tippy toeing Ben Chappel (Tech drawing & owner of a Black belt!); 'Popeye' Pope,(History and French); 'Barrel' Walsh (English); Joe Huddart (Geography and divinity); McKinley(Art); (do you recall the full-sized 'stained glass' window made by his combined art classes for a festival at the dome - Matthew was miss pelt with one 't'?) Alec Hargreaves (brickwork building and Brighton Boys soccer); 'Garse' (he came from Bristol) Parfitt (Plumbing); (under his skills I took and obtained the first (AEB) GCE introduced for that particular trade); 'Tin Tummy' Mitchell (Painting and Decorating); Spud Taylor (woodwork); Beyar (French); Bullock (Science); Hobden (Maths & Football) Weedle (ex Navy I think) PTI and Rugby - it was certainly a great little school. I walked by the site recently and it seemed to me a surreal experience, the school having disappeared without trace - morphing into a row of houses that whilst admittedly looking more recently constructed than the rest of the street upon close inspection, would to the casual observer appear to be originals. Appropriate workmanship really! I converse from time to time with my close pal of those days 'Split' Waterman, (he is now in Essex,) and I discover he too recalls all the staff and many of the student names. Clearly it may have been a back street location but it made a lasting contribution and impact on many boys of its era. And yes, fights did occur at the Level but I never got involved - too busy chasing a ball! Yet we can have little doubt 'They started it Mr!' I did also box for the school (albeit not particularly successfully) and would regularly suffer a sore nose when matched with a certain Johnny Swaysland as I boxed in tournaments at such as Queens Park and Stanmer Schools! However boxing allowed a certain confidence in walking over the hill to EastBrightonPark for Games through the Whitehawk estate of that era! I do recall many pupils travelled in by train from outlying districts - Wilcox, Phillips, Mepham, Osbourne, amongst them. The school Captain in my final year was a Rob (I think) Walker. Great memories and I seem to recall you too.

I lived at number 35 Hanover Street from 1947 to 1968 when I got married. I would like to hear from anyone who remembers me. I now live in Kent.

My grandfather, Jesse Stevenson, was a lodger at 51 Hanover Street in 1901. He was a general labourer, aged 20. He lived with the Pattenden family. Gertrude Tester, aged 19, was a boarder.

Michael Wray, I somewhat remember you, more so your Mum and Dad. I lived just a very few houses down from your house. I say somewhat remember, as I do believe you would be some few years my junior. I now live in Australia, and have been for 36 yrs now

About 'boring' Bob Grover from the band 'The Piranhas' playing his guitar outside his house in Hanover Street. The pub round the corner, The Greys, was owned/run from around 1985 until last year by Mike Lance also from 'The Piranhas'. He was the drummer/percussionist and Mr Grover was often seen playing in The Greys with either Mike Roberts or a band called 'Girls Behind Bars'. 'The Piranhas' wrote the (now) popular football chant inspiring tune Tom Hark. I believe Bob Grovers ghost is till seen to haunt these parts!

I was in the same class as Bob Grover from Piranhas and he was weird, very quiet and spooky, not a bit interested in girls only his music.  I lived at 37 Hanover Terrace from 1956 till 1972. Opal electric was on the corner with very sloping wall which we all used to sit on at night. Just round corner was a grocery shop - it had rats!  The lady was a kind old soul and would sell one egg! We used to play in the hollow and use the steps for our games. As we got older we would innocently kiss and cuddle there before we had to go in.

I have been researching my ancestry and have discovered that my maternal grandfather's family, the Collins family, lived at 62 Hanover Street. On digging a bit deeper I discovered that the house was shared with a division of the Molton family, who were relatives on his grandmother's side of the family. It was really lovely to see the picture of Hanover Street on this website and I hope to personally get to Brighton again to take a few pics of my own to store with the family tree. A great pity that Carlyle Street is not listed as well. My grandmother's family, the Maynards, lived at No 5 Carlyle. Is anyone out there related to the families Collins, Molton and Maynard?
Kind regards from Cape Town, South Africa.

What a find. Thank you so much for posting this pic. My paternal grandmother was born at 40 Hanover Street in 1892. So it is so good to see the location.

My Gt Gt Grandmother Eliza Robinson lived at 64 Hanover Street with four of her children and also lodgers according to the 1891 & 1901 census. She was working as a launderess and shown as head of the house, not as a widow. Where could spouse Edward be? - in with the soap suds???

My mother Peggy Reed (nee Funnell) lived at no 48 from 1928 to 1941. My father William Reed lived at no 49 from the early 1930s and it was the family home until his fathers death in the mid-sixties. Does anyone remember them or my grand-parents Ivy Carter (nee Funnell), Reg Carter, William and Agnes Reed?

My grandparents Fred and Dolly Weeden lived in Hanover Street from 1932 -1962. My mother was born there in 1937. My Great Grandmother on my father's side was also born there in 1884 and I supsect other Brighton Relatives lived there. I myself lived there as a small child in the late 50's, early 60s and later as an adult lived in Southover Street in the 80's/90's

Angi: In 1889 a Florence Frances Stunell was born at 40 Hanover Steet. So she may well have lived in the same house at the same time as your grandmother. Florence is related to me. In the 1881 census my great great great grandfather Richard George Jefferies was living at 39 Hanover Street. He was 88 and died aged 90 in April / May / June 1883 possibly at this address. He was from Swanage, Dorset.

Roger Bateman mentions the boys from the "nearby school" possibly looking for a lunchtime punch up at the Level with the boys from the Secondary Tech in Hanover Terrace. Since senior schools never (in those days anyway  would consider it fair to pick on "little kiddies" the likely opponent would have been another secondary school, probably the Fawcett school before they moved from near London Road and became Patcham Fawcett. Any former pugilists from the Secondary Tech care to comment?

Philip Wood: I went to school with your mother Maureen. She also worked at CVA where she met you father John. I lived in Hanover Terrace in the 50's. Now I live in Ontario Canada but return to Brighton twice a year. Say 'hi' to her for me.

Philip Wood, I remember your grandparents very well, only as Mr & Mrs of course, they seemed so sweet. Also Maureen, your Mum, her and I were rather friendly, and I remember you being born. Violet Hammond, I remember you also from the Terrace. I lived in the Street not far from Mr & Mrs Weeden.

My family moved to 42 Hanover Street when I was 6 (1962-ish). From the age of 11, I occasionally attended the school in Hanover Terrace (when I wasn't jamming with my band) and am pretty sure Parfitt and Taylor were still running the metalwork and woodwork shops, though it may have been a surname coincidence. At some point the Watney's brewery became a depot, so we were spared the smell. My mum Dotty worked in the cafe near the bottom of Southover Street. There was a lockup Hoover repair shop just below the Bricklayer's Arms in Southover Street which is now rubble and weeds. On the bottom corner of Hanover Street/Islingword Road was (I think) Vi's corner shop. I remember her wearing a blue nylon overall and selling me things like individual sachets of shampoo. Also, as a child, I would be sent down Islingword Road to the paper shop (still in the same place - by the old entrance to the Co-Op Dairy) to buy 5 Park Drive cigarettes. We used to kick a football against the Co-Op dairy milk float garages in Hanover Street, much to the annoyance of the wife of the (night working) taxi driver opposite. There was a greengrocer just up Islighword Road from Hanover Street and one about 3 streets up in Southover Street. By about 1968-9 there were quite a lot of parked cars on the upper side of Hanover Street I seem to remember. Val Harper (nee Hall) - didn't we sit next to each other in ElmGroveJuniorSchool? Bit young for a boy to admit being interested in girls in those days. I did go out with Theresa Much from Hanover street when we were 13/14 for a whole fortnight.

I lived at 40 Hanover Street from 1940 until 1962. I have a brother David and John who sadly passed away and sisters Norah and Iris. I grew up with Gwen, Brenda, Teddy Smith. I also knew Moureen Weeden and her parents and knew of the Coop garages where we all played as children with the Tillman family. My surname was Burchell. I went to Elm Grove School. I also knew Mr and Mrs Wray and their son Michael who was a small lad when we were children. I also knew Ivy Leonard who lived at the same house with her parents who lived below Mr and Mrs Wray. Gwenny Smith was my friend as was Ivy. My brother David was Teddy Smith's friend along with Leslie Tillman. I hope that some one out there will remember myself and my family and even remember our street party May 1945. I shall never forget my childhood in Hanover Street and all the lovely friends and their parents etc as it was such a close community. Brenda Bassett should remember me and my family. as I remember Mabel who is her sister in law.

Doris Ellen Smith, goodness me of course I remember you and your family very well. Yes - Ted was a friend to David for many years, he does often talk of David and wonders if he still lives in Hollingbury. Mabel is my sister in law, I think Norah was more my age and you were Gwen and Mabel's age group. What fun days they were, playing in the garages as kids, I remember all the names rather well, and also the street party. Yes we all were a close community in those days weren't we? Such happy memories we all share. Regards to your family Doris.

Hello Brenda, so pleased to hear from you especially with all those years in between. It was purely by accident that I came across your e mail. I was browsing at Hanover Street and scrolled down reading all the messages and saw yours. I said to my husband that I knew you and all your family. I was amazed really to know that you are living in Aussie. My family wish to be remembered to you. Please would you give my regards to Gwen and Ted. So lovely that you read my e mail.  Kindest regards to you and family.

Doris, it doesn't seem right to continue into any more conversation on this really wonderful page, so I'll put my email address for you: hba34100@bigpond.net.au

Violet, I spoke to my mum, said of course she remembered you. My Dad said you came to their flat in Black Rock and baby sat me! Dad said he remembered you and your husband Derek. I take it you worked at Coombe Road CVA, as you may know though the building is still there ,but the building has gone through many uses currently storage place. CVA died on its feet in the 80s, my dad was made redundant in 1972.
Aussie Girl, my mum would like to know who you are?
My Grandad Fred apparently used to keep all the footballs that landed in his front garden in a cupboard, which I could believe. He lived to a good age (92) in good physical health, but unfortunately his mental health went. Nan also lived to a good age (87), but she suffered from arthritis, they both lived at Rottingdean to their death, which they thought was a great step up from Hanover Street, but I am sure the community spirit was better in Hanover. My Mum I think to this day would prefer to live in the town close to the shops. My mum's brother Colin died about 12 years ago.
My mum doesn't seem to have any memories of the war - too young maybe. My Grandmother told me that when the Germans blew up London Road Viaduct, she was worried about her mother, who I think was living in Peter Street the other side of London Road near the enormous St Bart's Church. She died shortly thereafter from natural causes. I think they also hit the School Clinic in Morley street. Any reminiscences from anybody?
I lived in Hanover Street as a very small child in the very late 50s and early 60s, I don't have very many memories. I have pictures of me soaking up the sun in my pushchair outside no 17 or 18. We lived in a small flat with my Grandmother's neighbour of 30 years, Mrs Kemish (I think Mr Kemish died at about that time) in what I remember as a very old fashioned house, I think the Kemishes had lived there many years. I don't remember their sons very well called John and Sid. Mrs Kemish died in the late 70s. John Kemish lived in Brighton, but his brother Sid worked on the Atlantic Liners with his wife.
My mum also spoke about her neighbours the other side the Capps, in particular Pat, does anybody remember them?

Philip Wood, maybe you would like to tell your Mum that Aussie girl is Brenda Smith who used to live at No.29, we were rather friendly for many years. Yes, I remember the flat your Mum and Dad had when they first married, the house next to your Nan, I do believe your Mum and Dad where very proud to have that flat in those days. I do somewhat remember the Capps (Pat) - I think there were two girls in the house, don't know very much about them though. Do remember Mrs Kemish though, sweet lady? And I remember your Nan having arthritis, she too was a sweet lady, I might add!

To Philip Wood. You were asking does any-one remember Pat Capp? My mother knew Mr and Mrs Capp. As children we used to play with Pat at her house or she would come to our house to play, as my Mother and Pat's Mother used to work  together. I lived at 40 Hanover Street and knew your Mother and her family very well.