The picture of the base of the lampost in Dave Huggins' piece brought back memories, as that design of lamp seemed to be everywhere in my childhood days in most roads in Hove - and still is in some places with some modifications. My point is that at some stage in the past some of them were removed and sold off. They were usually bought individually by people wanting something a little different for the entrance to their drive or business. I have located two in the West Country: one in the drive of a house near Ashcott, Somerset, and another outside an hotel near the cliffs at Burton Bradstock, Dorset. I am pretty sure these lamps originated in Brighton and Hove - in fact the people at the house near Ashcott were able to confirm this. Presumably there ought to be a few dotted around Sussex too, if they were sold off locally. Perhaps someone could confirm that the design was not used anywhere else, and it would be a bit of fun for visitors to this site to look out for any more that may have been transplanted elsewhere. I would say the original sale was over thirty years ago.

Can't help with the origin of the lamp-posts, although they seem to resemble those on Prinsep Rd, where I grew up.  Does anyone remember the elderly lamplighter, who rode around on a bicycle, lighting the lamps with a long pole, and turning them off in the early morning?  The boys would try to turn them on, or climb up and hang a rope over the bar, and use it for a swing! I also recall when they were converted to sodium bulbs, which distorted the colors of our clothes.  During the war there was a pig-bin affixed to the base.  Phew! What an aroma!! Never knew how the pigs could stand it. I also recall the lights being turned on again after the war, and for some unknown reason, was quite scared of them for a while, probably after years of maintaining the blackout.

The old lamplighter's name was Mr Laws and he lived in Shirley Street.  He would have made a great polo player as the method of switching the lights on and off was to 'poke' the rocker just below the lamp housing.  He did this with a broom handle with a rubber end while riding past the lampost - this is why they were right at the edge of the kerb.  I knew him when I was a lad because he was my mate's grandfather. The irony was that he only had gaslighting in his house! This was a bit of a drawback as this was the beginning of the pop era and it meant my mate was stuck with buying hits on 78s!  I seem to remember that meant he was stuck with the Woolworth's copies on the Embassy label - I bet they are collector's items now.  I remember Livingstone Road for its public baths. Our house in Shirley Street had no bath so I was sent round for a bath every Saturday whether I needed one or not!  The attendant's name was Alf and he was an ex-matelot, only a little guy but I dont recollect anyone crossing him!  I can hear the cries now - 'more hot in No.7 please, Alf' - 'if you kids dont get out of there now, I'll turn on the cold'.  Needless to say the taps were on the outside of the cubicle. There was an old fashioned Gents hairdressers were I remember having my first hair cut. The barber was a man called George and he was Oliver Hardy's double. He stuck a straw-filled pouffe in the chair to raise me up and I daren't move a muscle. I was terrified having seen him set fire to the previous customer's hair with a lighted taper! Why did they do that? I needn't have worried and I got a banana as a reward for being so good. Poor old George never moved with the times so when I moved up to a D.A. I switched allegiance to Harry Hodiack's in Shirley Street - the 'in' place to go - a cut was 2/6 against George's 1/10 but it was no contest.

Does anyone know anything about 72 Livingstone Road in 1919 and who lived there?

What a great website.  I used to live in Shirley Street, from 1956-65.  I also remember Saturday mornings going round the public baths in Livingstone Road.  I remember how big the baths were, also the towels and flannel were presented in mint condition.  Also you always got a new bar of soap. I also went to the barbers, I think his name was George Spall. It was two shops away from Hunts - they sold groceries and cooked meats. On the four corners were the Exchange pub, opposite was Hayters (hardware shop), Clarks (bakers) and a grocery shop on the other corner. It was a great place to live!

A truly wonderful website. It should be compulsory reading for all of today's local school-kids. The lampost pictured is identical to the one close to where I was brought up at the bottom end of St. Leonard's Avenue in Hove. I'd have thought that anyone growing up in this area in the early 1950's would know the real reason they are located flush with the kerbstone. So that us kids could chalk stumps on the road side of the base and bowl across the road at them!!! Phew, don't you lot know nuffin?

The barbers shop mentioned in earlier posts was owned by my father-in-law's uncle and his name was Joe Spall, not George. My father-in-law would take him his flask of coffee and a pie from the bakers every Saturday morning, and get 2 shillings for his trouble. He remembers him as a very kindly and generous man!

I now too live outside 'the lamp post' next door to Mr Huggins in Livingstone Road - and scraped my car within days of moving in. I also knocked a courtesy car from a garage! The lamp post was put there when there were horse and carriages so I guess parking up wasn't a consideration then. If it was removed I guess I would miss it! It is all part of the character of the street and Hove!

My father was 'Alf' manager of the baths. Mum looked after the women's side and we lived at no.58

That lamppost! I remember the dogs too that used to annoy my parents, making a mess just outside our doorstep.  In those days we all used to happily play in the street, about fourteen of us at times, from trikes to Chopper Bikes.  Going along the pavement and around the same block.  I remember the shop opposite on the corner as Bowlers.  Not sure if that was the shop name or the owner.  He had rows of those real old glass jars of all sorts of sweets, and chocolate and everything was wrapped in paper bags. Fond memories too of living next door to Dave and Shelia Huggins. In those early days we could count the cars that parked there on one hand. When I had my first car, the only time I could not park was when the Albion football match was a home game.

It is great to know that people still remember the baths and Alf, who was my dad.  You are right Vic Stevens, although my dad was small, I can't remember anyone ever having a go at him.  But his bark was worse than his bite. I wonder if anyone remembers my mum, who looked after the women's side of the baths. She was Elizabeth or sometimes known as Pat?

Totally agree about the lamp post. It has got me twice with different cars. The first time I was given an estimate of £600 to repair the damage!

Well, I used to dangle happily from that lampost as part of the daft games kids played at the time in the 1970s. I used to play on my heavy gauge trike (with boot compartment, no less) in that gang with Gordon, above! The lamposts, as I remember, were important markers. As a small child, playing in the street, I was allowed to play up and down between lamposts pointed out by my mum.

What a great load of memories. There I was looking for some history on the design of lamposts (don't ask) and up comes a picture of one that I was completely familiar with. I used to live at 59 Goldstone Road in the early 1950s and we had one right outside. It was great for climbing on and swinging from, although it was also a good spot for the dogs! Mind you in those days my Mum used to wash the pavement in front of the house like most others did. I went to School in Ellen St (I think all that's left now is the boys' playground). Regularly had my hair cut in Harry's, I remember he used to put a leather covered board between the arms of the chair for me to sit on. I could go on for days as I'm sure most of us could. I'm so glad they didn't pull those roads down when they went mad in the 1960s and built those horrible flats opposite the bus station. Divall's on the corner with those glass topped tables and the elevator that they used to pull the meals up from down in the kitchen and Forfars on the opposite corner. Do you remember the 'shellfish man' coming around on a Sunday morning so you could buy a pint of winkles? Sunday afternoon armed with a pin and some brown bread and butter!! What a joy.

I remember the lamp posts, and Victor Stevens (from the Junior School '55-'59). I lived at 26 Goldstone Road and used to roller skate around all those streets. Shirley Street was the best since the pavements were smooth. Do you remember the sisters who ran the milk shop? I used to wait eagerly for my weekly copy of the School Friend and other magazines from Mr. Jenner, the Newsagent. My friends were the twins, Sandra & Marilyn. I wonder if my old house is still there. I've lived in Hawaii for the past 35 years. so this site is quite a treat for me to visit! Jackie Collins, Honolulu.

Does anyone remember Stan and Margaret, they had the grocer's shop? My mum used to take me in to get a Jiffy Jelly on the way home from school. When our house was pulled down in Ellen Street, Stan used to deliver the shopping to us up in Hangleton. Joan Laws, the lamplighter's daughter, is my Mum's friend and would love to hear from anyone who remembers her: wwandas@aol.com

Whilst researching my family history I discovered that my great, great grandparents' address on the 1881 census was 58, Livingstone Road. They were the Leat family. They had a large family all living at that address over a number of years. My great, great grandparents were called John James Leat and Emma Elizabeth Ellen Leat. My great grandmother who was a girl at the time was Emma Leat who later became Emma Sach. If anyone knows anything about them or any of their relations living in that area today, I would be really grateful - please contact me on draydon@tiscali.co.uk. Also what would they have been doing there? Would they have worked at the baths?

My grandmother, Florence Dorrington, was born at 130 Ellen Street in 1890. She met my grandfather, John George Warwick (known as George), who ran a newsagents on the corner of Sackville Road and Livingstone Road. According to historical directories the shop was definitely there between 1911 and 1915. But I only know that they moved to London before my father was born in 1922. If any one has any information or photos of the area I would be interested. Thank you.

I lived in Livingstone Road from 1935 to 1946, I can't remember the number as I was only 4 years when we moved there. We lived in a basement flat with two flats above us. I remember there being a chemist shop at the top of the road and at the other end we used to spend our sweet coupons in a sweet shop during the war.

My family on my grandfather's side used to own Clark's Bakery.

My Grandfather was the gas-lamp lighter who lived in Shirley Street. Although I was very young at the time I do remember his bicycle and long pole that he used to light the lamps with. He had three daughters; Peg, Joan and Betty, and one son who served in the Navy named Harold. My mother Joan, married Bill Weller from Clarendon Road who was a plumber by trade and worked for Hove Council. The best mate mentioned by Vic Stevens is my cousin, Les Ordon who took the £10 emigration passage to Australia when he was 21 year old in 1967 I think.
Les is visiting UK and it would be good if anyone who remembers him to contact me as he would love to be reminded of friendships and growing up in Shirley Street all that time ago.

My nan has asked me to write on here to see if anyone remembers the Hoopers of  number 50. They lived there round about the early 1950's. My nan's name is Maureen. I would love for people who remember the Hoopers to get in touch with us.

I am researching the Austin and Ford families who lived at 82 and 78 respectively. Any memories or info would be appreciated.