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Patcham

Photo:Photo of All Saints Church, Patcham

Photo of All Saints Church, Patcham

All photos from a private collection

Photo:Photo of Patcham Mill

Photo of Patcham Mill

Photo:Photo of Church Hill, Patcham

Photo of Church Hill, Patcham

Photo:Photo of Patcham Clock Tower

Photo of Patcham Clock Tower

Introduction to the area
By Bill Maskell

Your editor for Patcham is Bill Maskell. If you've got any queries about this area, or can add any information, photos or memories, please send My Brighton and Hove a message via the Comments form at the bottom of this page.

My interest in local and family history started when I was about sixteen years old.

Born but not bred in Brighton
 Although I was born in Brighton my early years were spent in the north of England. Returning to Brighton in the late 1940's I soon discovered that a regional history knowledge dominated by coal mining, ship building, deep-sea trawler fishing and steel works was a bit out of place. Sheep still populated the Downs in the thousands, arable fields produced an abundance of variable crops and heavy industrial sites were few and far between. In essence I was a stranger in the locality of not only my birth but also the proven birthplace of five generations of my father's family.

Since then and over the intervening years I have been keenly interested in the local history of Brighton and its surrounding area.

Boundaries
The historic parish of Patcham comprised of the following manors: Patcham Court, Patcham Place, Withdean Court, Withdean Kayliffe and Moulsecoomb. In total it covered 32 square miles and included an area west of the Dyke Road now in Hove as well as the whole area northward from the boundary of the parish of Preston. On the north it abutted the parishes of Pyecombe and Ditchling. On the east it ran with the boundary of Falmer and Stanmer parishes and on the west of West Blatchington and Newtimber. Transferring this information on to a map would show that Withdean, Westdene, Tongdean and Hollingbury with areas of Moulsecoomb and Bevendean were all within the original parish.

The development of modern Patcham
The nucleus of modern Patcham is the village of yesteryear; centred around Church Hill and Old London Road, the now designated conservation area, contains many listed properties.

Prior to the Sir Herbert Carden's inspired Brighton/Patcham incorporation in 1920's, development south of the village was mainly piecemeal. With new building land available a series of suburban satellite estates were to quickly evolve.

In the 1930's, to the east of the village, the Ladies Mile Estate was development by George Ferguson. Built to advertise the estate, the Patcham Clock Tower was erected at the junction of Mackie and Vale Avenues.

Close by is the Ladies Mile Hotel, opened in 1935; this is a fine example of a 1930's estate public house. Ladies Mile Road was an old drove road from Patcham to Stanmer Park: developed over the years this road is the home to diverse vintage properties. South of the village, local builders, W. H .Lee and T.J. Braybon were responsible for most of the developments on the Brangwyn, Old Mill, Braybon and Carden Avenue estates.

This page was added on 22/03/2006.

Comments:

I grew up in Mackie Avenue and found this site yesterday. Today I get a phone call from an old mate who I knew from Patcham Middle School and we are having a reunion in April. Spooky or what.
By James Firth-Haydon (04/03/2004)
I moved to Patcham village from central Brighton, it is the best move I have ever made. The community spirit is fantastic and I have set up a dog walking and boarding service in our beautiful flint cottage.
By Liz Perks (15/04/2004)
I am trying to get the contact details for the owners of Patcham Mill, and wondered whether you might be able to shed any light or help out? I work for a television company in London, and we were hoping to feature Patcham Mill.
By Marcus Jones (Pioneer Productions) (19/07/2004)
Have your ever come across any data on John Pecham (or Peckham) 1230-1292?
By Mike Mitchell (19/07/2004)
Patcham is really a beautiful place on earth! I was in Brighton in July 2003 and lived in Patcham for two months. The old houses and the kindness of people turn this place into an uncomparable place where racism doesn't exist.
By Abijo (27/07/2004)
The Abergavenny farm cottages of Patcham Court Farm (former Grade lll listed buildings) are threatened with demolition in favour of a park & ride scheme. This would change the face of Patcham forever and must not be allowed to happen.
By Sharon Raby (10/02/2005)
I have lived in Patcham for most of my life and was christened in All Saints Church. Now I have 2 children and I am pleased to live in such a peaceful place but within easy reach of Brighton seafront.
By Jo Harvey (20/02/2005)
My grandfather, George - born 1865, and my father George were both sextons of the parish church. I have traced the family back to John born 1796, father John, mother Sarah, probably from Woolwich. Are we related?
By Dan Maskell (08/10/2005)
My roots here are very deep. Not only do I live in Patcham but so do my parents, Mr and Mrs Hampton. My great grandfather and mother are buried in the churchyard along with babies. They lived in the cottage at the bottom of Peacock Lane and farmed the Withdean Estate as tenant farmers. I am glad there is a reference to the horrendous idea of a Park & Ride directly opposite the conservation area - this shouldn't be allowed to happen.
By Gillian Coles (07/11/2005)
I moved to Patcham in the early 1960s when my mother Beryl married my stepfather Bill Wilson and lived in Wilmington Way. I attended Varndean Girls School but left after the fourth form. I was married in All Saints Church in March 1972. My sister Wendy went to Patcham secondary. Our name was Neale but we changed to Wilson. I remember spending a lot of leisure time at a little park across the road from the Ladies Mile pub but cannot recall the name of the park. Some of our friends were Roger Smith, Eric Hole, Rodney Whiteman, Pat Shepherd, Rosaleen Pountney, Davina Coull (who emigrated to New Zealand). We sometimes went to a youth centre at the bottom of Ladies Mile Road.
By Patricia Silsby (09/11/2005)
When my parents married in June 1934, they postponed their honeymoon in order to be able to immediately set up home in a newly completed bungalow on the Ladies Mile Estate at Patcham. At the time my mother was 'in service' at Hatch Beauchamp, Withdean, and probably remained in that employment until they moved to London some two years later. If anyone could suggest how I could find out the address of the bungalow they bought I would be most pleased to hear from them. My parents' surname was Murphy, my father's first name was Hugh and my mother's was Norah.
By H. Glendinning (16/11/2005)
I started working for the firm of T.J.B. in 1954 and retired in 1989, after 37 years as a scaffolder. Uncle Dick was what I knew him by. He was an officer in the Royal Engineers, served in France until Dunkirk, and finished up on the reserve list a Lt. Colonel. He died about 1994-5, while I was on holiday in Tunis, and was unable to attend his funeral, which I regret. I always got on well with him, as a matter of fact I compiled his family tree from Frant, there was a number of the ancestors over in Tunbridge Wells, Kent. I later deposited a copy of the family tree in the Library of the Sussex Family History Group at Lewes, Sussex. I am still a member of that society. But I live in Spain now. His mother (nee Maggie Block) lived at Coppercliff, and when she died she left the house to be used as a hospice for terminal cancer patients. She was a very nice woman. I believe she came from Diss (Suffolk or Norfolk) her father was a grocer there. The part in your article regarding what the firm of TJB built - I reckon if you were to take away all the houses, flats, rebuilds and conversions that they've done, Brighton & Hove would finish up like it was over 200 years ago. A fishing village.
By Albert V. C. Roberts (06/12/2005)
My parents moved to Vale Avenue in 1937 and remained there until their death, my mother outlived my father and died in 1971. They are both buried in All Saint's church cemetery. I was in the church choir from 1942 until 1952. I left Patcham when I got married in 1957.
By Maurice Wyatt (16/01/2006)
Please can you tell me if Patcham had some kind of boarding place for children, in around about late 1940s to early 1950s. Or if any of the local villages had a similar place. My uncle has a childhood memory and does not remember the exact details although he can recall the place name and could describe the place he was staying at. Many thanks.
By Debbie Hare (30/01/2006)
My Bishop ancestors came from Patcham in the 18th century. One called Sarah married a Richard Maskell of Pyecombe, a shepherd. Later generations were all in Brighton. Can anyone tell me the population of Patcham in the mid 1700s?
By Emma (09/04/2006)
I was wondering if you could tell me what the land was like before the houses were built in Overhill Way. Was it a hill as the name suggests?
By Claire (13/04/2006)
I'm looking for informnation about a pub/hotel called the Black Horse or Black Lion on the London Road in Patcham. This is also a Harvester restaurant. I would appreciate it it if you could help me - thank you.
By Valerie Thompson (24/07/2006)
My grandfather, Tom Pavey, was born in Patcham in the 1890s. He was one of several children. His sister Ella Pavey married local schoolmaster Eric Yardley, and his brother William Pavey was killed in Belgium in WW1. There was some scandal involving his father (also called William I believe) whose first wife (my great grandmother) drowned in the well at their farmhouse home (which later became a public school). Then he married a much younger woman (thought to be a servant in his house) who got through his modest fortune in pretty quick time!
By Amanda (28/07/2006)
I moved to Patcham four years ago. It is an amazing place which has pleasant views and very nice people. I recommend it for families.
By Lozz (11/08/2006)
My great-grandmother is shown in the 1881 census as a servant in Raysholm House, Patcham. Can anyone throw any light on what this house was please as only one other person, also a servant, is shown living there at that time?
By Shirley (27/08/2006)

I can remember (from the 1950s) to this day what inscription is printed on the Brighton boundry stones near Patcham. My mum and I used to take a bus to Pyecombe and walk back home to Kemp Town, the boundry stones were our rest place. The poem went as follows:

Hail guest, we ask not who thou art
If friend, we greet the hand and heart
If stranger,thou shalt not long be
If foe our love will conquer thee

By Vera Wakefield (18/11/2006)

All I know is my grandad lived in Withdene cottages when he was a child. My family went to Brighton for holidays but sadly I never went. I heard it was a lovely place and would like to know if I have any living relatives there still.

By Michaela Guile (14/01/2007)

My grandfather married a Matilda Jane Still of Patcham in December 1891 in London. Matilda was born on 27th April 1860, her parents being William Still and Ann Comber, both of Patcham. William and Ann married on Christmas Day 1850 and had six children, James Edward, Alfred Samuel, Charles Horace, Walter Ambrose (married Frances Standen), Matilda Jame and George Benjamin. I have an address for William and Ann in the 1881 census of Church Hill Cottage, Patcham.
Ann's father was a Malster - was there a brewery in the area?
I should be pleased to hear from anyone who knows the family.

By Ettie (07/02/2007)

I recently bought a watercolour in rather primitive style, inscribed 'Patcham Priory'. It shows a double-fronted red-brick house with bay windows flanking a porch and small tower, with a black horse and trap in front, the horse's reigns held by a boy. A steam train can be seen in the distant top right. It dates to the late 1800s. It is unsigned but the back bears the name and address Mr Lade / 20 Brooker Street, which I believe is in Hove. If anyone knows the house I would be interested to hear anything about its history.

By Max (29/03/2007)

In response to Max's enquiry re "Patcham Priory": the house concerned would appear to be the one built in 1882 and called "The Priory". There was never in fact any such place as 'Patcham Priory' to the best of my knowledge. The early (possibly the original) owners of this house were David Lade and his wife. David died in the late 1990s. In the 1901 census his widow Emily is said to be, "living on Own Means" and the link with the N. Lade (cowkeeper) who is registered at both 20 and 29 Brooker St in Hove in directories around 1990 would appear to be questionable. The house in the Withdean part of Patcham was damaged by a fire in 1910 but was rebuilt and Emily Lade lived on at the house for several years afterwards. The house is rumoured to have been used by the Home Guard in the 39/45 war but I've been unable to confirm this.
It would be great to hear any more details you have about the watercolour. My name is Peter Booth and my email address is: peter.booth90@ntlworld.com

By Peter booth (21/04/2007)

Re my response to Max's enquiry about 'Patcham Priory' - I realised when I later read it through that I'd let a critical 'typo' get past: the date of Mr Lade's death should have been in the late 1890s - not the 1990s! Apologies. The house, incidentally, was demolished around 1970 and was replaced with flats bearing the same name - 'The Priory'.

By Allan Booth (03/05/2007)

I understand that Sinden Bros funeral directors used to have branch in Patcham as well as the centre of town. Does anyone have any information about it or know where it was situated?

By Liz Henty (20/06/2007)

Responding to Liz Henty's enquiry: according to a 1960s directory, E.Sinden & Bros had a branch at 39 Craignair Avenue, Patcham.

By Peter Booth (22/07/2007)

I was born at 181 Makie Avenue in 1944 and went to Patcham School and the old school in the village. I had a wonderful childhood Playing over the downs and the old tank track, now the bypass. I am youngest of four, two brothers and one sister; Ivan Watson - Ian Watson and Deveana June Watson - I am Diane Jean Watson. My brothers were Cubs and Scouts my sister and I were Brownies and Girl Guides - is there anyone out there who remembers us?

By Diane Campbell Watson (21/09/2007)

I was thrilled to access your website today whilst I was searching under John Musgrove Wilson and so surprised to see him listed under the Local Folk heading.

As his youngest daughter I would really appreciate any communication from anyone who either knew him or could help me find out any more information about him. I do not have any photographs. Likewise I would be interested in hearing from anyone who knew my mother [deceased] Hetty Emery.

Her mother used to live in The Crescent.

I believe John & Hetty may have run several clubs. John may have been involved with the Conservative Club.

If you could direct me to any other possibly useful Brighton websites, it would be wonderful.

Very many thanks

By Yvonne Allsop [Wilson] (24/10/2007)

I just wanted to say thanks to Peter Booth regarding Sinden Bros info. If anyone knows anymore about them, that would be great.

By Liz Henty (02/11/2007)

I moved to 23 Craignair Ave. Patcham around 1932. We used to visit the site of our new home every week while it was being built. I remember walking around the footings, our dog getting into a vat of lye used for laying bricks and going crazy. There was an old school on the old London Road where I went for a year or two then we were moved to Patcham Place where Mr. Wills was our teacher - I have a picture of his class in the old house. There were secret rooms and passages in the house and we were not allowed to run for fear the ceilings would fall down. There was a huge beech tree we used to climb on in the Park and trains ran through a tunnel under the woods.
Around 1936 the new school was opened backing on to Winfield Ave with playing fields there. When war broke out we dug, or rather picked, our way through the solid chalk to make an air raid shelter.
By this time I was going to VarndeanSchool for Girls. Miss Warmington was Headmisstress, Miss Everdon taught Music, Miss Nevil Math, Miss Slark Science, Miss Phare French, Miss Nicholson English. When the school was evacuated to Yorkshire those of us who were left had to take some lessons at the Boys school. Around 1940 the SS Brighton Swimming Pool was converted to an Ice Rink and I learned to skate and watched the hockey games. Later I was to do some pair skating with a Canadian dispatch rider who became my husband 62 years ago just after the end of the war. My parents Win and Phil Bannister taught Ballroom dancing in a hall in Patcham after I came to Canada. I think it must have been at the Ladies Mile Pub across from the Clock Tower- I have a picture of the crowded hall with even young children dancing together.

By Rita (Bannister) Buckrell (06/02/2008)

Can you tell me what the boundaries (by road name) are for Patcham, ie is it all roads north/north west of Carden Avenue?

By Malcolm Muir (02/05/2008)

I am wondering if anyone still living in Patcham remembers my grandmother Edith Vincent who lived in Patcham from the 30's until her death in the 80's. She lived at 10 Vale Avenue and remarried when she was 70 to a Mr Cooper. I would love any information about her as I never got to meet her as my parents moved to Australia in 1952.

By Lynn Mahony (21/05/2008)

Born in Patcham (1940) in a bungalow in Braeside Avenue and moving away before the end of the war, I moved back to Patcham in 1947. My parents bought The Rest-a-While tea-gardens at the bottom of Mill Road. We had seven happy years there before moving into Brighton. The petrol station which is on the site now has pumps at the foot of my bed, I am sad to say!

By Ian Tracy (04/06/2008)

During my youth, our family lived in several homes around the Patcham area. Whilst a pupil at Shoreham Grammar School (now Shoreham College), I was a member of the Chapel Choir and took a keen interest in Organ Music. David Gutsell was a fellow pupil and his father was the Vicar of All Saints Church, Patcham. He kindly gave me access to play the Organ on several occasions. All working on the Extension principle, I always considered the instrument as very powerful when required, and rate it as my favourite church organ. I managed to track down the firm responsible for it's maintenance - WoodBrown of Haywards Heath; and spoke with Mr. Brown who was actually involved with it's construction, and indeed worked on the Console as his Apprentice Piece!
Now living in Abergavenny, I keep meaning to revisit Brighton, via Patcham of course.

By Mark Elliott (11/06/2008)

My mother and father are celebrating their golden wedding anniversary this year. I am putting together a scrap book of their life in Brighton. My mother was born in 1937 and lived in Wilmington Way, Patcham; her name was Mavis Hook and she had three brothers. She went to Patcham Primary School. Mavis met my dad, named Denis Poplett. If anybody remembers them please contact me: sandwake2000@yahoo.co.uk

By Sandra Wakefield (22/06/2008)

I was born in 'Sails', Stoneleigh Ave, Patcham in 1941 and lived there with my sisters Heather and Annette, unfortunately Heather died in 1945. I left home in 1960. Our end of the road was unmade at that time and subsequently the house became number 23. The house was called "Sails" by my father Albert Wheeler as we could see the sails of the windmill up on Mill Hill from the garden.
I married Carolyn Harris (49 Ladies Mile Rd) a great grandaughter of Joseph Harris who built the mill.
I went to school at the end of the road, Patcham Juniors and Seniors, and then eventually to Varndean Grammar. I spent 1 year at the "old school" in Old Patcham. Miss Horsley was the headmistress of the Junior School, Mr Budleigh the head of the Seniors and Mr Hutchins (Butch) the head of Varndean. I have very fond memories of Patcham- the chalkpit, the "ups and Downs", dewponds on the downs, lambing at Patcham Court Farm, looking for adders at Sweet Hill, roaming the woods at Patcham Place, cross country runs to the Chatri, tobogganing down Sunnydale Ave. I still return for visits. If anyone wishes to swap memories of Patcham they can contact me at michaelarmandwheeler@hotmail.com

By Michael Wheeler (27/08/2008)

I was very interested to see the photograph of the new estate being built in Ladies Mile Road in the thirties. I moved to a new bungalow at the top of Ladies Mile Road in 1947, when I was four. This was on the edge of the downs and provided a play area for the whole of my childhood. We used to build 'dens' in the brambles amongst the trees, run up and down the bomb craters, collect wild flowers which were abundant on the chalk hills and trek to the dew pond on the way to Ditchling Beacon. My father's family were a part of Patcham village life since the 1860s when my grandfather Joseph arrived in the village from Lewes and set up a bakery in the village. He subsequently built Patcham Mill after being denied planning permission to build a new steam mill in the village. Since Joseph set up the first 'telegraph office', Patcham Post Office has been run by a Harris, the present sub post-master being my brother, Nigel. My cousin, David Harris still lives above the Post Office and my mother Vera Harris lived at 1, Church Hill until her recent death. There is a seat in the park opposite, with the inscription "Roy's seat" in memory of my father who was also sub postmaster for many years. He often talked about the way Patcham was in the 1920s, before all the new estates were built.

By Carolyn Wheeler (nee Harris) (31/08/2008)

Great to have found this website and info about my wonderful Patcham. I spent many happy years there in my childhood staying with my grandparents Lilian and James Will. It is good to read all the stories and comments which have brought back so many memories to me. I did visit briefly in 1989 when visiting England again on holiday. I guess it will just be wonderful memories for me as I am not likely to travel that far from New Zealand again. My grandparents lived at No 60 Sunnyhill Avenue.

By Ann Chalk (07/09/2008)

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