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Preston

Welcome to Preston
By Jacqueline Pollard

Hello! My name is Jacqueline Pollard and I am your editor for Preston.  I have lived in Brighton for over 50 years and moved into the Preston area in the 1970s.

The development of Preston
Originally a small downland village consisting of four streets, Preston has been developed into a unique Victorian suburb on the eastern slopes of Preston Road. Fortunately the original village on the western side of Preston Road still maintains some of its original features.

How my interest began
My interest in old Preston started when I began researching the history of my house in Preston Drove. I discovered my house had been built on farmland once owned by the Stanford family of Preston Manor. Before the 1870s Preston had been a quiet village detached from its more vibrant neighbour, Brighton. With the development of the Stanford land Preston village was linked to Brighton for the first time, although it was only officially joined to Brighton in 1928. However, many residents still refer to the original area as 'the village'.

Joining the Preston and Old Patcham Society
I joined the Preston and Old Patcham Society where members had a much wider knowledge of the area and a passion for preserving the wonderful environment of Preston. For seven years I represented the society as the Planning Applications Secretary for the Preston area. This involved looking at all the planning applications for the Preston conservation area and attending the Conservation Area Advisory Group (CAAG) meetings at the Town Hall every three weeks. This can be a thankless task and often applications were approved that many thought detrimental to the area. However, some alterations were prevented or modified which helped to preserve some of the special qualities of the area.

I have since been involved in the production of three books about the Preston area and have a collection of maps, postcards and pictures showing the development and changes that have occurred.

Can you help?
If you have any queries about this area, or can add any information, photos or memories, please send My Brighton and Hove a message by clicking on the 'make a comment' link at the bottom of this page.

This page was added on 22/03/2006.

Comments:

Jacqueline, is there any chance of having a recent photo of St. Peter's Church, Preston included in this section? It's quite special to me as my parents were married there and I was christened there. Although I do have an old photo (showing the gate), I would be interested in how it looks today.
By Jean (New Zealand) (09/05/2005)
Hello Jean: I have many older pictures of St. Peters but I will take a picture of the church as it is now and put it on the site.
By Jacqueline Pollard (28/05/2005)
Many thanks, Jacqueline - look forward to seeing it.
By Jean (02/06/2005)
Hi Jacqueline: Just wondering if you'll be able to get the photo of St. Peter's, Preston on to the site soon? Many thanks.
By Jean (New Zealand) (04/12/2005)
In 1943/4 my brother and I were placed in a home called Ravenscourt. It was on the Preston Road I think and was a social services type of place. Can anybody help me?
By Bernard Hill (17/02/2006)
Does anybody know of a house in the Preston area which was known as 'The Grange'? I am trying to find out who may have lived there during the early 1900s?
By Yvonne Stevens (17/04/2006)

Was interested that you lived in Preston Drove. I lived at number 159 [the house was called Sitiwan] in 1941 and was there for the duration of the war and afterwards. The garden at the rear was long and narrow and had an entrance in Hythe Road. Blakers Park was only over the road and us children had a lovely park to play in. In the house was a larder built into the back garden where we used to take shelter during the air raids.

By Jennifer Goddard (nee Norrell) (05/02/2007)

Has anyone any photo's of Lovers Walk? My great grandmother lived at number 4 in 1928. I've been round to take a photo but it has been demolished and offices are in its place.

By Josie Campbell (10/03/2007)

I was wondering what anyone can tell me about Hampstead Road, Preston between about 1908-1938. My grandfather was born at 45 Hampstead Road and lived there until his marriage. His father worked at the locomotive works.
I need to find out what schools or church he was likely to have attended, and where those records would now be. I know he was in the local boy's brigade as I have a photo of him winning a football trophy. Father and son were both called William Alexander. I would be grateful for any pointers that would help fill out the "Preston Connection"!

By jill alexander (13/01/2008)

I lived at the top of Hampstead Road. My house was actually on the corner of Compton Road but our back garden looked straight down Hampstead to the station. Our family moved in in 1939 and my older brothers and I went to Stanford Road School as did the other children down Hampstead. My brothers were also in the Boys' Brigade, the group attached to Clermont Church, where I was married. I believe there was another B.B. at the Church of the Good Shepherd just above us on Dyke Road. There were several families that I know were there long before we moved in to Compton Road. There was a couple, Mr and Mrs Wedge, they were halfway down Hampstead. Evelyn who did the baker's round lived closer to the top. She lived with a Miss ? who served in the dairy at the very top corner. Miss Pernel who owned the haberdashery, next door to the dairy, which was established before 1939. Quite a few of the occupants of both Hampstead Road and Compton Road worked on southern railway as did my father. Hope this helps.

By Diana Anstead (nee Bowyer), in Canada (20/02/2008)

My grandfather used to tell me a story about using some freezers or cold stores as shelter from bombs when he was a boy - this must have been in the First World War as he was born in 1908 and lived in Hampstead Road until the 1920s. Does anybody know anything about the truth of this? Was Preston bombed in the First World War anyway? If this cannot be substantiated I can only assume he was getting confused and that it was the Second World War and the cold stores were somewhere in Portslade or Hove where he worked.  Perhaps somebody knows something that would make sense of this?

By Jill Alexander (24/05/2008)

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