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S.S. Brighton

SS Brighton

Image scanned from the collection of Trevor Chepstow, Sports Stadium Brighton Archive

Introducing the Sports Stadium Brighton archive

by Trevor Chepstow

Trevor Chepstow introduces the Sports Stadium Brighton archive, his vast collection of memorabilia of the famous Brighton ice-rink.

My interest in the Sports Stadium came to light in 1995 when a friend of mine asked about my days playing ice hockey at the S.S. Brighton. His sons were doing a project at Brighton College and he was interested to know if I had any photographs of those days that his boys could include in their project. I eventually found a couple he could copy and this set my mind working to find out if anyone had more photographs.

First appeal to the Evening Argus
A letter to the Evening Argus appealing to readers for information regarding the SS Brighton was rewarded with a letter from a lady reader. Her husband had originally been involved with the rink as a speed skater and had started to put together the history of the rink. Unfortunately he had passed away before he could get far into the project, but she kindly gave me all that he had collected to date and this led me to my current collection.

The letter to the Argus started a domino effect as one person after another led me to someone related to the rink. Eight years later this unique collection has grown to over four thousand photographs on all aspects of the rink and its many patrons and stars. Along the way I have been very lucky to meet many of the stars that appeared at the rink and have amassed many items of memorabilia from them in their heydays. Many of the stars I've met through my project were the same stars I sat in front of all those years ago as a young boy, when they performed in the many ice spectaculars at the rink.

The social hub of Brighton in its heyday
I hope this profile of my young days in a town that has changed beyond all recognition will bring back some memories to people who remember the SS Brighton. One lasting memory for people will be the famous Tigers, one of the greatest ice hockey teams in the country and Europe. Most people over the age of fifty would have had some connection with the SS Brighton, as it was the social hub of Brighton in its heyday.

I trust my collection will be a fitting epitaph to a sporting and entertainment venue that the City of Brighton is unlikely to see again. In due course my collection will be donated to the City for future generations to study and appreciate a bygone era and its social implications.

This page was added on 22/03/2006.

Comments about this page

My father, Roy Brookes, skated at the ice rink in Brighton in the 1950s and I am interested to know what archives exist for the old ice shows in the 1940/50s.

By Nikki Wells (13/07/2004)

Most people met their future husband or wife either at the Regent Ballroom or the S.S. Brighton. In my case it was the S.S.Brighton - super place! More than I can say about the wife!

By Ray Barontini (21/09/2005)

I was the call boy at the ice rink. I also worked the number 1 spotlight when the Russian president came and watched a show. I had two sercret service men with me as I was right behind him. My girlfreind at the time was Carol Ann Ball who went on to become Miss Brighton.

By John Summerfield (03/10/2005)

John Summerfield - You may be interested to know the visiting President at the time you were at the rink was Georgio Malenkov and I believe the year was 1956. On his return to Russia he was succeeded by Nikolai Khrushchev. His personal invitation was from Tom Arnold, as directed by the British government, to try and bring Russia closer to the UK because of the Cold War at the time.

By Trevor Chepstow (09/11/2005)

My mother's cousin,Amy Andrews, played the piano in the American Bar at the Ice Rink in the 40's. Her daughter Micheline learned to skate there and later starred in a number of Ice Shows.

By Pauline Condlyffe (09/12/2006)

I skated at the sports stadium in 1942 and was in several amateur ice shows. If you were under 16 you could skate Sunday mornings for a shilling and stay and watch the ice hockey after. I met my husband there and we still skate, but at Chelmsford.

By Doreen Newport (04/11/2007)

I have just found out that my grandfather was in the Canadian Army ice hockey team and skated at the Brighton rink. He was billeted somewhere on the south coast (he went over to France on D-Day.) If anyone has any info about the Canadian team / events etc I would love to hear from you.

By Tracey Payne (10/02/2008)

My mother skated in the English Ice Follies in the 1950s. All the pictures and newspapar articles on her were destroyed by a younger sibling of mine. My mother's name was Jean Anne Guy who passed away this January 2008. If anyone recognises hername or knows of any magazine, names of ice rinks or anything to offer in my search I would appreciate it. She nlived in Brighton and had newpaper articles, I remember as a small child, written about her.

Thank you

Dawn (her oldest and first born)

By Dawn Saraceno (24/06/2008)

My friends Keith Richardson, Colin Hiscox and I used to skate at the SS Brighton from 1950 to 1953 every Friday, Saturday (Tigers permitting) and Sunday nights - we never missed. Great memories from that time. If you could skate, it was a great way to pick up girls! Always remember the speed skating sessions and the 'reverse' skating sessions. Anybody else there at this time?

By John Adams (26/01/2009)

Does anyone remember George (Bill) Turner? He did a lot of skating at Brighton, and was in ice shows. He is my cousin and I'd like to find him.

By John Cording (01/02/2009)

Hi there. Does anyone remember the name of an ice show with a Russian female star called 'Zenka'. The first scene was set around a Swiss style chalet. It would have been just after the war and the show was then taken to South Africa.

By Andrew Bennett (13/12/2009)

On Sunday 30 December 1962, Brighton Tigers beat the Senators 15-3 but can anyone tell me who the Senators were?

By David Wilkes (16/01/2010)

London Senators were an amalgamation of Richmoond Ambassadors and Streatham Royals. Both London based amateur teams whose rink owners had barred ice hockey.

By Martin C. Harris (12/02/2010)