I also have someone in a branch of my family who was in St Mary's Home in 1901 as a 12 year old and, I suspect, an orphan. His birth does not appear to have been registered and I would love to find some records that might show who his mother was.

I find this really interesting. This is a brilliant website, I just don't have time to read it all. Can anyone answer my question? Did these girls have any where else to turn to? I believe many were not prostitutes at all, just young women who had become pregnant. Would there have been instances of individuals 'taking in' these young women to save them from this home, especially considering that it had a harsh reputation? I look forward to reading any responses.

I have my great grandmother listed as a resident on the 1861 census Ellen H Elphick, could this be a name given to her by the people who ran the home? (The reason I ask is that a person with the same name and date of birth is supposed to have married John Hale circa 1868 and moved to America.) The same Ellen is in the 1871census at the address as a housemaid, my great grandmother Ellen Harriet Elphick gave birth to a son in Liverpool 1870. according to his birth certificate. It is so confusing, is there a means of unraveling the mystery?

I live at number 1 Wykeham Terrace and have been looking into getting a plague put up for Adam Faith. I contacted Leo Sayer to find out what dates they lived there and I am sorry to say Leo never did. Leo's email response follows, I will try and find out more about Adam though.

'Dear Kerry,
Thanks for your enquiry.
I'm thrilled to hear about the idea of putting up a plaque to honour Adam's time at Wykeham Terrace.
I myself never lived there, but it was in one of the little basement flats owned by David Courtney that most of my early hits: "The Show Must Go On", "One Man Band", "Giving It All Away" etc; were composed.
In those days (1971 - 1973) I lived at St Aubyn's in Hove, but would get together everyday to write songs with David at his apartment there (No. 2 I think, but he'll tell you more accurately...).
Adam moved down from London after our initial success, and took an office round the corner in Kemp Town.
He stayed with David when in Brighton (they both co-produced my records and co-managed me), but I can't remember if he had his own address in the terrace. When success came we felt like we were at the centre of the world, as creatively it was such a great place to be based. David, as you may know, is founder of The Walk Of Fame out at the Marina, and he's really the best one to ask about all this. I suggest you contact him directly. He knows more about Adam and these times than anyone, and was always the "Brighton Boy" in our unique partnership.
It was a wonderful partnership between three talents in a perfectly inspiring location, and it was David who discovered me and brought us all together. I now live in Sydney, Australia, but David and l have been the firmest of friends since the day we met - remarkably 37 years ago.
We both miss Adam greatly.
Please keep in touch and let me know how this project progresses, and if there's any more I can do to help.
Very best regards,
Leo Sayer'

The 'Daily Logs' or Diary is held in E.Sussex Records Office, Lewes. Although not complete it revealed that my grandfather Alfred Williams arrived at St Mary's Home in July 1877 and was admitted from the Workhouse (Brighton?).
Other entries show that on Monday 19th November 1894, Alfred reported 'Not well' but on Wednesday 21st November he was 'better'.
A further entry shows that on Saturday 3rd July 1897 Alfred, (No 9 boy) was discharged.
The records are not comprehensive and you will be lucky to find what you want but you won't know unless you try.

My aunt used to live at No. 3 and remembers the racket Leo, Adam and co used to make!  She told me that Leo did live there, so he certainly must have spent a great deal of time at the flat.  Once Adam knocked on her door seemingly under the impression that it was where the others were living. Obviously he didn't have the best sense of direction! There was also a nightclub opposite the Terrace, the noise from which drove her to distraction! I seem to recall that there was a society photographer living next door at one point, possibly called 'Baron'. I have a black and white photo somewhere of when the terrace wasn't painted in its present colourful livery.  I wouldn't mind living there myself when I leave London, except for the grubby outer wall!

My grandparents owned and ran 'Willamy's' Guest House at 33 Dyke Road, opposite Wykeham Terrace. My sister and I lived with them for some years and I remember some of the homes being housing for army personel, although I do recall Dame Flora living there then. I'm pretty sure the nightclub was not opposite but sort of at the rear of the Terrace. I can't recall the name of the Square situated between Dyke Road and Ayrs Lane but there was a taxi cab rank and I believe the club was somewhere within that area. I can remember as a nipper seeing the "teddy-boys" congregating under the lamp post outside the Terrace, smoking and talking up a storm. This was back in the late 50's, early 60's, long before Adam and Leo's time. Memories!! Stefan, my Guru Dad from Hayllars actually worked in one of the houses opposite the Terrace for a gentleman, Mr John Fileman, who ran a business selling beautiful crystal chandeliers. As well as repairing and restoring silverware, Dad repaired and cleaned the crystal drops in his workshop out the back, and originally did some intrument cleaning there for Hayllars, which is how he met Mary in the first place! Dad was a firm friend of Dame Flora's, having done a lot of work for her and it was she who got him involved with the Scouts and their annual Gang Shows.

It's a small world in Brighton, Patricia-especially for 'Gurus'. I am just repeating verbal history regarding the club, but by the 60s, 70s and 80s things may have changed opposite the Terrace. The last time I was there, the Argus seemed to have an outlet opposite. That was some years ago, though. Cheers

Patricia-having reflected further on the club, I think you are talking about a premises behind the terrace, which had a connection with Nicholas Van Hoogstraten. I believe at one point he was trying to extend it without planning permission, but perhaps we should draw a veil over that. There was another club which drove my aunt bonkers-but, unlike me, she has ears like a bat, so I can't help with its exact position.

I have just heard from my aunt that the 'Disco' opposite Wykeham Terrace, is still operational. Unsurprisingly, she is pleased to be a few hundred miles away. I gather students occupy number 3 nowadays.

Having just purchased 'The Encylopaedia of Brighton' on the internet (Yes, you can still get it!), I observe from one of the maps that the names of the club/disco opposite Wykeham Terrace were 'Fozzies' and 'Sloopys'.

I remember 'Sloopys' well. It was the first disco my friends and I went to around the age of 15-16. No alcohol was sold, only soft drinks and coffee, so we used to pop out to the pub near Churchill Square for a drink. We were never asked for ID in those days; probably because carefully applied makeup made us look at least 18. At the age of 17-18 we progessed to the Birds Nest where, initially, they had telephones at each table. You could ring another table to ask someone to dance or a drink if you fancied them. I met my husband at the Birds Nest (telephones had long gone then) in January 1974.

Sometime during the late Seventies, between '77 and '80, for a short period of time while I was back in Brighton, I used to use a small dingy cafe below Wykeham Terrace. It was a little way up the road from the Clock Tower, almost opposite the Arcade. While there I got to know a quiet but pleasant, elderly well-spoken lady with drastically thinning hair. We would chat about all sorts of things and some days I would actually make a point of going to the cafe simply to see her and chat. One day when I arrived and she was not there, the - possible - owner of the cafe told me she wouldn't be coming for a while as she was not very well. Disappointed, I sat and drank my coffee and got ready to go. As I reached the door, the owner said, "You do know who she is, don't you?" When I said I didn't, she said she wasn't sure usually whether she should tell other people, as the locals were quite protective of this lady. Then she told me the lady's name. Flora Robson. Sadly, for me, I never went back to the cafe, or saw her again. As a teenager in the early Sixties, my other minor claims to fame were the dubious pleasure of delivering meat from Chapman's butchers in St James Street to Roedean School and to Clarges, Dora Bryan's hotel in Kemp Town. In 1981, Dora Bryan did an enormous personal favour for me. I'm sad that she is no longer active. Brighton is a very, very small world.