During the 1940s there was an old lady who used to sell matches who stood on the corner of Ann Street and London Road. She had good clothes on but used safety pins and string to make them look tatty. If you paid for the matches and took a box she would mutter under her breath. She was there in all weathers and would have been on that corner for many years including the wartime. Anybody else remember her?

During the '50's I would stand and watch two old guys, one with a violin and one with a full size harp, playing in North Street. My mother told me thay had been playing there since before the war. Does anybody remember their names?

My mother talked about the Brandy Balls Man. When my sister, who is some 4 years older than me, was a baby, she was known as 'Brandy Ball's Baby' as he used to make a fuss of her whenever he came round.

The two musicians were Marc Antonio who played the harp, and Alexander on violin. They played most days and brought great delight to the passers by up to the early 60s. I think Marc died first but Alexander carried on for a while. Greatly missed.

What about the Knoker boys of Brighton? They brought so much character to the town; it used to be the antique capital of England but no one liked them.

The two musicians who played harp and violin were Frederick Alexander on the harp, and Marc Antonio on the violin. My nieces and nephews are four of Frederick Alexander's grandchildren (my sister married his son), and they still have the harp in their lounge in Brighton, it's beautiful. There is a portrait of Frederick and another harp he used on show at the Royal Pavilion.

Mr Frederick Alexander's son Boshi, my brother Phil who would have been about 12, and myself at about 5 years old, used to do comedy acts in a competition at Sherry's and do different shows around Brighton. We were called the 'Three Black Bows', this would have been in the late 1920s, our faces wear blackened with boot polish, and we tap danced. I wore boots way too big for me, hair in rags and I was called Topsi. I followed on doing tap dancing at Jack Sheppard's, on the stage above the Aquarium, and on the Palace and West Piers, and the Grand Theatre. Does anyone remember us?

Does anyone remember Violet Hunt and her father who used to push a pram around with an old gramaphone in it? Violet would dance around it for pennies. They used to be along Grand Parade at the bottom of Edward Street and St. James's Street. This would have been around the 1930's. Great stories....keep them coming!

I remember another wonderful old character of Brighton, she used to go around Edward Street, Carlton Hill, John Street to name but a few, knocking on doors selling old rags tied in an old sheet. She herself was dressed in rags, her name was Fluffy Flo, this would have been in the 1920s to 30s. I wonder what happened to her.

Love these pictures and another reproduced on the MB&H site showing Blind Harry Vowles. Does anyone know whether the set of "Brighton Celebrities" only consisted of five cards, or are there others we have yet to see?

Does anyone remember Jack Howe who used ro compare the children's shows at Peter Pans on the Brighton seafront during the 1950s? I believe he was a school inspector during the week. He wore a striped blazer, had a long moustache and would bang on the wall in time with the child who was singing or dancing. How I loved those shows.

I remember the two musicians playing outside the fashion shop I worked in, in North Street in about 1959/1960. It was called 'Tao Modes' and had a sister shop 'Pigalle' at the bottom of St. James Street - anyone remember them? The music they played was beautiful, especially Santa Lucia. Happy memories.

Jackie, I remember him well - Uncle Jack, who used to give you a lollilop if you sang a song! He must have been doing it a long time as I was born in 1962 and was singing there at about the age of 4! Happy days!

Yes, I remember so well the wonderful days we used to have down there with my sister Pam and brother Roy. We used to sing and dance and even if you were rubbish you still got a lolly! Wonderful memories of my childhood :)  My party trick was 'There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza'.

I remember Jack Howe very well. My mum and dad used to take my brothers Graham, Roy and me to watch the kids in the talent shows that Jack had been putting on for the Brighton kids for 25 years. I remember my brother Roy going on stage and becoming very shy and rubbing his eyes, Jack still gave him a lollypop. Jack died in 1977; only last year Brighton and Hove Bus Company dedicated a bus to him, his name is on the front.

Thank you for your information Maralyn. Being in Australia I didn't know. A lovely man.

Mr Frederick Alexander had 5 sons, and lived in Queens Park Road: Joseph, Boshi, Chinni, Levi and Augustine who was my stepfather and the last of the sons. He died two years ago aged 95 years - a really lovely man.

I remember winning a yo yo competion at Uncle Jack's at Peter Pans.

I lived in Queen's Park Road until the mid 60s having grown up there and I can remember my Mum pointing out Alexander with his Harp and telling me that he was of nature's true gentlemen. I also have fond memories of Peter Pan Playground and the talent show as my cousin, Eric and I used to love going and we won a 'Mr. Potato Head' game for some song we sung (goodness knows what it was like as neither of us have ever been able to sing a note!) Lovely happy, innocent days.

Does anybody remember two of my relatives? One was a concert pianist who also used to choreograph shows in the Hippodrome. Her husband was a comedian and singing tramp. They were Sonia and Bernard Lesley.
After Bernard died, my aunt Sonia Lesley (her stage name), also used to accompany Max Miller, Frankie Vaughan and Hilda Baker and many more well know stars.
This would be between 1920-1960. She was stunning looking, with black hair and blue eyes. Also her elder brother Louis Levittus, who was a child prodigy, played at the age of eight with Sir Arthur Rubenstein, and went on to conduct his first orchestra at the age of nine. He paired with Sir Thomas Beecham to co-found the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. He lived in Boyces St as did my mum and my aunt Sonia.
If anyone has any memories, please let me know. My mum is the last in her family and I am trying to find any photos for her memories, as hers were destroyed.

Does anyone know anything about the character we used to see whilst queueing to get into the SS Brighton in the late 40s and early 50s? He was dressed in a once blue raincoat, pushed a baby's pram along the gutter in West Street picking up cigarette ends and loading them into the pram. What a way to make a living!

I remember the lovely Jack Howe - Uncle Jack. For two consecutive summers - 1973 and 1974 (or it could have been 1974 and 1975!) - every day throughout the school summer holiday, weather of course permitting, Mum, Nan and I went to Peter Pan's laden with sandwiches, drinks etc so I could belt out Jolson songs like Mammie, Red, Red Robin, Rock-a-By-Your Baby with a Dixie Melody on Uncle Jack's stage. Uncle Jack always referred to me as "The Star Turn". There was a real community spirit there with the Young family coming down from Richmond and staying in seaside digs for a few weeks. Amelia Young played the piano and sang "old tyme musical" songs like Two Lovely Black Eyes, while her younger sister, Angelica, sang songs like Oh Mr Porter with Amelia accompanying on the piano. Uncle Jack himself would always sing songs accompanying himself by banging out the beat of the song on the wall of his stage, songs like Little Jackie Horner and Bo-Peep too. Then there was the lovely family who would come along from Portsmouth each day, just to be in this wonderful community Uncle Jack had achieved at Peter Pan's. His loyal and supportive wife Edna would be there with sandwiches, thermos flask and crisps each day to keep Jack and her going. His premature death came as a great shock to all of us devotees of this truly wonderful "gentleman" and childrens' entertainer. There could never me another Uncle Jack.

Does anyone remember my grandfather who was called Percy Wilkinson but had a stage name Percy Delevine? He was part of the three Delevines and was a friend of Max Miller. He later opened a boarding house in Waterloo Place. My father George Gordon Smith was a photographer in Brighton and took photos of Rex Harrison whom he resembled.

The Brandy Ball Man. He regularly visited the North Moulsecoomb area with his bag of brandy balls and playing a guitar, for quite some time before WWII. By about 1937 he had failed to appear anymore. My guess is that he travelled by 'bus to his destinations, although all I ever saw of him was when walking along the centre of the road and playing his tunes.

My postcard 'Brighton celebrities' of the Wheeler band is dated 1906 and was sent by my great-grandmother to her home in London.

i remember some of the people mentioned on this page. What about old crolla the ice cream man that used to push his cart around the streets, shouting out ica crema? Us kids would all run into mum asking for money. Also we had a lorry come around from Corona soft drinks, rag and bone men, goldfish in exchange for rags, Old Winkle kelly going to pubs selling the winkles that she picked from the rocks and cooked. Dpider Mitchel and his wife used to live in Riding School lane- does anyone remember it? I used to walk up there on my way to Saint John's Junior. Schoolhappy days

I remember the winkle lady we used to get a pint of winkles for my dad on a sunday. Kids being kids, we used to sing out "Old Mother Kelly with the bamboo belly". Never did know who made that up. Does anyone remember the pub the Black Lion in Mighell street? We used to live next door to it and there was a man used to sing very loudly I discovered - a boom boom boom. I think the landlord was Mr Liverland and had a son called Melvyn

Regarding Duffy Newman's memories: That takes me back! I lived in the Lion and Unicorn (the Blue House) Sussex St in the 50s / 60s, went to St John's then Queens Park. Left Brighton in 1978, but coming back to stay this year. Looking forward to seeing all those great places.

Another colourful character, usually seen at the racecourse, was Prince Monolulu. Shouting 'I gotta horse!' he was dressed in some kind of stagey african clothes with feathers on his head, as far as I can remember. My encounter with him was when he lifted me onto his shoulders to see the horses. I should add that I was about five years old at the time.

My great grandfather was Percy Wilkinson/Delevine. My grandmother was Hetty/Esther and my dad was David Hopping. I have done a lot of research on the Delevines and have alot of interesting information and even some pictures. Please contact me Peggy - I think you're Auntie Joan's daughter. My email is darceydrive@aol.com

I can remember in the late 1950s the Glass Animal Man. He worked near the Aquarium and later in Queens Road. I would stand outside his shop for hours watching him make all sorts of animals out of heated glass.

Does anyone remember a house opposite the Royal Pavilion, where in the basement window were an ever changing display of the most beautiful dolls that the occupant had made. I loved looking at these as a child.

I remember the song about Ma Kelly that a previous person said. It went as follows: Old Mother Kelly with the bamboo belly was sitting on the grass with her finger in her ... ear!! Singing polly wobble doodle all the day. Sounds daft now but rude at that time. Ma Kelly's son Trevor was one of my best friends, he went to live in Australia. After joining the Merchant Navy, he jumped ship and stayed. Now he's in America,

On the subject of knocker boys around Brighton, I would like to say that my cousin was one of them along with a few colourfull characters. One was called Mousy White, a funny little guy with cock-eyes, another was Beaney the Bookie? My cousin was called Monkey, his real name was Jimmy Newington, he had the loudest voice in town, shouting in your ear from two feet away. Sadly gone now. We mustn't forget Bimbo Hayes the Barrow Boys little mascot.

A postcard of Old Charlie was auctioned a couple of years ago. In that image he was accompanied by an improvised sign on which he declared himself to be "YE OLD CHARLIE of the 3 corner copse (Dyke Rd). ESTd over 40 years". He had with him a large basket from which he was selling bananas and was wearing a simple (brimless) light coloured conical hat. An article in an anniversary edition of the Brighton and Hove Herald on 8/9/1956 included a brief article on Charlie. An irrelevant "aside": why was the simply linear form of this line of trees ever called Three Corner Copse?

The whole area of Three Corner Copse is triangular in shape, I assume this is where the name came from.

Does anyone remember a vegetarian restaurant that opened in the late 60s in Ship Street called "Ceres"? I would go there with friends for coffee and lunch on a Saturday and I remember they served this fabulous crispy vegetarian casserole that I would love to have the recipe of. The owners were two young fellows but I do not remember their names. The decor was light pine wood with lovely stoneware cups and dishes.

To Jackie Soutar - I remember the window with the dolls in it - she always had it lit up at night and, as you say, there was a wonderful collection of ever changing costume dollies! It was a fantastic spectacle to a little girl of four!

I remember the glass animal man from the sea front and Queens Road. I'd stand there for ages watching with interest. Does anyone remember a fella called Tish who used to visit the schools. He always seemed well known and well liked but I never did find out who or what he was. I presume a teacher or similar. What about the two brothers that had a horse and cart who worked out of a lock up at the bottom of Bear Road. the horse's name was Jeanie but I cant remember whether they did scrap, logs or coal. Another one was Jim the milkman who did the round at Coombe Road, Milner Road, etc. I used to try to get to him before the other kids because the first one on the float was allowed to help him and got an apple afterwards.

Danny/Dave. The person you refer to as Tish is still around but he retired many years ago, he lives behind Sussex Square in Kemptown. Tish was a supply teacher and college lecturer around the Brighton area. When I was at Queens Park secondary school in the 60s, I had him for a few lessons. Unfortunately Tish was the brunt of many a prank because he was a mild mannered man- school children used to take advantage of his character. I used to live for many years not far from him and I often chatted to him in the street, away from the classroom he is an articulate and highly educated man. I don’t remember his real name, but Tish is an anagram thought up by some naughty schoolchildren, but he was well aware that it was his nick name. I always thought he was a quirky character with a big coat on a summer's day, but the world needs characters so I always say hello when I see him.

I grew up on Brunswick Place, Hove, in the 1970s. I always remember a lady who would walk up and down Brunswick Place towards dusk, shouting at the top of her voice "Goodnight, sweet ladies". If you took the time to talk to her (as my Dad did), she was apparently very well spoken and rather cultured. I'm 43 years old now, but can still remember her.

I grew up in Argyle Road and I remember a gentleman called Totter, who came round with a barrow for old clothes.

Duffy, I remember Mousy White and Monkey Newington along with quite a few other characters of the same ilk around the town in the 50s/60s. Does anyone remember "The Gentleman Totter" who used to have a natty moustache and be really smartly dressed in pin-stripes, a crombie overcoat and wearing a trilby hat? He used to be seen regularly around Brighton streets pushing his barrow and shouting "Any old rags or lumber".

Yes, I remember Jack Howe down at Peter Pans. We used to get on to the stage and do competions. Great days. We called him Uncle Jack.