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.