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Whitehawk

Photo:Whitehawk Estate and Race Hill, Brighton

Whitehawk Estate and Race Hill, Brighton

Photograph courtesy: Step Back in Time

We're all existing on practically nothing
By Sue Craig

"It never occurred to me what was to the north of me [Whitehawk]. Since I've been involved in the Bygones group, I've discovered a whole side of Brighton that I never knew existed and that side is much more interesting. The real nitty gritty, the harsh Brighton. I was shocked at the level of poverty. I was shocked at how very, very poor some people are. I don't know anybody rich who lives in Brighton.
We're all existing on practically nothing."

Landlords took away the windows
"This part of Brighton, East Brighton, has always been very poor. Most of Whitehawk was re-housed from the Carlton Hill area. People talk of their fathers being unemployed for nine or ten years. If they didn't pay the rent, the landlord would take away the front door or the windows. They only had as much furniture that could be carried on a handcart. One of our members said they didn't have any blankets on the bed, they had their father's overcoat. They were lent blankets by the Ebenezer Chapel in wintertime, then they washed them by hand and returned them in the spring."

Destruction of their culture and support
"I've been really surprised how happy people are to talk about the past. Most people are happy to talk about their grandparents, more reticent to talk about their parents. I've been amazed at how harsh the stories were and how harsh they still are. For many people the destruction of their homes [Carlton Hill slum clearance of 1930s] was the destruction of their culture, their social network and their support."

Translating 'luxury' into cash
"Having electricity and electrical equipment was a novelty. Some people sold everything the minute they moved in, the cookers, baths. They realised they could translate it into cash. They had lived all their life without a bath so why start now?"

Sue Craig interviewed by Julian 15th April 2006.

This page was added on 15/12/2006.

Comments:

The photo posted in the above article looks like the end of the Whitehawk Road. The pathway that is to the right must be the pathway that led to the allotments, that's how I remember it from the 50s when we sometimes walked home from the school in Woodingdean. There was a kid I walked home with called Mickey Woolmer, he had a brother called Joey and another brother called Peter, and they lived quite near to where the photo was taken.

By Mick Peirson (18/12/2006)

The photo was taken from the top end of Whitehawk Avenue, looking down from where the Swanborough flats are now built. The turning on the right is the top end of Whitehawk Road. I lived in Whitehawk Avenue from 1961-1977, then a great place to grow up in.

By David Laycock (19/03/2007)

I lived with my brother David at 113 Whitehawk Avenue with five other siblings and our parents - it was very crowded. I have lots of memories, in particular the Bowley family and the Scott family.

By Janet Grist (nee Laycock) (22/07/2007)

My sister and i ,Pat & Chris Marshall then in 1955, we came from Richmond Buildings to Whitehawk Avenue to my Gran's Mrs Turrell. It was real luxury to have a bathroom and a bedroom to ourselves, because where we lived in Richmond Buildings we had to go out in the backyard to the loo , and we had a bath once a week down in the basement in an old tin bath on the stone floors.  There were five of us and we all used the same water. We were fostered by a Mrs Cooper who had a son Micheal and David & Freddie Perkins were fostered and we all had to sleep in the same room, but we were happy. I can't remember ever being really hungry, we had to wear secondhand clothes and it was a real treat to have some sweets once a week, either gobstoppers or sherbert dab or aniseed balls. We had threepence a week each pocket money and we saved one penny and a halfpenny each week for Christmas. Christmas then was so special we really looked forward to it. We would hang our stocking up on the wooden mantlepiece and next morning we had an orange and some nuts and icing sugar mice, it was so exciting. Then we would go to Sunday School and come home and have our lovely Christmas dinner and play out in the street until dark.

By Pat Richards nee Marshall (05/05/2008)

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