Sir Herbert Carden

Please note that this text is an extract from a reference work written in 1990.  As a result, some of the content may not reflect recent research, changes and events.

Perhaps the greatest figure in Brighton’s civic history since incorporation, Alderman Sir Herbert Carden was a visionary of Brighton Council for over forty years and was known as the ‘maker of modern Brighton’. Born in 1867 of an old Brighton family, he was educated at the old Brighton Grammar School in Buckingham Road and was admitted as a solicitor in 1889. In 1895 Carden was elected as a socialist councillor and became an alderman within eight years. He was mayor for three years from 1916 and also sat on Hove Council from 1902 until 1905.

It was chiefly due to Carden that Brighton Corporation embarked upon many of its municipal enterprises such as the telephone and tramway systems. He also saw the need to preserve the surrounding downland, both to protect the water supply, and to provide recreational facilities and beautiful countryside for the inhabitants of the town. A wealthy man, he bought large areas of downland himself which he resold to the corporation for the same amount to defeat unfair pricing. For his contribution to the town Carden was made an honorary freeman of the borough on 28 October 1926, and was knighted in 1930; he died in 1941. Several roads and a park in the Hollingbury area have been named after him, and a plaque has been erected at his home, 103 Marine Parade; his portrait may be found in Brighton Museum. Fortunately not all Carden’s proposals won favour, though. At one time he advocated the rebuilding of the entire sea-front from Kemp Town to Hove in the 1930s-style first represented by Embassy Court; the demolition of the Royal Pavilion to build a conference and entertainment centre; and the redevelopment of the Lanes area.

Any numerical cross-references in the text above refer to resources in the Sources and Bibliography section of the Encyclopaedia of Brighton by Tim Carder.

The following resource(s) is quoted as a general source for the information above: {2,3,19}

Comments about this page

  • The Maker of Modern Brighton…

    I am very proud to say that Alderman Sir Herbert Carden who was a Visonary of Brighton Council, was my second cousin thrice removed.

     
     

     

    By Caroline Livermore B.A. (Hons) (29/03/2018)

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