Welcome to Moulsecoomb
Hello – my name is Tim Ovard, and I am your Local Editor. I’m 24 years old, have lived in Moulsecoomb for 23 years, and I am an East Brighton youth worker. I was born in Wild Park, North Moulsecoomb in a caravan, but we moved quite a few times after then. My parents and I moved into our first real home in the Oakendene flats in Moulsecoomb Way, which was a very small but cosy flat. Our next move was into another block of flats across the round called Hawthorn Bank; just like Oakendene, the flats were very small. Our next home was a house which was in Birdham Road and our last home was in Wheatfield Way. That is just off Staplefield Drive which is where my mum comes from. We had a lovely 4 bedroom bungalow with views of Wild Park, Bates Estate and Coldean; it was perfect.
My childhood
I attended 3 schools in and near Moulsecoomb which were Coldean Nursery, Coldean Primary, Moulsecoomb Primary, and then ending my school years at Falmer High School which I left in 1998. I was a bit of a tearaway, getting into fights especially with people from Whitehawk which is our rival council estate. But I eventually grew out of that and looked for employment which started with Southern Railways. I went on to do various agency jobs till I got my youth work calling. I believe this was brought on by my community spirit and also by the fact that I miss Moulsecoomb so much now I’m living in the foyer.
My youth work
I do various things at Safe + Sorted which is a youth drop-in down Barcombe Road. I feel that I now found my dream job. Not only do I work in Moulsecoomb, but I also work in Whitehawk, Bevendean and other parts of East Brighton. I’ve been living in the foyer for 1 year now but I miss Moulsecoomb so much and I plan to move back there after my time at the foyer is over.
Comments about this page
Can you please tell me the origin of the name Moulsecoomb? Thanks.
Editor’s note:
Hi Michelle. If you look here there is a whole section on Moulsecoomb. Maybe you would like to add to it. You can contact me at jennifer@mybrightonandhove.org.ukfor any help.
Hi Michelle. I’m a relative newcomer, hence the belated reply to you. Moulsecoomb is derived from MUL’S VALLEY. MUL was a Saxone nobleman who obviously had a possession interest in the area. Good luck with your further enquiries.
I have many happy memories of Moulsecoomb back in the 50s and 60s. My dad’s folks, my nan and granddad, lived up near the shops end of the Avenue. I loved going to see them because my dad as a kid built lots of model aeroplanes out of wood, and very good they were too (before plastic kits), also all his and his two brothers toys where still there and so I used to play with them, or go out on to the green inf ront of the house. I can’t remember the house number but I do remember it being close to the shops and I also remember being very scared of going upstairs to the toilet as a little kid and would rather wet myself! My nan and granddad’s names were Ernie and Lillian Edwards and Ernie had worked on the railways. My nan died about Christmas 1967 or 8 of dementia and my mum, Doreen Edwards, died soon after. The 3 brothers were: my dad Robert Ernest Edwards; his younger brother Frank Edwards and Jack (John) Edwards, and they were alleged to have been distant relatives of the Earls of Chichester (The Pelhams and Stanmer park etc) and are interred at Falmer church cemetery.
We were told in Moulsecoomb Infants that Moulsecoomb was named so, because Moul was a dude that owned/ruled the Coomb.
Just wondered if anyone remembers the Tyrrell family? My mum & dad lived at 36 Moulsecoomb Way and were married at St Andrews Church in September 1947. My dad and his family were from Brighton (Whitehawk Road) but my mum came from Patrington in Yorkshire.
Hi Linda, I went to school with a Suzanne Middleton, was that your sister?
After talking to my dad’s youngest brother, I have now been informed that my nan and granddad – Lillian and Ernie Edwards – lived at number 107 until at least the end of the 60’s. Don’t suppose anyone remembers them? I know my Uncle Jack and Uncle Frank were very involved in scouting and time trials etc.
Would anyone be interested in a dedicated Moulsecoomb facebook group where we could catch up with old firends and post photographs? I’d be interested in your feedback, email me on: moulsecoomb@hotmail.co.uk
Editor’s note: A facebook group sounds good Kevin. But – please remember everyone that it is VERY easy to post photos here. Website visitor numbers are an average of 1,500 per day – so just think of the potential coverage. It would be a real shame if photos and comments were not shown here as well. There are other Brighton areas on the site that have many more photos – Moulsecoomb is behind on the photo memories stakes. So come on you Moulsecoobers – let’s see those photos. If you are not very computer savvy – then just email them to me and I will publish them for you. Now how about that for an offer you can’t refuse? Mail me: jennifer@mybrightonandhove.org.uk
I loved the stories people have added. My sister and I lived in Moulsecooomb for a good few years up to 1950 living at Moulsecoomb Way, Southhall Avenue and Barcombe Road. It was lovely then, the schools the Orchards opposite, the Wild Park and the two dew ponds ( one was behind Birdham road). Lots of memories. We have a school reunion twice a year for that era. If anyone wishes to come just e-mail me. (My sister and my names then were Gloria and Valerie Houston)
I lived in Rigmer Road for many years in the 50s/60s and loved it. I went to all Moulescoomb schools from Infants to High. I loved it and made many friends over the years. I would love to catch up with anyone who knew me.
Good evening, I am going to start a Post-graduate course with the University of Brighton this September 2012. I’m looking for safe areas (esp for accommodation) but so far, I keep getting warnings about the safety/security of Moulsecoombe in general. Could anyone who has actually lived in the area recently please give me an honest and preferably detailed description of the area in terms of safety and security (esp for students)? Thank you very much.
Most interesting to see the comments on Tony Mancini but Brighton’s great trunk murder – ‘trunk’ as in ‘upper body’ and not as in ‘luggage’ – was John Holloway’s strangling and dismemberment of his wife, Celia, in a rented cottage located in what was then known as Donkey Row. He went about cutting up his wife’s body in Donkey Row and then disposed of some of the parts in the common privy behind his home, 7 Margaret Street. (Yes, the house is still there). By night and accompanied by his lover, he took the rest of the body by wheelbarrow up to a copse then known as Lovers’ Walk in Preston. I covered both of these fascinating cases in my book, Sussex Murders.
I would like to get in contact with previous Westlaine, Stanmer and Falmer High students to invite them for a tour of the new school now on the site – can anyone help? Please see this link for more details: http://bacacommunityblog.wordpress.com/
Hi Linda, I went to school with a Gary Middleton, was that your brother?
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