A brief history, 1795-1990

The Percy Almshouses at the bottom of Elm Grove were erected in 1795, but they remained in a quite isolated position until the construction of Hanover Crescent and Hanover Street in about 1822. However, most of the densely-populated district which has become known as Hanover was developed from about 1860, typically small terraces with angular window bays.

Hanover ward was first designated in 1894, covering the area between Lewes Road, Southover Street, Queen’s Park Road and Elm Grove, but it has been expanded since to include the area between Lewes Road, Grand Parade, Carlton Hill, Queen’s Park Road, Pankhurst Road, Freshfield Road, Elm Grove and Franklin Road.

Since being designated a ‘general improvement area’ in 1969-76, Hanover has become a more attractive residential district and has escaped the massive redevelopment of the adjacent Albion Hill area. Together with Albion Hill, Hanover has a population of around 7,500.

Comments about this page

  • The dairy on Richmond St was at one time run by a family called Reels.Their son Teddy was a friend of my mum’s when she lived in Dinapore St. He joined the RAF as a rear gunner and was shot down on his first raid and is buried in Germany.

    By Patrick Collins (16/02/2000)
  • Where’s the information about the school on Finsbury Road, the Pepper pot and Queens Park? These are important places in the history of Hanover.

    By Leo (01/07/2004)
  • My family moved from Dinapore St to Sussex Terrace where we were bombed out and buried alive in 1942. We moved to 24 Sussex Terrace where we were almost killed when Appollo Terrace collapsed on News Year’s Eve 194? (not sure). We then moved to Leicester in 1952 when my mother remarried. My granddad, Charles Gravett, used to be in the fruiters trade in Brighton.

    By Patrick Collins (06/01/2005)
  • Does anyone know the history of Hartington Road? Tried finding out but there’s no mention on the net of what used to be around the area. We live in a student house that could easily have been a shop, but finding it hard to find any history!

    By Han (19/02/2007)
  • My ‘Uncle’ John and ‘Aunty’ Peggy Smith owned the corner shop in Bernard Road (and Bernard Place) until the 1960s. I often stayed with them as a little girl and went everywhere with their daughter Jackie. ‘Uncle’ John used to drive a Morris 1000 Traveller and I used to go with him on his deliveries whether it was groceries or his customer’s dry cleaning. He had a spinal problem and walked bent over but was a great practical joker.

    By Judi Swinsco (01/04/2008)
  • I enjoyed the comment 06/01/2005 by Patrick Collins. My great aunt, Mabel Legendre (nee Phillips) also had a fruiterer’s store at 74 St. George’s Road sometime in the 1920’s. She called it MABS FRUITERERS. My great aunt Mabel was one of two sisters who did not emigrate to Canada with the others. My grandmother Lily, her husband “Tom” Atkins and family emigrated in 1907. The website BRIGHTON PHOTOGRAPHERS 1841-1910 tells the story of Alfred Alphones Atkins, my great grandfather. I imagine that Patrick’s granddad would have known my Aunt Mabel. Later Aunt Mabel had a tearoom at 24 Market Street.

    By Judy Fleming, Thornhill, Ontario, Canada (04/03/2010)
  • Does anyone have any memories of Holland Street to share? I was born at no 46 in 1946. It was my grandmother’s house (Mabel Hobden) as my mum and dad were lodging there at the time. I have some memories my self and some photos of the street party for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth in 1953. I always remember lots of people speaking to my mum but not their names, except for a Mrs Jestico who lived opposite.

    By Leslie Carter (05/02/2012)

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