Hours playing on Hove Lawns
The photographs in the Local List of Heritage Assets section of Courtney Gate brought back happy memories of my childhood. I spent many hours playing and walking along the Hove Lawns and the photograph here, probably taken in about the mid 1950s, below shows my dad, with sister Jan and myself in school uniform. It is very clear that Courtney Gate does not look as well decorated as it is today.
Family fun on the beach
For many years as a family, we used to go on the beach opposite Courtney Gate, and many happy days were spent there. Often there would be up to twenty of us enjoying what seems now, to be much better summer days. We used to swim in all types of weather and the rougher the sea the better. Often we swam to the groynes to dive off them, with hindsight this now seems foolish but was great fun at the time. My dad and cousin used to swim all year round, while the rest of us used to go and watch them; especially on Christmas Day enjoying their pre-lunch dip while we wore our overcoats!”
Comments about this page
Do you want lots of memories of a 93-year old who lived on Kings Road (next door to, but now part of The Grand Hotel in Brighton) – and whose grandparents lived in a house on KINGSWAY between Braemre Rd and Berriedale Avenue then known as St.Clements, Kingsway, Hove (some photos)? Exciting times for a child from pre-Dunkirk onwards.
I hope to be in Brighton in September this year.
Hello, Jill,
Thanks for your note. Your memories of life all those years ago could well be of interest to many and I urge you to start writing ! Have you recollections of Kings Road, for example, when it had considerably more shops along its northward side, perhaps where the Brighton Centre and Top Rank buildings stand today ? I have to say this is one of my first thoughts in relation to what you wrote !
Until reading your words I hadn’t known that The Grand in more recent times had expanded to incorporate neighbouring property : but I know that since the ‘80s its frontage has changed quite a bit.
Best wishes,
Add a comment about this page