Playing in the ‘cat’s creep’
I lived at 74 Roundhill Cresent between 1967 to 1985, and as a child it was a great place to grow up. We would play out all day with no worries. One of our favourite places to play was the ‘cat’s creep’ which was a stairway which cuts through between the beginning of two terraced houses. It connects Upper Lewes Road to the top of Richmond Road.
Stories about the crescent
I remember the old lady who lived next door, Mrs Belis, who was extremely old but in very good form for her age. She had lived there all her life. We delighted in her stories about the crescent and who had lived there. In her day they were mostly well-to-do middle class people; doctors, lawyers, and the like. She would entertain us with descriptions of the hansom cabs and traders who passed through each day. As the crescent had not changed very much in its long history it was easy to imagine.
Remembering the scarey coal men
When I lived there we still had the rag’n’bone man, and the coal men all covered in black dust who would appear at the basement door at o’clock in the morning. I remember that as an eight year old I found them quite frightening. I now live in France, but each time I go home to Brighton I always pay a visit to Roundhill Crescent.
Do you remember?
Did you ever live in Roundhill Crescent? Perhaps you live there now. If you can share your memories or views of the area with us, please leave a comment below.
Comments about this page
I was born at 25, Roundhill Crescent in 1947 to Harriet (nee Newman) and Harry Crossland. They moved when I was about 2 years old to Hollingbury. I don’t have any memories of Roundhill, but does anyone remember them?
This was my paper route from 1963-1965, 13 -15 years old. Morning papers and evening Argus 6 days and Sunday morning papers. Tough way to earn 15 shillings. I lived on Ashdown Road off roundhill Crescent.
I live in Wakefield Road, in Fern Villa, originally called Elim Villa. It was built about 1858, and is a detached house reached by a series of steps from the road itself. I have drawn a blank in my research as to its history, and being almost totally technically ignorant, would love to hear from anyone who might have any knowledge as to its past.
Lucy , you need to see or acquire a copy of ‘Rose Hill to Roundhill: a Brighton community’,[Brighton Books Publishing 2004] Fern Villa is pictured as the second illustration in the book and there is a passage about Fern Villa on pages 14/15.
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