The Hollow - is it a twitten or a cat creep?

St James Passage
Sketch by David Sawyer

I’ve lived in Hanover Street for about 12 years, since the late 1980s. I live about halfway down the street, near the small alleyway that leads up to Hanover Terrace, St James Passage. Is it a twitten or a cat-creep? As I understand it, twittens are level, whereas cat-creeps have steps. St James Passage is mainly level, but has a few steps.This sketch of the passage was drawn and given to me by an illustrator who is a leading light among Brighton’s winter swimmers (they plunge into the sea on Christmas Day).

I remember the old brewery on Southover St, at the end of the road, going up in flames in the early 90s. I seem to remember it was arson, though I don’t know the details, or if anyone was caught. I also remember when there were Co-op dairy garages halfway down Hanover Street, where a new block of houses has been constructed. I don’t think the garages were ever in use in my time.

Comments about this page

  • I lived on Hanover Street from 1960 to 1966. My sister and I played on those dairy garages. I was sorry to hear the brewery burned down. It had been there a long time. I live in Canada now. Thanks for the memories.

    By Dawn Parrott (nee Drake) (14/09/2004)
  • I lived in Hanover Street 1981-1983. When buying the house, the house (i think it was no.22) on the northern side of the entrance to the passage was also for sale. I was told it had been a pub called The Little Fox. In front of the house, the chute down which barrels were dropped into the cellar still existed. The ‘brewery’ on Southover Street at the end of Hanover Street which was burnt down was in fact only the maltings of Tamplins brewery. The site is now occupied by student residences.

    By Norman Barnes (30/12/2005)
  • Just a couple of things I remember from the late fiftys about Hanover Street. The day road colapsed and was like that three weeks – the Counsil employed a night watchman to sit and guard it all night. All the kids in the street used to sit around the brazier and roast chestnuts. Then there was the time when the pub the Admiral Napier was robbed of its fags and spirits, these were all found hidden in the Co-Op garages by us kids.  What a great time we had.

    By Michael Wray (01/06/2007)
  • The drawing of St James Passage you display I also haver, framed. It was sent to me in Australia by my sister. We lived in Hanover Street as children and like Michael Wray also played in the Co-Op garages. I can remember a Wray family living at No.33.

    By Brenda (12/06/2007)
  • Brenda, I remember your family very well. I was good friends with John who went to Australia to be with family. I also remember Ted and Gwen. Hope you are all well.

    By Michael Wray (27/01/2008)
  • I remember going to visit my Aunt Ellen Tanner who lived at number 13 Hanover Street. We used to go there in the 1970s. I remember the basement and the small back yard where I used to sit in her tin bath because she didn’t have a paddling pool. In her will she requested that anyone who lived in the house in future should look after her rose bushes. Does anyone know if they are still there?

    By Sally (27/01/2009)
  • I was born in number 55 Hanover Street in 1958. I played in the twitten, and the Co-op garages, and I think Mrs Tanner used to tell me off for kicking a football at her garage door. I think she was the lady in the house next door to the Co-op garages. My mum and dad were Jim and Edna.

    By Trevor Jackman (14/10/2009)

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