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A 1920s hotel - do you recognise anyone?

This is a photograph of the staff of a hotel I was told was called ‘The Regent’.

It shows my Father, who was around 12 years old, back row on the right in uniform; I think he would have been a footman or something of that kind. I would suggest that the photo was taken in the early 1920s.

It would be wonderful if somebody recognised something be it a staff member or the building. If you can help, please leave a comment below.

Click on the image to open a large version in a new window. Click again to further enlarge.

Is this 'The Regent' hotel?
From the private collection of John & Vivienne Richardson

Comments about this page

  • I think there was a Regent Hotel on the corner of New Road and Church Street at one time, but it’s a cobble-fronted building. When I last looked it was a cafe. It looks as though this old photo, which shows large full-height Regency style bow fronted windows and glass panelled doors, was taken at the back of the building.

    By Alan Hobden (21/08/2014)
  • I was able to look at the building on the corner of New Road and Church Street a short while ago, Vivienne. On the door it says “Regent House, 2 Church Street”, so I think this was the site of the Regent Hotel you have been trying to locate. 

    By Alan Hobden (28/09/2014)
  • Hi Alan, the ‘Regent House’ at 2, Church Street you allude to was ostensibly a Wine Merchant, W.J. Crabb and Son throughout the 1920’s and most of the 1930’s. I believe it got its name from the Regent Tavern, which had been located next door during the previous century and closed during the first World war. Frape and Gauntlett took over part of the property and named it Regent House, whilst the remainder was the wine merchant. If you look at a large scale map you will see neither property had a rear garden. Regards, Andy.

    By Andy Grant (29/09/2014)
  • Thanks for that information Andy. There must have been two different Regent Hotels then, for I have just found a reference to the New Road/Church Street one in Tim Carder’s Encyclopaedia of Brighton. Under the heading: New Road (107) he states: “No.24, an attractive bow-fronted building in flint cobbles, opened as the Regent Hotel but was used by Crabb’s Wine Merchants from 1808 until the 1980s.” Maybe this Regent Hotel was more of a tavern, as you suggest. Regards

    By Alan Hobden (21/10/2014)
  • Could this perhaps have been one of the buildings on the north side of Regency Square? There is now a Regency Hotel there, and a Prince Regent Hotel, but I suspect they may not have been known as such in the 1920s. Regards

    By Alan Hobden (21/10/2014)
  • Hi again Alan, Tim Carder is not incorrect – the Regent Hotel was on the corner of Church Street and New Road, with an entrance in both roads, thus it had a number of 2, Church Street and 24, New Road. Regarding your second comment, I made a response to Vivienne’s original posting to the message board on 14th August, that there was a Regina Private Hotel and a Regency Hotel, both in Regency Square towards the end of the 1920s. Regards

    By Andy Grant (23/10/2014)
  • Just to add a snippet here. I’m doing some research for my cousin’s family tree and, on the 1861 census, Robert Cheesman was the Licensed Victualler at the Regent Tavern, 3 Church Street, Brighton. His daughter Mary Jane was a beer maid.

    By Julie (14/08/2021)

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