The large terraces which comprised Brunswick Town, Palmeira Square and Adelaide Crescent required a formidable workforce.  For the wealthy to live in style took a huge amount of manpower but grand housing developments were built, secure in the knowledge that there was a large pool of labour available to run them. Most of the residents living there employed a large staff. There was the butler, housekeeper, nanny (if there were children), chambermaid, parlour maid, cook and the scullery maid, who was considered to be the lowest of them all.

Like the rest of Victorian society, the servants were part of a strict hierarchy. Their work was very regimented and hard. Working hours were long and time-off very rare. Discipline was strict and breaking the rules could mean instant dismissal without a reference.

I left school when I was thirteen years old and carried on working full-time for W Miles and Company. At one time my job was to go into rich people’s houses to tend all their plants, flowers and plumes that were in halls, dining rooms and lounges. This meant watering and replacing many plants and flowers. The leaves of the palms used to get dusty and had to be sponged.

One of the houses was in King’s Gardens, the residence of Sir David Sassoon. King Edward at one time stayed there. You cannot imagine what it was like for a poor lad like me going into one of these houses. It was like going into a palace, everything around was so rich and beautiful. But what was strange was that the front doors were always unlocked. I used to walk in and carry out my duties and often never even saw a servant or butler. I did once go downstairs and in a small room lined with green baize met a footman cleaning a mass of silver.  Such a house today would have to have an armed guard at the door!

Following the pavement or steps at the bottom of Adelaide Crescent we come to Kingsway opposite Hove Lawns. Walk East and cross at the first set of traffic lights to Hove Lawns and on to the promenade watching out for cyclists. Stopping directly opposite Brunswick Square notice how little the area has changed since the architectural image by Dubourg & Wilds.

 

St Andrews is a beautiful Italianate church built to serve the wealthy residents of the Brunswick estate and surrounding areas.

Construction started in April 1827 and the church immediately became popular with the fashionable set, helped by the regular presence of members of the Royal Family and the aristocracy.

Among the many Dukes and Duchesses to worship there in the mid-19th century was the elderly Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge,  who often made loud and sometimes eccentric comments and remarks during services.

The church remained in use until the late 20th century and was granted Grade I-listed status in 1950. However, it was declared redundant in 1990 because of declining attendance at services. The Churches conservation Trust now owns and maintains the building and restoration work in 2001 and 2002, enabled the building to be reopened for occasional services, special events and community activities.

At the top of Waterloo Street turn right into Western Road until reaching Preston Street. Turn right onto Preston Street then 4^th right into Regency Square following the road past the Regency Tavern into Russell Square, stopping at the roundabout at the top of Cannon Place.

 

 

Looking back towards Churchill Square Cranbourne Street would have led into Grenville Place (see map).

I lived above my father’s shop until I was married. During the war my wife took a flat in Grenville Place to be near my people, because we lived along the Gladstone Terrace, Lewes Road. They had bombs along there, and of course it worried my people, so she took a flat in Grenville Place and we were there until we had to move out.

It’s not the same now. Everybody was neighbourly. Having a business you knew everyone, they all knew you and would speak to you, but you don’t see a soul now. You may only see your next door neighbour sometimes. It’s surprising when you move. I think business makes a great difference, people know you better then. There were all sorts of businesses down there. In Russell Street was a small boot maker; he lived at No. 37 and had a little business on the corner of Russell Street as it bends round. Then on the other side was a small coal merchants by the name of West; it was only a small place, but I think they used to go and get winkles, and they would sell them at sixpence a pint. All the streets were quite small and mainly residential.

Facing Churchill Square shopping centre, bear right and cross over Western Road at the pedestrian crossing. Walk up Dyke Road which is a steep hill and turn right onto the footpath to the Church of St Nicholas of Myra. Look to the right to admire Wykeham Terrace a row of 12 Tudor-Gothic houses designed by the prominent local architect Amon Henry Wilds.

 

St Nicholas’ is both the original parish church of Brighton and the oldest surviving building in Brighton. The Domesday Book of 1086 records the presence of a church; however, the church in its current form dates to the 1300s with significant changes made in 1853.  Robert Bushby of Littlehampton contracted to demolish the church and to build the shell for £2985. The nave arcades, the chancel arch, rood screen and parts of the chancel walls were retained. During the work the tower was found to be cracked and was substantially rebuilt. The aisles were widened to 15ft (4.5 m) and the north aisle was extended to flank the tower, with a connecting doorway being cut. The work to the tower was most extensive on the west side where it had been partially undermined by the excavation of a vault that extended into the nave.

Continue into the church-yard, bearing right follow the footpath around to the exit and turn right into Church Street. Continue down the hill to Queens Road, cross over and enter Brighthelm Gardens to your left. Cut through the gardens and exit right into North Road. Go down North Road and turn left into Upper Gardner Street.

 

Upper Gardner Street dates back to the 1820s when Thomas Kemp sold the land, then open field, to property developers. It was a tenant-occupied, working-class neighbourhood.

View the plaque at 40 Upper Gardner Street. The building, which dates back to 1826, became the Brighton National School’s Central Infant School in 1887.

In the nineteenth century, many private schools for the wealthy were established and Brighton was even dubbed ‘School Town’. However, a minority of poor children went to charity schools. In 1811 the Church of England set up the National Society for Promoting the Education of the Poor in the Principles of the Established Church. The Central Infants School, which was attended by up to 260 local children, aimed to inculcate religious knowledge. The building was enlarged in 1887.

I went to the Central School in Church Street (demolished 1971) when I was seven, after that to Central Infants’ School in Upper Gardner Street; it was a church school and so we had to march to St. Peter’s every week.

After the second world war, the building was leased to the Central Boys’ Club. In more recent history, it has been used as an arts centre, a squat and is currently the site of the Little Dippers baby swim centre.

Return to North Road and cross over. Bear right then take the first left into Tichborne St. At the end of the street, cross over Church Street, bear left and turn immediately right into Jew Street.

 

My Grandfather kept The Black Horse in Church Street around 1860. His name was Henry James Rumble. At the rear of the pub were some large stables. These were Royal stables associated with the Royal Pavilion. My Grandfather had his own stable there, passing carriages stopped to drop people off for the night. Vivid memories of mine were the coaches being pulled, not only by horses, but by goats.

Beer was purchased from Tamplins (now Watneys) at the bottom of Albion Hill. I still have the trading book of 100 years ago. As a family we moved from place to place very frequently, so as to “moonlight” away from rent men and the Gadsby’s Shops tallyman. If we were ever caught my Dad used to say he had a twin brother!

You have completed this walk.