Brighton’s Palace Pier, originally known as Brighton Marine Palace and Pier, opened to the public for the first time on 20 May 1899. The pier was not actually complete on this date. Like many ambitious schemes, its construction had been … Continued
“It was nearly dark. It was winter, it was cold and raining. These things came out of the ground stuck together with clay; first two coins stuck together then in bunches of 80 and 100 and then a pot with … Continued
Haile Selassie was the Emperor of Ethiopa from 1930 to 1974. In 1935 Ethiopia was invaded by Italian forces, and he left the country the following year. He spent most of his exile in Bath. During this time he visited … Continued
With jubilee celebrations planned around the country, staff at Brighton History Centre have been finding out about life in the city at the time of the Queen’s Coronation. Using cuttings from local papers and ephemera from our collections, we have … Continued
Nearly eighty years ago, in December 1932, the corner of Prince’s Place and North Street, in the heart of Brighton, was transformed into a piece of tranquil suburbia. Amongst the banks and department stores stood a detached Elizabethan style house … Continued
The people of Brighton and Hove were deeply shocked by the loss of ‘Titanic’ and a number of benefit concerts were held to provide aid for the widows and their children of those who had drowned. Billy Boardman, famous showman … Continued
In October 1890, a nursemaid named Eliza Stopher was brought before the Brighton Borough bench. Her crime? According to a report published in the Brighton Gazette, she was pushing a pram on the pavement in East Street. What’s more, when … Continued
Sir Frank Brangwyn (1867-1956) was, in the early 1900s, one of the most revered artists in the world. Today he is little-known and is more likely to be associated with the eponymous concert hall in Swansea than with the murals … Continued
John Harry Preston was born in Cheltenham on February 19, 1860, the son of John Preston, a solicitor’s clerk. He began his career as a teacher in London but later became a clerk in an East Indian merchant’s office. It … Continued
‘Professor’ Charles Zeidler died in Brighton in June 1937. Known as the ‘man of laughter’, he had entertained the public in Brighton for twenty years. He stood outside ‘Laughterland’, the hall of mirrors, on Brighton’s Palace Pier and laughed. He … Continued
141 years ago today, the newly rebuilt Countess of Huntingdon’s Church opened in North Street. This photograph, taken shortly after it reopened in 1871, shows how it dominated the view south from New Road. The church was originally founded as a … Continued
On 16 March 1898, Brighton-born artist Aubrey Beardsley died of tuberculosis at just 25 years of age. Much has been written about the latter part of his short life but, for local historians here in Brighton, his early years are … Continued
For most people taking holidays, either abroad or in the UK, is a normal part of everyday life. But for many of those in Victorian England, the concept of taking a holiday was completely unknown. Everyone was entitled to days off … Continued
If our earlier post on vinegar Valentine’s has left a sour taste in your mouth, this postcard is a sweeter reminder of the day. It was sent from Brighton on 13 December 1909 to a lady in Shrewsbury. Perhaps it … Continued
9 February marks the anniversaries of the deaths of two well known Brighton figures: John ‘Smoaker’ Miles and John Standing. Aside from the shared first name, these Johns also share the distinction of being working class men who became local … Continued
Forty years ago, on 20 January 1972, rock band Pink Floyd came to Brighton to perform at The Dome. This wasn’t their first show in the town, nor even their debut performance at The Dome; what makes it stand out … Continued
The world premiere of Brighton Rock, the original film of Graham Greene’s novel starring Richard Attenborough, took place in Brighton on 8 January 1948. The hotly anticipated screening was held at midnight at the Savoy Cinema in East Street. At … Continued
On 6 January 1794, The Sussex Weekly Advertiser reported that the people of Brighton had met to discuss an urgent public health issue. ‘…the inhabitants of Brighton, at a vestry held at the New Ship, on Friday last, decided against a … Continued
On 19 December 1968, Dorothy Stringer was granted Freedom of the Borough of Brighton. She was only the second woman to have been honoured in this way but, given her record of service to the town, it must have come … Continued
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