G. SIMS - BOOK

Mr & Mrs George Sims lived next door but one to us in Beresford Road, Mount Pleasant in the 50's & 60's. They had 3 children, George, Susan & Sally. Susan is in a photo on here. Mr. Sims had white hair & beard, smoked a pipe & had lots of books in the house, if I remember correctly.

I remember Mr Sims, he was a very good Artist. My father asked him to do two paintings of Newhaven, one of the Sheerlegs with the tug Meeching in the forefront (a smaller copy of which is in the Maritime Museum) in oil and a view of the old Denton Island bridge looking up the High Street in watercolour. His son George and I were good friends for many years until we started work. I think George started work as a boilermaker on the docks, the last I heard of him he was in America.

I had not realised that Mr. Sims' paintings on his walls were by himself, but I think so now, after reading more about him. I believe that Susan became Nanny to Dora Bryan on leaving Tideway School, then she returned to Beresford Road to live, at the other end of the row of houses which the family lived in, but a mutual friend told me she has died. Her parents were very good at letting their friends come in & play records etc. unlike mine! A nice family...

You are right Brenda. I spent many happy hours in their house listening to music with George. We used to spend a lot of time trying to play guitars with other friends, Keith Holder was one who comes to mind.

I remember Martin Jenner (& younger brother Guy), who lived at the bottom of Denton Drive & was one of Susan's friends, he played guitar for Barbara Dickson then went to Australia, but sadly died, he was a rare left handed guitar player. I don't remember Keith, but do remember a Brian (Holder?) who wore specs. & went to the Boys Grammar with Martin & lived the Seaford end of Beresford Road. A couple of other Beresford boys springing to mind are David Lower (Denton end) & Paul Giles (middle) who has commented on here. Some girls are Anthea & Lindsay Ellis (Paul married Anthea) & their friend Rosemary who all lived Seaford end, also Suzanne Noakes & Jill Anderson (Denton end). Jill married Alan Easton from South Heighton & they still live in Beresford Rd. We girls used to go to the Rector's Youth Club. My brother lives back in Denton now & our grandfathers parents lived in Heighton in the 1800's. (Must come & look for Hubbards in the Heighton churchyard one day!) Back to our teenage '50's rock n roll days - I've still got my 45's & EP's!

PS. If you would like to see Martin Jenner play guitar go to YouTube, Barbara Dickson singing Driftaway, also Answer Me in 1976.

I don't remember Brian Holder, but do remember Martin & Guy Jenner. We used to go fishing together at the three lakes, old river and at a lake in Avis Road where Paradise Park is now. I went to dances in Seaford to watch Martin and his group play. Guy had a bad motor accident in the early seventies and nearly lost his leg as a result. They were related to their next door neighbours the Bannisters who I worked for, who had a son Christopher who eventually took over the firm. He wound the firm down in the eighties and went farming. Will have a look on YouTube for Martin.

Hi Terry, I've found a 24 minute video with our late friend Martin, dressed in black and sporting a trilby & beard.  There are lots of shots of him and his great guitar playing! It's on Youtube "In Concert - Barbara Dickson" STV (Scottish TV). Enjoy! He won a chalk owl at the fair in the Drove one summer and gave it to me because I wore specs. and he called me Owlie! Sorry to hear about Guy's accident. I remember the Bannisters building firm, my dad was in the same line.

George Simms was a good artist. I am still in possession of two of his water colours, one of The Flying Fish in Denton, the other he painted from the old barn on the hill behind South Heighton. A talented man.

My late parents-in-law (Charles and Dorcas Ratcliffe from Aberavon) were also good friends with George Sims and acquired during the 1970s and early 80s a number of - mainly Christmas - Postcards featuring excellent sketches from this talented artist and four original sketches, two of which are in watercolour. Good to know where George came from and what other people know about his history.

I have a painting by GEO.Sims i live in Tx and found it in estate sale liked the creek and animals was looking for a good home if some could help me find out if it is the same man your talking about here.

Hi Ethan, Would it be possible to scan the painting and submitted to us as a page/

It could be animals crossing the creek over to Denton Island in the heart of Newhaven, Sussex. UK

Regards  John  --  Editor

I went out with George Sims Jr, he played in a band called Rupert and the Three Bears? Also with Guy Jenner, visited him in hospital after the accident. If anyone has any photos please may I see them. My mate Christine went out with Martin.

George jnr very patiently taught me guitar in his bedroom in Beresford Road, he can be seen on YouTube with his Italian band Mad Dogs up to about six years ago, sadly don't know if he is still around. George snr was a prolific artist, very busy house I seem to recall.

We have a painting of the Flying Fish too. Would you like it? Chris and Mo Scott.

Seaford. 

Are you offering it to anyone Chris . I would love it.