CHAPEL STREET, HIGH STREET & ST LUKES LANE

I was delighted to see the photo of the Co-op at the junction of Bridge Street and Chapel Street. My father was manager of this department store from about 1950 through until about 1970. When I first visited the store it was a two storey building with Haberdashery, Men's Outfitting and Shoe departments on the ground floor together with the cash office. The first floor was for Furniture and Flooring. The building was very old fashioned and the upper part had a huge amount of wood in its construction. When in later years the upper floor was removed a small section remained which contained a staff room, a singularly basic and uninviting space. The original wide staircase leading from Bridge Street to the 1st Floor also remained in situ. The cash office was served by an amazing arrangement of wires that led all around the building on which money containers whizzed overhead, it was a bit like having a model tramway system above you. When the building was modernised the section that had once been for the sale of shoes became the Furniture department otherwise much remained the same. I also remember the old Police Station well. On one occasion back in the 1960's I left my car for a few days outside the house of a relation on what I thought was a private road running alongside the upper part of Brighton Road and when I returned found I had ticket. I went to this Police Station to point out that the car had not been left on a 'public road' only to be informed that that service road was in fact construed as part of the main road to Brighton!! Luckily things were a lot easier in those days and a chat with the officer on duty resolved the situation with the ticket being withdrawn.

Really nice to see the photos of St Luke's Lane. I lived at No 10 next door to Arnold's shop.

Does anyone remember the green "shed" at the bottom of St Lukes Lane that I believe was used as a bathhouse?

In photo 4 looking down St Lukes Lane, Bannisters Builders had a huge garage where they kept all the firms vans, it was just back up the lane to the left of this image. Being one of the apprentices I wasn't allowed to drive them but Terry Hollands one of the plumbers used to let me drive his van out and down to the High Street, until one day my foot slipped of the brake and rolled into the van behind causing damage to both vehicles. Needless to say we both got a rollicking from the Boss and as my father worked for the firm as well I got another one when I got home.

The NO ENTRY signs on the road outside the police station are interesting, I guess that the police station was still in place when the ring road was opened, too long ago to remember now I'm afraid.

I would question picture #2 being called Church Road. Isn't that the lane that ran from Chapel Street up to South Road with the Volunteer Pub directly ahead ? So that would make the buildings on the right the old infants school and the fabulous flint wall on the left being where the replacement police station ended up being built when they created South Way.

If you look closely Rob there is a white dot on the nearest part of the flint wall which is a street name plate which contained the words "Church Road". I have added a photo No. 7 on this page, showing the sign in place c1950's.

I will be walking past there this morning and check to see if it still there !

John  --  Editor.

thanks John, didn't realise it had a name. Interesting to note the sign for Hills Bakery & Cafe, any relation ?

No not related Rob, it was a "Hill" family, that traded from there hence the "Hill's" sign. 

I looked this morning and the "Church Road" sign is no longer there on the rebuilt top section of the flint wall.

The old Hill's bakery in Chapel Street is now a chemist shop.

Thanks for "popping in" Rob, regards to you and family in Canada.

John  -- Editor.

The best doughnuts in town came from " Doughie Hills ".

Photo two must have been taken from the corner of Sussex Place. My Grandparents lived at number 5, there is a photo of my father standing outside on my family page on the site. He looks to be 5 or 6 years old so that would be about 1925.