From Garden Close to Downside

The first part of Shoreham Garden City at Greenways Crescent

From Garden Close to Downside

Alan Lambourne has kindly allowed us to publish his memoirs of growing up in Shoreham in the 40’s 50’s and 60’s. He recounts the stories of his family running Lambourne’s Butchers in Upper Shoreham Road, and of his early years at Garden Close (Kingston by Sea) and Downside. A witty and lively style of writing illuminates the stories during an idyllic time when family came first and only the best sausages were on the table.

Click above to view the PDF on mobiles.

Residents in Adverts

Hadfield’s advert featuring early 1900’s Old Shoreham farmer William Norman and his massive mangolds! In 1910 another Shoreham character that featured in an advert was Myrtle Winton who’s husband Reg Eley ran a motor cycle business in Shoreham. This over-pasted and grubby insertion from the ‘Motor Cycle’ magazine in the Winton family scrap book is nevertheless an interesting relic perhaps.

Bungalow Town 1946

An interesting panorama of  four photos sent to us by Chris Mead. Taken by his father in 1946 from one of the flats above the shops in Ferry Road it looks out westwards across a barren landscape following the wartime clearance of most of the bungalows. Amongst those that survived were West and East House(s) on the extreme right. Just beyond the old sports club are two house boats, the one on the right is Skylark and to the left of it is what looks like an MTB that to me is very similar to one that survived until recent years – perhaps someone remembers it’s name? 

Why were the two bungalows in the centre of the view left untouched I wonder? The smaller one was named ‘Barge’ but the larger doesn’t appear to have been named and is just noted as  No. 81 on the BT Properties list.

Lastly, along the shore can be seen the anti-tank blocks that were removed a few years later – the lower photo of blocks at Lancing gives an idea of them closer up.
 

Ferry Road 1946: Sussex University Geography Dept.
Old Fort Road 1946: Sussex University Geography Dept.

Bungalow names

Some bungalow names added to a 1930’s photo. (Incidentally, Skylark was actually a boat pulled out of the water to become a land dwelling, you can just make it out in the enlargement.)

The Horsham Flyer

Horsham Flyer, Steyning Stinker, whatever your name was for it this’ll bring back memories. For me it was missing the earlier electric train and risk being late for school by catching the later steam train and one glorious summer’s day sunday school outing sandwiched between two exciting journeys in creaking carriages to and from Bramber Castle.

Jack’s Bargain Store

The shop, formed part of Victoria Terrace, on Victoria Road It was next to Jock Hamiltons Garage, and faced the Ritz Cinema, which is now demolished, and replaced by the RopeTackle development . Jacks Bargain stores extended it’s trading space by setting several tables, out side onto the pavement. The tables, were covered with numerous boxes, of all manner of used domestic utensils, rusty meat mincers, lay alongside an old cribbage board, or some well worn eating knives and forks.

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