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.

Old painting of riverfront -a critique

A circa 1810 painting attributed to John Smith seems at first sight to be a somewhat naïve illustration perhaps owing something to artistic licence – until it is compared to a photograph of the same spot one hundred years later.

I’ve been told it, with it’s mechanical winch, was only used for pulling up ships for repairs and maintenance. Even the last ships built in Shoreham (Britannia and Osman Pacha) were built in the old shipyard near the suspension bridge. I didn’t readily accept this to begin with but have since seen photos that show it. Incidentally, how is it possible these old ships were launched without falling over? Looking at this photo it doesn’t seem possible to avoid it but, with the Adur’s very deep tidal drop, I guess it may have been submerged enough at high tide – particularly the stern? Perhaps others will know?

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.)

Lighthouse at Kingston

For those that like the Shoreham lighthouse, then we have a treat for you today. For years we’ve seen the dull grimy path with the old door and often wondered what it was like inside.

Fountain Inn

Mention of the Fountain Inn recently prompted a further look. The two 1780’s maps show it (highlighted with a blue dot) followed by the 1872 map after it was, we are told, absorbed into the first Bridge Hotel building.
I’d always thought what was left of the Fountain was the building numbered 2 but it looks from the maps as if it must have been the tall gable-ended building 1 which certainly looks more 18th century or earlier in style than the others.
It had quite a history. Apart from being an inn it had an assembly room that was used to perform plays by touring actors; the local Freemasons met there and poor young James Rook from Old Shoreham was committed for trial there and later hung for his part in the 1790’s robbery of the mail.