75-78, North Street, Brighton

Image: © Simon Carey Taken: 20 Sep 2015

Number seventy five to seventy six on the left dates from the 1860s and was originally two shops which appear to have been merged by jewellers Saqui & Lawrence during the First World War. Previously seventy five had spent much of the second half of the 19th century as a fancy warehouse. Seventy six had mainly been a musical instrument maker but also been a fruiterer on a number of occasions with the last business prior to merging being the national chain Freeman Hardy Willis. The jewellers would last over fifty years eventually moving into Churchill Square after which followed a succession of businesses including a period trading as Target, see Image, and as an extension of neighbouring Image as Burtons. For about a decade it was Ann Summers who then moved to Western Road, then the peripatetic Fun Learning who went on to Image, Image and Image all within the pace of four years. Since 2012 it has been a cafe. Seventy seven to seventy eight is a much smaller house which was rebuilt in the 1890s seventy seven had been a corn dealer then newspaper before merging with seventy seven A as a hosier under John Eyles. That shop became part of Sopers who were extending from Image into Image and then seventy eight and seventy seven. When the latter closed in 1954 having become Leesons during World War Two seventy seven and seventy eight were combined and for many years was a pizza restaurant and since 2002 a sandwich and coffee shop, Pret a Manger. OLD IMAGES Painting of 71-77 in 1851 - http://regencysociety-jamesgray.com/volume21/source/jg_21_001.html 75-78 in 1952 - http://regencysociety-jamesgray.com/volume21/source/jg_21_002.html OCCUPANTS 75 1833-1848 - GROCER (Edward Chatfield) 1850 - HARDWAREMAN (John Bishop) 1852-1895 - FANCY WAREHOUSE/BAZAAR (Thomas Kent 1852, John Bishop 1854, Various 1856-1895 [FANCY BAZAAR]) 1896 - TOBACCONISTS (Salmon & Gluckstein) 1897-1903 - CUTLER (Maurice Hart) 1904-1915 - FANCY DEALER (Jack Moss) 1917-1969 - JEWELLERS (Saqui & Lawrence) 1971 - OUTFITTERS (Mr Jon) 1971-1978 - FURRIERS (Suede Centre) 1985 - BOUTIQUE (Target) 1989-1994 - OUTFITTERS (Burtons) 1996- - LADIES WEAR (Dorothy Perkins) 1999-2008 - LINGERIE (Ann Summers) 2009-2011 - TOY SHOP (Fun Learning) 2012-2015 - CAFE (Fun Learning) 76 1845-1848 - GREENGROCER (Edward Snelling) 1850-1854 - FRUITERER (J Wood) 1956-1880 - MUSICAL STRING & INSTRUMENT MAKER (J Wood) 1883 - SECOND HAND BOOKSELLER (J Watts) 1884-1895 - FRUITERER (Joseph Szapira 1883, S Joel 1885, Co-Operative Fruit Store 1886, Mrs E Christmas, 1887-92, Mrs Rogers 1893, TH Golds (1894-95) 1896-1912 - BOOTMAKERS (James Harvey 1896-1905, Rabbits & Son 1906-12) 1913-1916 - SHOE SHOP (Freeman Hardy Willis) 77 1822-1852 - CORN DEALER/COAL MERCHANT (Jonathan Streeter) 1854-1894 - NEWSPAPER OFFICE (Brighton Examiner) 1895-1906 - HOSIER (John Eyles 1895, Leonard Lester 1896-1906) 77a 1864-1880 - SHIRT & COLLAR MAKER (H Bloomfield (1864-65, Peter Bond 1867-73, J Baker & co 1875-80) 1883-1891 - HOSIER (Frank Eyles 1883-87, John Eyles 1888-91) 78 1845-1864 - MILLINER (Caroline Snashall) 1865-1885 - LADIES & CHILDREN’S OUTFITTERS (ST Foat) 1886-1954 - DRAPERY (Sopers 1886-1940, Leesons 1947-54) 1960-1972 - TAILORS (Alexandre) 1973-1996 - RESTAURANT (Pizzaland) 2002-2015 - TAKEAWAY (Pret a Manger)

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