43-44, Western Road, Brighton

Image: © Simon Carey Taken: 25 Mar 2016

The shops were merged sometime in the 1990s. Number 43, the two storey building on the left, saw a steady turnover of businesses until 1862 when the shop became a photographic studio something it would remain until 1924 with the bulk of those years under the ownership of Edmund Wheeler. The shop then became a milliners for over twenty years, a shoe shop for a further seventeen, a brief seven year stint as a wool shop before becoming Ratners the jewellers. They would stay here until Gerald Ratner’s ‘total crap’ speech of 1991 obliterated customer support for the brand. Number 44 is the tree storey building that has seen a large turnover of businesses throughout its history, between 1845 and 1895, fourteen retailers passed through, the longest continuous trader being Hudson & Barratt, the shirt makers. Seymours the framers moved in during 1896 and stayed until 1927 and was followed by another succession of businesses until 1938 when the shop began retailing shoes. This continued until the mid 1980s after which yet another succession of short lived occupants came and went. Sometime in the 1990s a computer games shop began operating out of 44 and was able to expand into neighbouring 43. Originally called Electric Boutique it became Game in 2002 and continued trading until it went into administration in 2013. It briefly became a ladies wear store before converting into a charity shop in 2015. Old Images Numbers 43-44 c.1899 - http://www.photohistory-sussex.co.uk/BTNWheelerShopDetail.jpg 43 1848-1850 - PLUMBER, PAINTER & GLAZER (Richard Stone & Son) 1852-1854 - UPHOLSTERER (Francis Mott) 1856 - HATTER (E Vinall) 1859-1861 - CHINA & GLASS MANUFACTURER (Wood & Dibbin) 1862-1924 - PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIO (Benjamin Botham 1862-68, Charles Wootton, Edmund Wheeler 1871-1907, George Foxall 1907-10, J Weston & Son 1911-12, Warschawski Studios Ltd 1913-24) 1925-1947 - MILLINERS (Louise Rihill 1925-36, Ranelle Ltd 1937-47) 1949-1966 - SHOE SHOP (Blindells of Regent Street 1949-62, Shoe Fayre 1964-66) 1968-1975 - WOOL SHOP (Bellman’s) 1976-1993 - JEWELLERS (Ratners) 44 1845-1852 - TAILOR (John Gardner) 1854 - MILLINER (William Speke) 1859-1861 - CHEESEMONGER (John Billinghurst) 1862 - MILLINER (Mrs Farmer) 1864 - PHOTOGRAPHER (Robert Courtney) 1867-1875 - SHIRTMAKER, HOSIER, GLOVER (Hudson & Barratt) 1876-1877 - JET MANUFACTURER (Charles Bryan) 1879-1880 - COSTUMIERS (The Lyons Silk Warehouse Co) 1883 - BRIGHTON BAZAAR 1884 - FRUITERER (I Joel) 1886 - CONFECTIONER (Mr Ford) 1887-1890 - HATTERS (Mond, Morris & Co) 1891 - JEWELLER (G Marks) 1892-1895 - HATTERS (W & G Monday) 1896-1927 - FRAME MAKER (Seymours Ltd) 1928-1935 - GOWNS (Grace Roberts Ltd) 1936-1937 - OUTFITTERS (DH Ham & Son) 1938-1984 - SHOE SHOP (Walk Over Shoe Inc 1938-68, Sacha 1969-84) 1985-1986 - LADIEWSWEAR (Fikipsi) 1985-1987 - TRAVEL AGENTS (Tjaeborg) 1989-1990 - JEWELLERS (All Jewellery) 1999-2013 - COMPUTER GAMES (Electric Boutique 1999-2001, Game 2002-13) 2013-2015 - LADIESWEAR (Nottinghill) 2015-2016 - CHARITY SHOP (Cancer Research)

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