140-141, Western Road, Brighton

Image: © Simon Carey Taken: 28 Mar 2016

Numbers 140a, 140b and 141 along with its neighbour to the east Image are located in the former gardens of a terrace called Codrington Place. Unlike Image and Image the former houses survive beyond their former extensions now known as Codrington Mansions. A fair proportion of the commercial properties on the northern side of Western Road eastwards from Hampton Place originated from extensions built in the gardens of former residential properties which were removed during the 1920s and 1930s. 140a and 140b straddled the entrance to 140 whose blue plaque above the arched entrance to 140 celebrates Sir Edward Codrington a British admiral who fought at Trafalgar in 1805 and later destroyed a Tuirkish fleet at Navarino in 1826 during the Greek War of Independence. Codrington resided at Hampton Lodge, which was later demolished after 1899 and replaced by Codrington House in Hampton Place, from 1828-32. He also owned the terrace of houses behind Western Road that remained within the family until 1899 and were originally known as Codrington Place with the surviving houses later renamed Codrington Mansions. Number 140a opened as a chemist in 1904 and remained so until the mid 1990s before briefly becoming a kitchen and bathroom showroom who moved to larger premises at Image at the turn of the 21st century. Since then it has been a beauty goods suppliers. Number 104b began life as a gas showroom and was then a men’s outfitters, Day & Son for over sixty years. After a brief period retailing curtains the shop has been a charity store for the British Heart Foundation since the early 1990s. Number 141 on the right has been a dry cleaners since 1947 currently operated by Johnsons who appear to be associated with both previous businesses, amalgamating with Flinn & Co in 1920 and later taking over Bollom. Before the Second World War the shop had been an optician, sports goods retailer and 19 years as a tailor. Johnson’s opened their first store in the road during 1903, see Image 140a 1904-1996 - CHEMIST (Headland 1904-78, Kingswood 1980-91, Lloyds 1990-96) 1999-2001 - KITCHENS & BATHROOMS (Mobens/Dolphin) 2004-2016 - BEAUTY SUPPLIES (Sally’s) 140b 1905-1924 - Brighton & Hove Gas Co Showrooms 1925-1988 - OUTFITTERS (Day & Dean) 1989 - SOFT FURNISHINGS (Curtain Dream) 1993-2015 - CHARITY SHOP (British Heart Foundation) 141 1904-1911 - DRESS MAKER (Lucie Arnott 1904-06, Ena Alexander 1907-11) 1912-1931 - TAILOR (WF Ebner) 1932-1934 - SPORTS GOODS (The Sports Shop Ltd) 1936-1940 - OPTICIAN (Raymond Lark) 1947-2016 - DRY CLEANERS (Western Cleaners 1947-62, Flinns 1966-75, Bollom 1976-96, Johnsons (1999-2016)

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