169-174, Western Road, Brighton

Image: © Simon Carey Taken: 28 Mar 2016

The block is located between Crown Street and Marlborough Street and was constructed in 1931 primarily for British Home Stores. Previously it had been a terrace of small shops that had largely been in commercial use since the 1840s. Number 169 on the corner of Crown Street had a steady flow of businesses throughout the 19th century the longest tenure belonging to china dealers, Lee & Co. After the First World War there was a far quicker turnover except for the last six years as a gown seller. Neighbouring 170 saw in quicker turnover until the arrival of hardware merchant, Mence Smith, in 1875, who would stay until the building was demolished. In 1881 Mence Smith expanded into 171 the shop having previously been occupied largely by a tailor. Number 172 was another with a high turnover of businesses the longest tenure belonging to the milliners run by various members of the Crude family. Likewise, number 173 whose only trader to reach double figures was Carters who also ran a post office from their premises. In 1917 they moved to 157, see Image Number 174 was a chemist for a while after which there is no records until 1908 when after a brief period as a musical instrument dealer it spent the last 19 years trading as a confectioner. Lastly, numbers 174a and 174b were located on the corner of Marlborough Street. The former opened in 1862 and also had a high turnover of business except an umbrella maker who last twenty years. The latter was converted to commercial use in the late 1880s and was a jeweller for the last fourteen years of its existence. The building was rebuilt in 1931 and initially split into three units. Number 169 was a hosier for nearly thirty years whilst 170 spent twenty years retailing gowns. Eventually British Home Stores expanded into the two stores turning the block into one unit. BHS moved to Churchill Square in 1969 and still occupies the same spot today even after the rebuild of the late 1990s. C & A opened in the store in 1970 and remained here until the company withdrew from the UK market in 2000. They still trade in mainland Europe. Littlewoods returned to Western Road in 2001 having previously operated out of Image during the early 1950s. They too hit financial problems around 2005 and the business was sold to Associated British Foods who moved another of their businesses, Primark, into the store soon after. Old images Numbers 169-174b in 1929 - http://regencysociety-jamesgray.com/volume19/source/jg_19_073.html British Home Stores, 1932 - http://regencysociety-jamesgray.com/volume19/source/jg_19_091.html British Home Stores, 1960 - http://regencysociety-jamesgray.com/volume19/source/jg_19_105.html 169 1845-1862 - TEA DEALER (David Fisk) 1864-1871 - STATIONER (George Anderson 1864-68, James Shayler 1869-71) 1875-1912 - CHINA DEALERS (Lee & Co) 1918-1920 - COSTUMIER (Arthur Maisson) 1921-1922 - CONFECTIONER (Robert Haymes) 1923 - TEA ROOMS (Cosmos) 1924 - MILLINERS (Cherette) 1925-1931 - GOWNS (F Harrison) 170 1845-1850 - BAKER (John Hammond) 1852 - WINE MERCHANT (SM Toms) 1854 - CABINET MAKER & UPHOLSTERER (John Brown) 1856-1868 - FURNITURE DEALER (William Reeves 1856-62, William Hutton 1864-68) 1871 - WINE MERCHANT (George Bryant) 1873-1874 - OIL & COLOUR MAN (H Chandler) 1875-1931 - HARDWARE (Mence Smith) 171 1845-1846 - CARVER & GILDERER (Samuel Stepney) 1848-1876 - TAILOR (Morris Stenning) 1877-1880 - DRAPER (E Atkinson) 1881-1931 - HARDWARE (Mence Smith) 172 1845-1846 - WIRE WORKER (James Barfleet) 1850-1868 - MILLINER (Mrs John Crude 1850-54, MA Crude 1856-59, W Crude 1860-68) 1871-1887 - DECORATOR (H Cheal) 1888-1890 - HARDWARE MERCHANT (JD Rowley) 1891-1896 - ESTATE AGENT (Ernest Cohen) 1897 - CYCLE DEPOT (Girling) 1898-1903 - DYER (Eastman & Son) 1904-1917 - LEATHER GOODS (Carter Brothers) 1920 - ANTIQUE FURNITURE (Harry Rosenthal) 1921-1925 - HOSIER (L Symons) 1927 - FLORIST (Tredgett) 1928-1931 - BOOT MAKER (A Cohen) 173 1845-1848 - SADDLE MAKER (George Weston) 1850-1852 - FURNITURE DEALER (William Kirkham) 1854 - GREENGROCER (Sarah Bishop) 1856-1861 - PASTRY COOK, BREAD & BISCUIT MAKER (Jane West 1856, T Cosham 1859-61) 1862 - REPOSITORY OF ARTS (Henry Solomon) 1864 - JET ORNAMENT MANUFACTURERS (Westlake & Pearson) 1865-1867 - TOBACCONIST (Ward & Bertoglu) 1868-1871 - GROCER (W Penfold 1868, James Hall 1870-71) 1873-1875 - HATTER (S Bastick) 1876 - BOOKSELLER (J Thompson) 1877-1886 - FURNITURE DEALER (JJ Abel) 1887 - DECORATOR (H Cheal) 1888-1917 - STATIONERS (Carter Brothers) 1920 - ANTIQUE FURNITURE (Harry Rosenthal) 1921-1922 - HOSIER (L Symons) 1923-1926 - DRAPERS (A & R Symons) 1925-1927 - PHOTOGRAPHERS (Avery’s) 1928-1931 - CONFECTIONER (Karamels) 174 1845-1848 - TEA DEALER (William Kirkham) 1862 - ESTATE AGENT (William Kirkham) 1864-1885 - CHEMIST (W Cornish 1864-84, W Harrison 1885) 1908-1910 - MUSICAL INSTRUMENT DEALER (JM Jacobs) 1912-1931 - CONFECTIONER (R Ivens 1912-16, Miss Clarke 1917-18, John Hardy 1919-20, Mrs EM Rich 1921-31) 174a 1862 - TOBACCONIST (W Funnell) 1864-1865 - DYER & SCOURER (JA Morgan) 1867 - FURRIER (Mrs Childs) 1868 - DYER (John Homewood) 1869-1871 - FANCY REPOSITORY (ME Cornish) 1873-1875 - BOOKSELLER (J Thompson) 1876-1883 - HATTER (R Bostock 1876, WE Brooker 1877-83) 1884 - BREAD & BISCUIT MAKER (AE Bromley) 1885-1886 - CONFECTIONER (E Turner) 1887 - LADIES TAILOR (George Shell) 1888-1928 - UMBRELLAS (T Bushell) 1929-1931 - FURRIER (Premier Fur Stores) 174b 1889-1891 - CONFECTIONER (E Lynton 1889, L Grover 1890-91) 1893-1899 - PROVISIONAL MERCHANTS (W Powell) 1904-1912 - GROCERS (Stenning & Green 1904, GW Sandells 1905-12) 1917-1931 - JEWELLER (Nellie Lucas) REBUILD 1932 169 1933-1962 - HOSIER (Fleming, Reid & Co) 170 1934-1954 - GOWNS (Jean Harding) 169-174 1932-2006 - DEPARTMENT STORE (British Home Stores 1932-69, C & A 1970-2000, Littlewoods 2001-06) 2007-2016 - CLOTHES (Primark)

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