Portslade-By-Sea memories
Here are memories of Portslade-By-Sea and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Portslade-By-Sea or a Portslade-By-Sea photo.
The Canal, Portslade
As a young lad born in Shelldale Avenue, and having lived all my young life in Portslade, I used to spend many hours down by, and on the canal at Portslade. I loved seeing the ships, mainly coal-boats moored at the gas works and the old power station. There were timber boats, and various other vessels too, but I just loved the atmosphere and the smells of the then bustling harbour! I used to be thrilled if my dad - my mum wouldn't go on the water - took us for a trip on the rowing boats from the 'Jolly Boatman' opposite the gas works. The times I got a hiding, or other punishment for going down to my favourite place without permission, became too numerous to count, but I still went. I still do, as it is one of my favourite places on this coast of East Sussex. Perhaps it all contributed to my joining the Merchant Navy when I reached 16? I have fond memories of my dad... Read more
ROWING IN THE CANAL
I vividly remember the day when as an eight year old, along with my mate and neighbour, Billy Sturmey, we "borrowed" 2 shillings from my mothers purse and hired a rowboat from the Portslade foreshore and rowed around among the cargo vessels tied up on the seaward side of the "canal" as we called the harbour. We spent the whole morning enjoying what we thought was an amazing experience. The only downside to the day was that crossing the main road and rowing on the canal were prohibited by my parents so the consequences of doing both and with "borrowed money" were not pleasant. The memories of that exciting day are not soured by the discipline I received even though sitting was not easy for a day or two.
On another occasion Billy, along with my brother and I, borrowed from my mother again and caught the train into Brighton one Saturday morning. The goal was to enjoy a cornish pastie (tiddyoggy?) from the workers cafe across the road... Read more
Summery
I wonder how many people remember the Jerry planes that came over Portslade on their way to Croydon & London. I was out with my brothers taking a lame dog home to its owner in Foredown Drive when a large German plane flew overhead (we saw the swastika), doors flew open everywhere & we were dragged inside to safety, just in case. I was luckier than my brothers cos I was on the side of the road where I could see my house in the next street & Mum at the window with my little sister, I was about 9 I think. My brothers weren't so lucky, the family who took them in had their kids down with Chicken Pox, guess who ended up with it!!
I also remember the canal at Fishersgate, as a Sea Ranger we learned to row on it. I was 16 then. The chimneys came down soon after this pic was taken, I think. I got married in May 1955, had 7 kids, moved from... Read more
Does Anyone Remember ?
does anyone Remember a pub called the prince albert in portslade or southwick, it must have been near the docks, and also does anyone remember a george who worked at the docks, i am not sure but think his wife may have been called jessie and he had a firend who was married to a lady called vi, these were friends of my gran who was called vera harvey , george was quite short with dark hair and was quite outspoken , he often played darts and drank in the pub , i think the pub was called the prince albert
if anyone can remember any of these people could you email me please
many thanks
C murphy
Memories of East Sussex
Childhood
I remember playing in the park as a child. There were two sides to the park, Easthill House stood in the posh part of park. I remember beautiful trees and a palm tree which I thought was exotic. We used to sit on a tree stump and wonder who lived in the house and we were told by the park and house-keeper it was haunted by a man in a blue cap.
Women's Union Group
As I recall my mother was not a member of the local St. Nicholas Church Women's Union. She was a member of the Young Wives group. We lived in Mile Oak, I was born there in 1944. On occasion she would attend meetings in the basement of Easthill House. I remember playing with kids on the ivy covered ground under huge trees to the right of the house, when facing it. We were allowed into the basement room for a drink and biscuit, I remember a seemingly huge rather bare room. I loved playing outside.
When at the Mile Oak Girls School I met up with a girl Ann Pratt whose father was the caretaker at the house, and they lived there. I was amazed that anyone could live in that huge house.
In later years I returned to the park and found the sterile grounds had lost their romance of my young days.
I hate what has happened to Mile Oak. I would love... Read more
St, Johns Choir
Things are a little hazy, but, I think the year is about right, providing that this is the church on the Church Road before the gardens going towards Brighton. I used to sing in the choir under the direction of the Organist and Choir master Mr. Clifford Roberts, who also tried to teach me to play piano from reading music, but gave up when he realised that I was playing by ear.
Have many memories of my Home Town and the Goldstone Ground, and my senior school Hove County Grammar, am in regular touch by Email with several Old Boys (now of course in more than one sense)
Used to live in Blatchington Road above the Chiropodist and my late father was the Co-op manager near the corner of George Street. He passed away this New Year age 101.
Would be happy to hear of any similar recollections I am now living in sunny Norfolk.
Wrestling And The Fire.
My earliest memories of the old Hove Town Hall are of a massively impressive red brick building opposite which was a 'Gamleys' toy shop to which I'd be taken by my mother whenever we had enough money!
There used to be professional wrestling bouts held there (the Town Hall, not the toy shop!) and I can recall being taken to see them on occasions by my father as a treat for a birthday or something similar. All of this would have been during the early to mid 1960s.
I can remember the night the old building burnt down quite clearly. I went along the following day to have a look!
I cycled, then motorcycled past that way for some time and can recall the new building seemingly rising from the ashes of the old, the site surrounded by hoardings with holes cut in them so that the public could watch the progress. I spent many happy hours glued to those 'windows', sometimes with a camera, and though I'd love to... Read more
Yards From Home!
I grew up in Hove in the 1950s in Connaught Terrace, a small, seemingly insignificant road of terraced houses just around the corner from this church. The structure behind the church spire in this photo is a gas holder. The streets where I and my friends played are directly behind it. My mother used to take my baby sister and I to this churchyard in the afternoons and would sit in the sun whilst I played amongst the gravestones. We lived there until I was seven when we moved to Hangleton, a council estate on the north side of Hove and right on the edge of the South Downs. Our house was (quite literally) a stonesthrow away from open countryside. Living there was a little boy's dream. But that's another story!
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