East Grinstead, London Road 1904
Photo ref: 52903
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More about this scene

The building on the right, just before the King Street junction, was the Jubilee Institute. Opened in November 1888, it was the local Literary and Scientific Institute; it was built in the local sandstone and its roof crowned by a cupola. It was demolished in 1935 to be replaced by the long range of Whitehall, opened in 1936, also replacing the old Whitehall Theatre of 1884. The new Whitehall has shops on the ground floor and included a cinema, ballroom and restaurant. Francis Frith's Sussex A Century Ago

A Selection of Memories from East Grinstead

For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our website to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was, prompted by the photographs in our archive. Here are some from East Grinstead

Sparked a Memory for you?

If this has sparked a memory, why not share it here?

I was sick with Chickenpox that Saturday when the bomb fell on the cinema. I stood p to look out of the window to see the smoke.
I was at Aston House school 1943 to 1948 I started writng memoirs for my children Remembered the Miss Holts Anyone else who was there at that time/
In 1950, I started school at Chequer Mead. I had walked there from Copse Close, near Queen Victoria Hospital. We each had a desk and a slate to write on. My big sister was in the ‘big’ school, next door as she was fourteen. I used to stand and watch her play netball at playtimes. Miss Rowe was my favourite teacher and I cried for hours when I had to leave to go to the new Junior school at Blackwell. Lovely lady and great teacher.
As a five year old, and for the next six years, I walked up Blackwell Hollow to go to Chequer Mead school. Sometimes, I was accompanied, but quite often, I went on my own. I lived near Queen Victoria Hospital, so it was quite a walk for a little one. Unbelievable today, but of course, the roads were less busy, and life was much slower.