Portslade in the Past: Search results for Hillman

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St Andrews's Road, Portslade

Judy Middleton 2003 (revised 2018)

Ancient Past

The west end of St Andrew’s Road covers the site of an ancient burial ground. In the Hove Gazette (30 July 1898) under the headline ‘The Discovery of Relics at Portslade’ there was a report of finds made a week or two previously. They included ‘nine skeletons recently exhumed in St Andrew’s Road (that) are in all likelihood some of a number contained in what was in the distant past an Anglo-Saxon burial ground.’

In around 1926 workmen were digging a trench in the road outside three lock-up garages at the west end of St Andrew’s Road when they came across parts of a skeleton and an Anglo-Saxon cinerary urn.

In 1993 more human bones were found in the corner site of St Andrew’s Road and Church Road, where the modern dental practice is today.

Construction

The first mention of St Andrew’s Road in local records occurs in 1894 when Mr A. Loader submitted plans for a new road. It is interesting to note that in August 1895 Mr Loader was obliged to submit an application to the District Council Steyning East. However, at around this time officials were seeking for Portslade-by-Sea to be made into an urban district with its own council. In which case, Steyning would have no interest in what was happening at Portslade.

Portslade-by-Sea Planning Approvals

copyright © J.Middleton
These houses were among the first to be built in St Andrew’s Road and are situated at the east end of the north side

1896 – Miss Dudeney, 10 houses

1897 – W. Hillman, 2 houses

1898 – W. Bartlett, 2 houses

1899 – B. Baker, 2 houses

1900 – H. Baker, 2 houses

1901 – W. Hillman, 9 houses

1902 – W. Hillman, 4 houses

1902 – G. Bradford, 2 houses

1902 – Dent & Kille, 2 houses

1902 – H. Dudeney, 1 house

1903 – W. Hillman, 5 houses

1909 – W. Hillman, 10 houses

1912 – W. H. Hillman, 9 houses

1913 – W. Hillman, 3 houses (numbers 69 to 73)

1930 – W. Hillman, 3 garages with 2 flats over

1930 – W. H. Hillman, 6 houses and 1 garage

copyright © G. Osborne
With thanks to Mr G. Osborne for granting permission for the reproduction of the above photograph from his private collection.
An early 1900s view of St Andrew's Road looking east to Station Road, sadly the trees were removed many years ago

Walter Hillman

Walter Hillman was an important man in Victorian and Edwardian Portslade. He ran businesses at North Street with stores at Camden Place, Chapel Place and Ellen Street – all in Portslade. His commercial net was spread wide because as well as being a corn merchant, hay and straw dealer, seedsman, and general carting contractor, he was also a dairyman, greengrocer and fruiterer supplying milk, butter, eggs and vegetables from Cowhayes Farm, and he had a depot at Aldrington Basin from where he could supply Coomb rock flint, sand and shingle. From the list of planning approvals, it is also apparent that he was responsible for building more houses in St Andrew’s Road than anyone else.

As regards public service, Walter Hillman served as chairman of Portslade Council for eleven years, was a Justice of the Peace for 22 years, and vicar’s warden at St Andrew’s Church, Portslade, for thirteen years.

His son, Albert William Hillman, had an equally distinguished career in local government, and was even elected as Mayor of Hove for an unprecedented 5^th year of office.

copyright © Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton & Hove
Walter Hilman's son Albert William Hillman, the Mayor of Hove leaving All Saints Church, Hove in 1938

copyright © D. Sharp
This beautiful stained glass window was
given in memory of Walter Hillman.
Although, unfortunately, it is no
longer to be seen at Portslade,
it has been preserved for possible
future use elsewhere

Albert was also notable for saving Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club from liquidation in 1940, by which time he was vice-chairman of the club.

In the 1908 Directory Walter Hillman was listed at 75 and 77 St Andrew’s Road, while his son, Albert William Hillman, later lived at 65 St Andrew’s Road, and moved to Hove in 1928.

Walter Hillman died on 7 April 1926 aged 74, but his wife Emma had pre-deceased him and died on 3 July 1907 at the age of 54. Their grave in Portslade Cemetery is marked by a magnificent stone in rose marble.

There was also a lovely, stained glass window in St Andrew’s Church, Portslade, to Walter Hillman’s memory. The window contains Masonic symbols such as the plumb-line and compass, and both Walter and his son were keen Freemasons. Indeed, Albert William was the first initiate of the Duke of Richmond Lodge, Portslade.

The Baker Family

The Portslade undertaking firm was founded in 1855 when it was known as Constable & Everton, and then it was run by three generations of the Baker family.

Daniel Baker was born at Burwash, but by 1851 he had settled at Forge Cottage, Foredown, with his wife Charlotte and four children, where he worked as a blacksmith.

By 1861 the family had moved to south Portslade, then still known as Copperas Gap, and his son James joined him as a blacksmith. Daniel then branched out into the undertaking business while still keeping the forge. Their base was at 51 North Street, Portslade. The list of planning approvals shows that the Baker family also took an interest in the development of nearby St Andrew’s Road.

Daniel Baker was still running the undertaking business in the 1890s then his sons Norman and Britton took over. Norman Baker died in 1928 and was buried in Portslade Cemetery. He was a stalwart of the Baptist Church and was a trustee at the time of his death. Although Revd George Burrett conducted the rites at the graveside, he was followed by Brother J. Miles who read the funeral office of the Ancient Order of Foresters – Norman having been a member of Court Olive Branch for 50 years.

Norman’s sons, Herbert and Syd then took over the firm, and Syd soldiered on until retirement in the 1970s. The business moved in around 1940 to 52 Station Road where it stayed until the 1970s and then moved to 60 Church Road.

copyright © Brighton & Hove City Libraries.
North Street in the 1930s with H. Baker & Co workshop on the right next to the Salvation Army Citadel

There was another firm called H. Baker & Co, and of course there was endless confusion between the two. This firm was founded by Herbert Baker, another of Daniel’s sons. At one time the two businesses shared a workshop and forge in North Street. H. Baker & Co became timber importers, ironmongers, builders’ merchants, haulage contractors and joinery manufacturer.

Architecture

St Andrew’s Road struck a new note in the construction of housing in Portslade-by-sea. Whereas nearby dwellings were more humble affairs with small back yards and front doors opening directly onto the pavement, the houses in St Andrew’s Road were far more spacious and had front and back gardens. Some of the houses on the north side have retained their lovely tiled footpaths, which are quite as striking as any to be found in the posher areas of Hove.

The wonderful run of gabled houses on the north side – with a matching few on the south side – built in white brick present a pleasing homogeneous appearance. These houses are embellished with a red brick strip, and scalloped red tiles in the apex.

Also worthy of note are the splendid structures on the south side with mock-Tudor beams, and further to the west the unusual houses built of variegated bricks with red brick used around the windows.

But not all was sweetness and light in the early days. The houses were built before there was such a thing as main drainage in Portslade. Consequently, there were cesspits in the garden, and probably many still remain undetected underground. At least two have come to light in recent times and reveal them to be well-built rounded structures of brick. The lack of drainage meant that bathrooms had to be added later on.

In 1903 Revd C. R. Cooper agreed to give up part of the land on the north west corner in order that the road might be widened. But he insisted that the council should be responsible for building a flint wall on the new frontage.

Orchard

Mr J. Goble was the tenant of land behind St Andrew’s Road, which included an orchard. He was still there in the 1930s when Portslade Council had recently purchased the land. Mr Goble agreed to pay the council a rent of £18-13s for nine months,

House Notes

Number 3 – This was a private house occupied by a Mrs Pratt. But it was also the location for the first telephone exchange in Portslade that became operational in 1903. It was probably a single-position switchboard, and it lasted in this location until 1912.

Number 39 – In the 1920s this house was known as the Hove Refuge and it was the place where unmarried mothers-to-be came to live before they gave birth. The establishment was run by the Chichester Diocesan Purity Association.

Number 46 – This house is particularly impressive. It occupies a prominent site on the corner of St Andrew’s Road and Norway Street. It is now in fine fettle, having been extensively restored recently. The house’s original name The Avon is still to be seen in gold lettering in the fanlight above the front door.

Numbers 67-73

copyright © J.Middleton
Portslade Police Station was situated here. Public sentiment would like the cells and adjacent rooms in the basement preserved for posterity, especially since they are in their original condition. But in a time when public money is in short supply, it seems an unlikely outcome

In the 1960s these houses were still a police enclave where serving policemen and their families lived in tied houses, and Portslade Police Station was in operation. The houses were spacious – for example, number 73 had a main bedroom that stretched the whole width of the house, while the two other bedrooms were also of generous size. But the bathroom was tiny, squeezed into a space on the quarter landing. Downstairs, there was a sitting room, a dining room, a kitchen, a scullery and a walk-in larder. The kitchen had a coal-fired boiler, and there was a large airing cupboard upstairs – no central heating in those days.

The drawback in the 1960s was the nearby Portslade Gas Works that belched fumes and smuts relentlessly, and the swarms of flies that invaded the scullery should the back door be left open for air. How times change. Now the houses in St Andrew’s Road are worth more money than the newer homes built in the cleaner air north of Portslade Old Village.

Number 76

Mrs Payne ran a lodging house here and on 7 November 1933 two new guests arrived – they were Frederick William Parker, a 21-year old labourer, and Albert Probert, a 26-year old fitter. However, they did not grace the premises for long.

On 13 November 1933 P. C. Harry Peters discovered Joseph Bedford, aged 80, lying injured on the floor of the small second-hand shop he ran on the corner of Clarence Street and North Street, Portslade. At first people assumed that the old man had stumbled and injured himself, and that there had been no foul play.

But the policeman had his suspicions and on 17 December 1933 the celebrated pathologist Sir Bernard Spilsbury confirmed them. Meanwhile, there had been a helpful telephone call from Worthing Police Station to say they were holding two men who had been acting suspiciously. One man had admitted to hitting an old man over the head – he did not know he had since died. It was obvious that the two men were intent on robbery because Probert carried a tyre lever wrapped in a stocking, while Parker had an unloaded revolver.

The two men were tried at Lewes Assizes, the case beginning on 14 March 1934. On 16 March the jury retired but only needed 35 minutes to make up their minds on a verdict of guilty. On 4 May 1934 Probert and Parker were hanged at Wandsworth Prison. It was the first double execution since 1921, when strangely enough two men were also hanged for a murder in Sussex.

Number 85 – The 1916 Directory recorded that this house was the quarters for Salvation Army officers whose citadel was just a short distance away in North Street.

Fire

In 1970 a fire broke out in the timber yard south of St Andrew’s Road. A dozen families were evacuated, still wearing their pyjamas, and took shelter in neighbouring houses for almost two hours until the firemen told them it was safe to return home.

Sources

Census returns

Contemporary newspapers

Middleton J, Encyclopaedia of Hove and Portslade

Hove Gazette (30 July 1898)
Mr G. Osborne

Portslade Council Minute Books at The Keep
Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton & Hove

Street Directories

Copyright © J.Middleton 2018
page layout by D. Sharp

Portslade Fire Brigade

Judy Middleton 2003 (revised 2019)

In October 1898 a deputation urged Portslade Council to form its own Fire Brigade. A committee was set up to consider the matter and in February 1890 committee members consulted Superintendent Lacroix of the Brighton Volunteer Fire Brigade as to the equipment they might need, and the number of men needed. Lacroix made the following recommendations:

1,000 feet of canvas hosepipe was essential costing £50

Fire escape and hose cart costing £35

At least ten men

Jacket and cap issued for each man

Lacroix agreed to take the preliminary drills, and indeed he continued to inspect the men for a couple of years.

In April 1900 the first thirteen members of Portslade Fire Brigade were sworn in. Their surnames were as follows:

Abraham

Baker

Churchill

Field

Hillman

Long

Packer

Paull

Pickard

Puttock

Rugg

Savill

Wilby

copyright © G. Osborne
Portslade Fire Brigade in the early 1900s, at this time their fire appliances were stored in a council yard on the corner of Church Road-Vale Road before the new Fire Station was built in Church Road.
With thanks to Mr G. Osborne for granting permission for the reproduction of the above photograph from his private collection.

Henry Pettett

A very interesting photograph survives of Henry Pettett wearing his fire brigade uniform during the First World War. He certainly liked to move around Portslade – he once lived in Windmill Cottage, Clarence Street, by 1901 he was to be found at 13 Elm Road, in 1911 his home was at 50 Trafalgar Road, while his address in 1921 was 3 Beaconsfield Road. It seems possible that Henry Pettett might have attained a degree of immortality because his family are firmly of the opinion that the fascinating plaster head above the doorway at 3 Beaconsfield Road is the spitting image of old Henry Pettett.

Henry Pettett’s occupation was described as a stoker / fireman. On Christmas Day 1890 he married Fanny King at St Andrew’s Church, Portslade, and when his son Albert married in 1921, he too chose St Andrew’s Church, following in the family tradition. (Information kindly supplied by S. Pettett).

Captain Packer

On 8 June 1902 there was a fire at Hangleton on Mr Hardwick’s property. Captain Packer of the Portslade Fire Brigade took it upon himself to call for the assistance of Hove and Brighton Fire Brigades. No doubt he deemed the fire severe enough to seek extra help, but the Royal Assurance Company took a dim view of his action. They refused to pay out £5 – the cost of summoning the Brighton Fire Brigade – because they deemed the call-out unnecessary. Therefore, the Royal Assurance Company would only pay the expenses incurred by Portslade Fire Brigade.

In September 1903 Captain Packer was warned not to call upon the assistance of other brigades in the event of a fire, but to leave the decision to the property owner. No doubt the unfortunate captain felt this ruling was a slur on his honour, and he resigned shortly afterwards.

Albert William Hillman

copyright © G. Osborne
The 'new' Portslade Fire Station in 1909
With thanks to Mr G. Osborne for granting permission for the
reproduction of the above photograph from his private collection.

Albert William Hillman, son of Walter Hillman, embarked on his public service career at the age of seventeen when he became honorary secretary of a committee set up to arrange celebrations for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897.

A. W. Hillman joined Portslade Fire Brigade in 1900 and was appointed captain in November 1903 – he continued to head the brigade for a period of 25 years. During his time a new Fire Station was built, and the first motor fire engine provided.

In June 1910 Chief Officer Hillman received a testimonial from the directors of the Diaphragm Leather Company in Franklin Road to express their appreciation of the firemen’s conduct at a fire on their premises on 28 May 1910. It must have been a severe fire because the cost of the damage was put at £2,000. There also seems to have been a behind-the-scenes rumpus on that occasion concerning Hillman’s handling of the situation. Chief Officer Hillman asked Portslade Council to state firmly whether or not he had complete authority at the scene of a fire. If he did not have such authority, then he would have to consider his position. It seems that a bossy councillor had been present at the fire, no doubt telling Chief Officer Hillman what he ought to be doing. But Portslade Council were quick to reassure the irate Hillman that he had complete authority at the scene of a fire, and moreover they would always back his decisions.

During the First World War Chief Officer Hillman trained Southwick volunteers in fire-fighting duties, and he was in charge of both organisations until Southwick established its own fire brigade. Hillman also acted as a special constable during the war, and by the 1930s he held the rank of inspector for the Hove County Division.

copyright © Brighton & Hove City Libraries
Captain A.W. Hillman in front of Portslade Fire engine at a fete held in the grounds of Windlesham House in 1927

Hillman was indeed a busy man. Other positions he filled were as follows:

Manager of St Andrew’s School, Portslade

Sidesman at St Andrew’s Church, Portslade

Clerk to the Portslade Joint Burial Committee for eleven years

Portslade councillor for six years

Secretary of the Portslade-by-Sea Unemployment Relief Organisation

First initiate of the Duke of Richmond Lodge, Portslade (Freemasons)

In 1924 Hillman was foreman of the jury at the inquest into the death of the celebrated Sussex cricketer George Street who unhappily was killed when his motor-bike crashed at Southern Cross. The coroner deeply appreciated the plan of the accident that Hillman drew on behalf of the police.

In 1928 Hillman moved from his home in St Andrew’s Road to Hove. In 1931 he was elected a councillor for Medina Ward, defeating Major Phillips by just two votes. Three years later he was elected to East Sussex County Council.

In 1932 Hillman was appalled to hear that Portslade Council was considering relinquishing their own fire brigade on the grounds of expense, and going in with Hove. However, he need not have worried because that solution was going to be expensive, and the matter was dropped.

By 1935 Hillman had been treasurer of the South Coast Area of the National Fire Brigade’s Association for ten years, He was also active in the cause of the Benevolent Fund of the Fire Service, and in 1915 he was presented with the Distinguished Service Medal of the Association.

copyright © Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton & Hove
Captain A. W. Hillman with Hove's Fire Chief at Hove Fire Station in Hove Street in 1937

Hillman became a keen supporter of Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club, and by 1940 he was vice-chairman. He rescued the club from liquidation.

Hillman had the distinction of being elected Mayor of Hove for a fifth year of office, but two months later in November 1940 he died. It was a great shock to everyone because he seemed to have made a good recovery from a setback in 1939 when his left foot was amputated because of sepsis.

copyright © Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton & Hove
Albert William Hillman, the Mayor of Hove leaving All Saints Church, Hove in 1938

Hillman’s first wife, Alice Ethel, sang on the concert platform under the name of Avril Houston. She died in June 1934 and was buried in Portslade Cemetery. His second wife became Mayoress of Hove. Hillman’s Hove address was a house called Rhodesia at 12 Princes Square.

Some Events

On 3 August 1903 Portslade Fire Brigade held their sports day and competition at Victoria Recreation Ground. This event was of course a great attraction for people, especially youngsters.

In January 1905 it was reported that Portslade Fire Brigade had attended two fires in Southwick. Southwick Council then decided to make an annual contribution to Portslade until such time as they might have their own fire brigade.

On 28 June 1905 Portslade Fire Brigade won fifth place at the Crystal Palace in a competition involving the whole of England and Wales.

In July 1905 Portslade Fire Brigade won 1^st prize in the Escape Drill at the Fire Brigade Union Competition – they also held the Challenge Shield for a year.

Conflict of Interest

In 1906 there was some controversy over two men who belonged both to Portslade Fire Brigade, as well as the Gas Works Fire Brigade. At the National Fire Brigade Union competition that took place in June 1906, these two men decided to compete on the Gas Works side, thus weakening the Portslade team. When Portslade Council heard about it, they decreed that no member of their fire brigade could belong to another brigade as well.

copyright © Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton & Hove
This early 1900s photograph of a horse drawn and steam driven pump fire engine used by Portslade Gas Works Fire Brigade, a similar engine would have been used by Portslade Fire Brigade.

Fire Alarm Improvements

After a fire on 22 February 1907 in Station Road, Captain Hillman proposed that a more efficient method of calling out the fire brigade ought to be adopted. At that time, if the steam alarm at the Britannia Flour Mills was not available, the way of communication was to send a messenger scurrying off to raise the alarm. Captain Hillman wanted Portslade Council to approach the National Telephone Company about the matter, but they refused, most probably on the grounds of cost.

However, by June 1907 Portslade councillors had changed their minds, and three fire-alarm posts were installed at the following locations:

Station Road, at the corner of Franklin Road

The corner of Trafalgar Road and Victoria Road, near Mr Coustick’s establishment

The corner of South Street, adjacent to the Brewery

By July 1908 the new electric system was operating so satisfactorily that the council decided to dispense with the services of the messengers.

copyright © G. Osborne
Portslade Fire Brigade marching behind the officials of the Court Olive Branch (Ancient Order of Foresters) in 1909
With thanks to Mr G. Osborne for granting permission for the reproduction of the above photograph from his private collection.

Firemen and Equipment

In the old days firemen were part-time volunteers. Bells were fitted inside the men’s houses, which could be activated by someone pulling a switch inside a glass-fronted fire-alarm post. Then the men had to dash to the Works Depot on the corner of Vale Road and Church Road (where Tozer Court is today) and collect their handcart.

Old hoses were made of leather, riveted at the seams, and later on canvas hoses came into use. But canvas hoses took a long time to dry out after being used to douse a fire.

Soon after Portslade Fire Station was built in 1909, Portslade Fire Brigade acquired an up-to-date fire engine. Legend has it that it was donated by a grateful builder who was allowed to develop part of Victoria Road for housing.

In September 1909 Fireman Sleeman was reported to be incapable of further duties because of an accident, and so his employment was terminated.

Probationers Mills and Hastings became fully-fledged firemen in 1909, followed two months later by S. Fuller from Albion Street.

In June 1910 the following men qualified for the long service medal of the National Fire Brigades’ Union after ten years of service. They were:

2^nd Officer Abraham

3^rd Officer Puttock

No. 1 Fireman Long

In April 1933 the following men all received a 5-year bar to add to their 20-year silver medal. They were:

Chief Office Puttock

Fireman G. Pierce

Fireman R. Vine

Fireman H. White received a 10-year bronze medal

Anecdotes

An anecdote of the old days concerns a Ford motor fire-engine. Unfortunately, the vehicle was not very good at getting up a hill. One day there was a small fire at Portslade Industrial School and the Ford got stuck trying to get up High Street. The Portslade firemen were mortified to learn that Hove Fire Brigade (alerted by telephone) had travelled a different route and were first to arrive at the fire.

copyright © Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton & Hove
The men of Hove Fire Brigade at Hove Street, who with their superior fire engine got to the small fire at Portslade Industrial School before Portslade's own Fire Brigade.

Then there was the time a wireless set short-circuited in Highlands Road, and caused a fire. Portslade Fire Brigade was summoned. But bystanders were astonished when at length the Fire Chief pedalled into view on his bicycle. Apparently, he had come to verify there was a genuine fire because there had been a spate of false alarms recently.

Joining with Hove?

copyright © J.Middleton
Terracotta embellishments on the Fire Station, showing the badge of Portslade by Sea Urban District Council.

By January 1932 Portslade Council had started to think that having their own fire brigade was an unnecessary expense and they began negotiations with Hove Council to provide fire cover for Portslade too. Naturally enough, A. W. Hillman was appalled at the prospect. However, by June 1932 negotiations collapsed, ironically, because of the expense involved. Hove Council had demanded a contribution of £415 a year plus an assurance from Portslade Council that hydrants would be provided wherever it was felt to be necessary.

Instead, Portslade Council appointed a sub-committee to purchase a new fire engine The members wasted no time, and by August 1932 a Denis fire engine had been selected at a cost of £1,330. In addition £99-3-10s was to be expended on the following equipment:

1 jumping sheet @ £7-10s

1 Salvas outfit @ £17-8-6d

Hydrant keys @ £1

2 Tetrach extinguishers @ £5-15s

10 tins of foam powder @ £15

Insulated pliers @ £1

Insulated cutters @ £1-10s

Uniforms £50

In fact the uniforms that were ordered from Romford, only cost £43-16-5d, but it was expected that new hydrants would cost up to £500.

Now that the firemen were well kitted-out, it was time for the chief officer to have a new uniform, boots, etc. which he did in 1934 at a cost of £10-18s.

In 1934 it was recorded that three firemen were capable of driving the fire engine, they were:

A. V. Green, 2^nd officer

H. Hardy, engineer

R. Burdock

Apparently, the regular driver, Mr Scammel, had poor eyesight.

Andrew Melville, the well-known theatrical impresario who lived at Whychcote, was chairman of the fire brigade sub-committee from 1933 to 1934.

Fires and the 1930s

In 1933 there was a suggestion that the steam hooter at Flynn’s might be used to give a fire warning.

17 May 1933 – there was a fire at Merlin Lodge, Station Road, and owner Mr D. F. Sundius Smith sent his thanks to the brigade.

14 November 1933 – there was a fire at 11 Carlton Terrace, and also a chimney fire at 13 Brambledean Road.

23 December 1933 – there was a fire at 24 Church Road.

The Old Question

In 1937 the old question of expense raised its head once more. It was stated that although Portslade firemen were a loyal and efficient body of men and did their job well, their equipment had become obsolete and it would cost £1,200 to replace.

A Despicable Offence

In November 1939 John Blomerley Scholefield was appointed full-time Chief Officer of Portslade Fire Brigade at a salary of £200 a year – he had previously been Chief Officer of the Baldock Fire Brigade in Hertfordshire.

It seems he was proud to wear his uniform, especially when embellished with his war medals, but unfortunately he was not entitled to wear them. It would be interesting to know the identity of the eagle-eyed man who spotted this breach and reported it. In September 1941 Chief Officer Scholefield appeared at Hove County Court accused of the ‘despicable’ offence of wearing medals to which he was not entitled. The medals in question were the 1914 star and ribbons of the British war medal, the Victory medal, and the Russian Order of St Michael and St George. He was fined £15 with £5 costs.

End of the Line

copyright © H.G.J. Flowers
Portslade National Fire Service was photographed outside the Southdown Motor Works in 1941. In the background is the ladder belonging to the engine that also boasted a Coventry Climax pump

In 1941 all individual fire brigades were nationalised and became the National Fire Service.

After the war, Portslade became part of the East Sussex Fire Brigade.

See also Hove Fire Brigade

Sources

Middleton J, Encyclopaedia of Hove and Portslade

Sussex Daily News

The Keep

DO/A35/1-40 - Portslade Council Minute Books

page layout by D.Sharp

Portslade Urban District Council 1894-1974

Judy Middleton 2003 (revised 2023)

In 1955 Captain Irvine Bately designed the handsome badge of

office worn by Chairmen of Portslade UDC. It seems he might

have derived inspiration from an earlier Portslade crest created

by P. J. W. Barker who ran a business at 110/112 Trafalgar Road

where he sold china souvenirs sporting the Portslade crest.

Barker’s crest included a Roman galley, a cornucopia,

a bunch of grapes, six Sussex martlets and an oak branch.

Captain Bately chose the galley, which alludes to

Portslade’s supposed antiquity as the Roman Portus Adurni

although today this theory is not held to be correct

On 4 December 1894 the first Portslade Parish Meeting was held. But obviously the men did not think a lowly parish meeting gave them enough clout to be worthwhile, and therefore they sought to acquire more powers by becoming an urban district council.

On 7 August 1895 an Inquiry was held at Hove Town Hall into the proposed conversion of Portslade Parish into an urban district council. East Sussex County Council appointed the committee. Mr W. P. G. Boxall, barrister, appeared in support of Portslade’s application, while Mr J. J. Clark (Hove landowner) Mr E. Cripps (clerk of Steyning East Rural District Council) and Mr Joseph Cash (manager of the Brighton & Hove Gas Company) opposed the application.

The Inquiry was given the following interesting statistics:

Portslade’s population in 1894 was 4,236 people

In 1894 there were 868 buildings

There were six miles of metalled roads

There was one mile of unmetalled road

Portslade’s rateable value was £24,267

Possibly the most important statistic was Portslade’s enormous rateable value, and no wonder Steyning wanted to hang on to the revenue. But there was also the thorny question of fairness because although Portslade represented nearly half of the rural district, Portslade felt swamped because they were only allocated two members out of seven on Steyning East Rural District Council.

Joseph Cash, of the Brighton & Hove Gas Company, objected to Portslade becoming an urban district because his company had to pay nearly half of the rates from Portslade. Should Portslade attain this status, no doubt municipal buildings and recreation grounds would be wanted – with the cost coming from the rates. Mr Cash also raised the question of drainage – there still being cesspool drainage in Portslade, which he thought was a disgrace to the United Kingdom.

Mr Boxall, on behalf of Portslade’s application, was quick to point out to Mr Cash, that he had just given one of the strongest reasons why Portslade should manage its own affairs. He also remarked somewhat acidly that although gas was produced in Portslade, its residents had to pay a higher price for it than people living in Hove and Brighton. Other witnesses in support of Portslade’s application were Mr William Dudney of Lindfield House, and Mr Mews of Portslade Brewery.

The matter of the exact boundary between Portslade and Aldrington was decided upon, and deemed to run down the centre of Station Road, around where the tramway rails were situated.

copyright © Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton & Hove
This 1909 map shows the boundaries of Portslade UDC. The Old Village was just within the northern boundary.
Portslade's - North Road, Southdown Road, North House Farm, Easthill Windmill, Foredown Forge, Foredown Hospital & Mile Oak were all within the Steyning Rural District Council's administration area.
Portslade's Manor was in 'Portslade UDC' while its ornate gardens in Manor Road were in 'Steyning RDC'
In Victorian street directories Southern Cross was classed as a hamlet in Portslade.

Although this Inquiry did not find in Portslade’s favour, a subsequent Inquiry did. It is interesting to note that the new urban district did not encompass the whole of Portslade, but only stretched from the seashore to the north side of High Street – the rest of Portslade north of this boundary was still part of Steyning Rural District.

The first meeting of Portslade Urban District Council took place on 1 April 1898.
The Brighton Herald (2 April 1898) reported 3014 had voted for councillors of the new administration with just over a 60% turn out of electors. (it should be remembered that women had not yet been given the vote, neither was there universal male suffrage).

Some of the new councillors were familiar faces who had served on the old Parish Council – such as Walter Hillman (merchant and house builder) Walter Mews (Portslade Brewery) and Sundius Smith (Britannia Mills). There were some new faces too like W. H. Dudney, gentleman. Among those who failed to be elected was Revd C. A. Marona, vicar of St Andrew’s Church, Portslade.

Where Councillors Held their Meetings

Although Portslade Urban District Council sounds important, the councillors were unable to meet in a dedicated venue, there being no proper Town Hall until 1959. Instead, they had to make do with what was on offer. For example, one place used for meetings was the Parish Room – in other words the structure popularly known as the Tin Hut, or the Scout Hut, on the corner of St Andrew’s Road and Church Road. Another place was a room on the first floor of Portslade Fire Station, which was built in 1909.

In 1901 there was an intriguing possibility – a Mr Farr wrote a letter to Portslade Council offering a block of buildings known as the Salvation Barracks for conversion to a town hall. But nothing seemed to have come of it. In 1909 a special committee was set up to try and find a suitable place for a town hall. There was a possible site in St Andrew’s Road adjoining the Police Station, and another in Church Road near the Fire Station. But soon St Aubyn’s Road became the favoured spot, and councillors made enquiries with the trustees of the Congregational Church.

copyright © G. Osborne
The Council Offices with the white flag pole to the right of the
Vine & Lee Garage in Station Road

This resulted in the surveyor submitting a sketch plan to the council showing how the Congregational Church Hall might be converted into a town hall for the cost of £4,500. However, nothing happened – most probably the amount of money was more than they could afford.

Eventually, Portslade Council managed to purchase property set back from Station Road to serve their purposes. Council offices were situated at 15 Station Road, while 18 Station Road provided a large space for meetings. The latter building was also called Portslade Hall but nobody seems to know the original purpose of the building, which, incidentally survives to this day. It was definitely built by 1898, being marked on the map, but was not present in the 1875 map.

copyright © D. Sharp
Portslade Hall was used for Council Meeting in the 1920s-1930s
now the premises of Specialist Herbal Supplies
(on the north side of the present day Tesco's in Station Road)

One old-timer claimed that the spacious basement was used to grow crops of mushrooms, which certainly fits in with Portslade’s market garden past. The purchase of these buildings also included an area of land stretching from Station Road to Gordon Road that was full of mature trees, including chestnut, laburnum and may plus an orchard of apple and pear trees. In the 1930s this orchard was rented by Captain Bately and his wife, and every year they despatched boxes of fruit to local children’s homes.

At first there was a modest staff in one small house consisting of the town clerk, the surveyor, and the rate collector. By 1946, council offices occupied two houses with a staff of fourteen.

In 1946 a dinner was laid on at the Rothbury Hall in honour of the retirement of Ernest H. Kempe who had been clerk to Portslade Council for 36 years. He was presented with an illuminated address. It was remarked that when he first took the post, his salary was £150 a year.

The next clerk to Portslade Council was William Tozer who held the post from 1946 until the amalgamation with Hove in 1974. Tozer was born in Wales, and played rugby for Wales. He always kept an interest in sport by playing football, and he enjoyed a game of snooker at the Sussex Motor Yacht Club. He was also a committee member of Hove & Kingsway Bowling Club, and a regular at the Sussex Hotel, Kingsway. Before becoming clerk at Portslade, he had worked for a year with Hove Council, having previously been articled to a solicitor at Lewes.

Leslie Hamilton, senior, said that Tozer ‘was a very efficient and knowledgeable clerk. There was little you could ask him that he didn’t know.’ Tozer Court, a block of flats built on the site of the old Portslade depot in Vale Road, was so named in his honour.

William Tozer died at the age of 69 in February 1981 at his house in Langdale Road, Hove. He left a widow Eileen, and two sons, William and Jim. The funeral was held at St Philip’s Church, Hove.

Meanwhile, the land, offices, and Portslade Hall were sold at auction in 1959 for £31,500. This enabled Portslade Council to purchase the grandiose Ronuk Hall in Victoria Road for £36,500, which then became Portslade Town Hall, and was officially opened on 2 September 1959 by Robert Shields, chairman of Portslade Urban District Council.

The 1930s

In the Sussex Daily News (19 October 1935) there was an interesting article stating that the newspaper was glad the public were taking notice of its campaign against ‘the growing habit of the Portslade Urban District Council to transact its business behind closed doors’. The reporter stated that out of six meetings held during the last weeks, four of them were deemed ‘extraordinary’, which meant that only councillors were present. The reporter continued ‘at a time when matters of an essentially and peculiarly contentious character are liable to crop up – there have been several recently – such as Windlesham House, the Cemetery or Recreation Ground question and the Race Track – there is an even greater demand that the representatives of the people who foot the bill should permit their constituents to follow their reasoning instead of forcing them to be content with a bald statement.’

The 1940s

The 1970s - End of the Line

copyright © J. Middleton
A 1970 Rate Demand for the payment of £33 10s per annum.
The average weekly wage for a manual worker in 1970 was £28 0s 11d (Hansard)

Portslade Urban District Council ceased to exist in 1974 because on 1 April 1974 Portslade and Hove were amalgamated.

In the North Portslade Community News (December 2019) Councillor Les Hamilton, junior, wrote that he was probably one of the few people remaining who had actually served on Portslade UDC, and he describes it as ‘small, efficient and effective.’ Indeed, members of the various committees were given precisely 30 minutes to come to a decision, which was swiftly acted upon by the officers. Since he has many years of experience in the working of councils, he surely knows what he is talking about. His last comment on Portslade UDC is ‘in terms of performance it was the best council I have served on.’

copyright © D. Sharp
The former Portslade Town Hall in 2019, now under the control of the Brighton & Hove City Council and serves as a Council meeting venue, Housing Office, Sussex Police Community Hub and rooms for hire for local groups

Chairman of Portslade Urban District Council 1898-1974

copyright © J. Middleton
The 1909 Portslade by Sea Urban District Council badge
on the former Portslade Fire Station in Church Road.

1898-1909 – C. Rose

1909-1920 – W. Hillman

1920-1921 – E. J. Parker

1921-1922 – J. H. Bristow

1922-1931 – D. F. Sundius Smith

1931-1933 – A. G. York

1933-1935 – H. Durrant JP

1935-1946 – H. F. Parker JP

1946-1947 – G. H. Elphick

1947-1950 – W. E. Phillips

1950-1952 – I. Bately JP

1954-1956 – W. Hunt

1956-1957 – W. H. Bates

1957-1958 – Mrs E. F. Cave JP

1958-1959 – S. G. Baker

1959-1960 – R. Shields

1960-1961 – D. J. L. Taylor

1961-1962 – H. F. Parker JP

1962-1963 – F. E. W. Cannons

1963-1964 – P. E. P. Gladwin, DSC, JP

1964-1965 – L. E. Hamilton, OBE, JP

1965-1966 – R. D. F. Ireland

1966-1967 – R. B. Powell

1967-1968 – N. T. Morgan

1968-1971 – P. E. P. Gladwin, DSC, JP

1971-1972 – R. D. F. Ireland

1972-1973 – C. E. Knight

1973-1974 – A. Robinson

Some Notable Chairmen:-

Captain Irvine Bately (1881-1962)

Bob Irving Bately was born in Gorleston, Norfolk in 1881, the son of Dr Robert Godfrey Bately.
In 1911 he was working as an Art Teacher in a LCC school in Wandsworth. Bately lodged with the Taylor family where he met his future wife Lilian Taylor, they married in 1913 while still living in London. Lilian worked as a show room assistant and was the daughter of Robert Palmer Taylor a Senior Assistant at the GPO’s Returned Letter Office. Coincidently also in 1911 Robert Thurston Hopkins who was a Bank Cashier at that time before becoming a full time author, was lodging with the Bately family in Gorleston, where he met Bob Irvine Bately’s sister Sybil Beatrice, they were married a year later in 1912 in Lewisham, London. In later years Captain Bately would illustrate some of R. Thurston Hopkins’ books.

He was a veteran of the Boer War as well as of the First World War, and was wounded in France in 1917. In 1921 he moved to Portslade for health reasons. He lived at 12 Vale Road, while his brother-in-law, the author R. Thurston Hopkins, lived nearby at number 6. In 1923 the two men, plus Captain Bately’s wife Lillian, founded the Society of Sussex Downsmen, and for over 30 years Captain and Mrs Bately acted as chairman and secretary respectively. One cause close to their heart was the Society’s opposition to the building of a motor racing track on the Downs at Portslade. When Bately retired from his post as chairman, it was stated ‘the large tracts of Downland that have been preserved and footpaths kept open to the public for all time are a monument to his love of the Sussex countryside.’

When R. Thurston Hopkins published The Lure of Sussex in 1928 he had this to say, ‘I have also to thank Captain Irvine Bately for permission to use his drawing of a sheep-bell and also for photographs of Downland sheep.

copyright © A. Robins
Above is the Chairman's Consort badge which
Captain Irvine Bately designed in 1955 along with
Portslade UDC's Chairman's badge.

Captain Bately is among the most distinguished artists who made a speciality of painting everything which appertains to Downland sheep, shepherds and the rolling Downs and his work is frequently to be seen at the exhibitions.’

Another of his interests was to gather local history information concerning Portslade, in fact he was a pioneer in the field. He produced a handwritten manuscript called simply Captain Bately’s Notes, which later appeared in printed form.

Captain Bately was also a chartered architect, and in 1946 he re-started his architectural practice. He was responsible for the design of many houses built at Portslade, Hove and elsewhere in Sussex. For example at Portslade, he designed some of the houses in Mill Lane as well as the British Legion Hall in Trafalgar Road. It is interesting to note that he designed the Portslade seal of office that the chairman of Portslade Council wore on official occasions.

The Earl Haig Memorial Hall (Royal British Legion Club) in 1930. This building was designed by Captain Irvine Bately and being a Great War veteran, Captain Bately could well be standing amongst this parade of veterans.

In 1932 an extension was built to the hall. The Portslade War Memorial was affixed to the exterior wall of the hall but the volume of traffic in Trafalgar Road made it impossible to hold a solemn act on Remembrance Sunday and in 1954 the memorial was removed to the more tranquil surroundings of Easthill Park.

As regards his involvement in local government and local activities, the following list is impressive:

Elected a councillor to Portslade UDC in 1928, and with one small break, continued until 1956

Magistrate, and deputy chairman of Hove County Magistrates

Co-opted member of East Sussex County Planning Committee

Deputy Chief Warden in Portslade Civil Defence during the Second World War

Chairman of Portslade Allotments Association

Chairman of Portslade Social Club

President of Hove Deep Sea Anglers

Governor of Knoll School for Boys

Governor of Portslade County School for Boys

Vice-president of the Portslade branch of the British Legion

Vice-president of Portslade Cricket Club

Vice-president of the local Football Club

Vice-president of Portslade Rifle Club

All that work and the Portslade air must have been good for him because he reached the age of 80 before he died. His funeral was held at St Leonard’s Church, Aldrington.

Peter Gladwin

Peter Edward Powis Gladwin DSC JP,

Mayor of Hove 1981-1982.

He was born in St Andrew’s Road, Portslade. His father was a sugar planter, and Peter spent some time in Mozambique as a child. During the Second World War Peter Gladwin served with the Royal Marines; he was awarded the DSC, and he finished with two years in the Admiralty. After the war he had the interesting task of being Naval adviser for the film School for Secrets, directed by Peter Ustinov.

Gladwin became a Portslade councillor in 1951, a County Councillor in 1961, and after Hove and Portslade were amalgamated in 1974, he became a councillor on Hove Council. His many public duties can be gauged from the following list:

Chairman of the County Education Committee

Member of 9 educational committees in London

Governor of 6 schools

Vice-chairman of Brighton Polytechnic

Member of Sussex University Council

In 1981 he celebrated 30 years in local government, and for a few days in May of that year he was both chairman of East Sussex County Council and Mayor of Hove. His daughter Bonnie undertook the duties of Mayoress because Mrs Gladwin was not in good health. Peter Gladwin had the rare honour of having a school in Portslade named after him. Gladwin was a controversial supporter of the Brighton Bypass scheme at a time when many residents were fiercely opposed to it. As a result he was obliged to leave the Mile Oak Association after being its chairman for 28 years.

The Gladwins lived in a split-level house built into the hillside on the west side of Mile Oak – Peter Gladwin designed it himself in the 1960s. It was called Number One Delfryn, and had four bedrooms plus a large balcony offering panoramic views. In 1980 he put the house on the market for £77,500, but it was quite a while before a buyer came forward. Afterwards, they moved to Somerset.

Leslie E. Hamilton (1918-2000)

Leslie Edward Hamilton OBE, JP,

Mayor of Hove 1978-1979 & 1996-1997

He was born in St Aubyn’s Road, Portslade, the middle son of three brothers. The family had moved down fom London to avoid the Zeppelin raids. After service in the Army, his father worked for bus company Thomas Tilling while his mother earned eight pence an hour as a ‘daily’ in a large house along New Church Road.

Les Hamilton was educated in St Andrew’s School, Portslade, but after re-organisation he found himself, along with the rest of Portslade senior boys, at St Nicolas School in the building (now demolished) on the west side of Locks Hill. Some of the masters also made the move, including the headmaster, Mr J. W. Burns, which is why the establishment earned the nickname of Burns’ Academy. Hamilton left school in 1933 at the age of fourteen and went to work in the Co-op Bakery in Portland Road, Hove, where he earned 10/- a week. He became a dab hand at cake making, but when he found he was required to work the night shift, he decided to switch to the Co-op butchery instead. In 1938 he met a young lady by the name of Olive King in romantic circumstances – dancing on Hove seafront to the music provided by musicians in Hove Bandstand.

In 1939 Les Hamilton joined Hore Belisha’s Militia – they were all 20-year old lads. In October 1939 he received his call-up papers and was attached to the 44^th Home County Territorials. But he was determined to marry Olive before he was posted abroad. The wedding took place at St Barnabas Church on 3 February 1940. On the wedding day Hamilton received two telegrams, one offering congratulations, and the other ordering his immediate return to barracks. He decided to ignore the latter. When he rejoined his unit on Monday, he found everything packed up and ready to go to Norway. Then Norway collapsed, and so they were despatched to France instead. Hamilton was part of the RASC (509 Company) but the expedition was of short duration and he soon found himself being evacuated from the Dunkirk beaches. Another part of his war service was spent in Tripoli, where he served under General Sir Brian Robertson at HQA1. It was while he was there that he decided he wanted to enter local politics once the war was over.

In 1958 Hamilton was elected as a Labour councillor to Portslade UDC. He went on to chair most of the committees. By this time he was working for Co-op Insurance, and he and Olive had two sons and a daughter. When Portslade and Hove amalgamated, Hamilton was elected to the new council where he was leader of the Labour opposition, consisting of himself and his son Leslie A Hamilton. But the Hamiltons were well regarded for their hard work, even amongst their political opponents. In 1978 Hamilton, senior, was elected as Hove’s very first Labour Mayor. This was a remarkable outcome because there were two Tory candidates, as well as an overwhelming Tory majority. In 1996 Hamilton did it again when the council selection committee made the unanimous decision to chose him as the last Mayor of Hove before amalgamation with Brighton, despite the Tory nominee being the popular Jenny Langston.

Two landmarks occurred in 1994: on 17 February Leslie Hamilton, senior, was created a Freeman of the Borough of Hove, and in May he was chosen to be Chairman of East Sussex County Council – the first Labour chairman in its history. In the 1998 New Year Honours List he was awarded the OBE for his services to the community. The following list is composed of some of his commitments:

Chairman of Portslade UDC 1964-1965

Portslade Councillor for many years, retiring in 1997 at the age of 78

President of Brighton Dunkirk Veterans’ Association

Governor of two schools

Member of many local societies

He died on 23 December 2000 and was given a magnificent funeral in All Saints Church, Hove in January 2001. Adam Trimingham wrote in the Evening Argus (18 January 2001) ‘Hundreds of people attended a highly traditional funeral last week for former Hove Mayor Leslie Hamilton at the parish church of All Saints. They ranged from the great and the good to ordinary people he had helped during the years who wanted to pay their last respects to him. The funeral was a moving occasion because Mr Hamilton was unusually well-liked right across the political spectrum and because he was a regular church-goer, all the clerics who took part in the service, from the Bishop of Chichester to the Vicar of Hove, knew him personally.’

copyright © D. Sharp
The 'Hillman' stained glass windows
in St Andrews Church,
(These stained-glass windows were
removed in 2003 when the church
building was converted into a duel
chapel/community centre. The windows
are now stored in the London
Stained Glass Repository)

His widow Olive received hundreds of letters of condolence.

Walter Hillman

It is fascinating to note that Walter Hillman’s father had once filled the post of Way Warden at Aldrington in the days when there was a toll-gate there.

Walter Hillman became the second chairman of Portslade UDC, and he was already heavily involved in many business ventures at Portslade. In the 1890s he rented Cowhayes Farm for £78 a year. This enabled him to advertise the supply of milk, butter, eggs and vegetables ‘fresh form our own farm daily’ from his premises at 9 North Street, Portslade, - the dairyman, greengrocer and fruiterer side of his business. In the 1898 Directory there was a full-page advertisement that established Walter Hillman as a ‘corn merchant, hay and straw dealer, seeds-man and general carting contractor’. He also had a depot at Aldrington Basin from where he could supply Coomb rock flint, sand and shingle. His other business addresses were at 13 and 29 North Street, Portslade, and at the Portslade steam corn-crushing mills and chaff-cutting mills. There were stores at Camden Place, Chapel Place, and Ellen Street, all in Portslade.

As for his residence – in 1905 it was recorded as being Alexandra House, 41 Wellington Road, which in earlier times was once an up-market Portslade address. By 1908 he was located in St Andrew’s Road, while in 1917 he was living in Killarney, 62 Boundary Road, Hove.

Walter Hillman’s public duties were as follows:

Chairman of Portslade UDC for eleven years

Justice of the Peace for 22 years

Member of Hove War Pensions Committee

Walter Hillman’s wife was called Emma Graham, and the Hillman’s were wealthy enough to allow for their son, Albert William Hillman, to be privately educated at the Brighton, Hove and Sussex Grammar School. In 1907 Emma Hillman died at the age of 54 on 3 July. Walter Hillman also died in July, but not until 7 July 1926 aged 74. They are both buried in Portslade Cemetery where there is a magnificent memorial. There was also a stained-glass window in St Andrew’s Church, Portslade. From the Masonic symbols incorporated into the window, it was evident that Walter Hillman was a Freemason.

Many eminent men in Hove and Portslade were Freemasons in the 19^th century and later – including some clergy – and nothing was thought of it. Indeed, the foundation stone of the extension to St Leonard’s Church, Aldrington, was laid with full Masonic honours. Later on, Freemasonry became a more delicate matter.

Walter Hillman’s son, Albert William Hillman who was Mayor of Hove and Captain of Portslade Fire Brigade, received Grand Lodge honours in 1935. Other prominent Portslade men who were Freemasons were Walter Mews of Portslade Brewery, F. Sundius Smith of Britannia Flour Mills, E. A. Smithers and H. Smithers of Smithers Brewery, and Revd Vicars Armstrong Boyle, vicar of St Nicolas, Portslade, 1899-1919.


copyright © Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton & Hove Richard Derek Farrer Ireland, Mayor of Hove 1976-1977

Derek Ireland

He served for fourteen years on Portslade UDC, and when the two towns merged in 1974 he became a councillor for Portslade on Hove Council. He also held the following posts:

Traffic commissioner

School governor

Chair of the Highways Committee

Councillor on East Sussex County Councillor

Mayor of Hove 1976-1977

He lived in Mile Oak, and he died at the age of 82 in June 1995.

Harry Frederick Parker

He was Portslade born and bred. He lived at 76 St Andrew’s Road and was employed at Portslade Gas Works. He was popularly known as ‘Judge’ Parker – a nickname given to him by the clerk of the court at Hove. According to Les Hamilton, senior, he was something of a visionary, planning for the years ahead. It was he who instigated the compulsory purchase of some of John Broomfield’s farmland in order that Portslade could expand in Mile Oak.

Parker served as Chairman of Portslade UDC from 1935 to 1946, but he lost his seat in 1947 after a shock swing against Labour – he had been a councillor for 21 years. However, he was soon back on board and again became Chairman in 1962. In 1952 he had a shot at national politics by standing as the Labour Party Candidate in the General Election but he lost out to the Conservative Anthony Marlowe.

The following is a list of his appointments:

A member of East Sussex County Council for 33 years, retiring in 1967

Chairman of Portslade UDC 1935-1946

Chairman of Portslade Spitfire Fund in Second World War – Portslade had 100 collecting boxes

Portslade Councillor for 40 years

Hove County Magistrate

In 1963 a block of 56 council flats in Foredown Road was named Parker Court in his honour, and in August of that year, he went along to name them officially. It was a nostalgic day for him because he remembered how 49 years previously he had been present at the ceremony when the foundation stone was laid for Portslade’s very first council flat.

Parker retired from Portslade Council in 1963, and was presented with an illuminated address. He died in December 1970.

Sundius Smith

Details of this extensive family with the memorable name can be found under Britannia Mills.

Sources

Argus

Brighton Herald (2 April 1898)
Councillor Alan Robins (Portslade)

Hove Gazette
Middleton J, Encyclopaedia of Hove and Portslade
Mr D. Docwra
Mr G. Osborne

Personal interview
Royal Pavilion & Museums, Brighton & Hove

Sussex Daily News (19 October 1935)

The Keep

DO/A35/1-40 – Portslade Urban District Council Minutes 1898-1939

DO/A49/1 – Portslade Parish Meeting April 1923 to February 1928

DO/A51/1 – Portslade Parish Council 1894-1904

Thanks are due to Mr G. Osborne for allowing me to reproduce three of his wonderful photographs

page layout and additional research by D.Sharp