Albion Street history brought back to life

An exhibition dedicated to the colourful history of one of Southwick's streets is on display to customers.
By The Newsroom
Published 12th Apr 2016, 11:28 BST
Updated 12th Apr 2016, 11:32 BST

This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement.

A horse tram in Albion Street in about 1911. The trams ran from Ham Road in Shoreham to near Brooker Hall in New Church Road, Hove. The tram depot was in Albion Street but the service ceased in 1911. SUS-150518-183718003A horse tram in Albion Street in about 1911. The trams ran from Ham Road in Shoreham to near Brooker Hall in New Church Road, Hove. The tram depot was in Albion Street but the service ceased in 1911. SUS-150518-183718003
A horse tram in Albion Street in about 1911. The trams ran from Ham Road in Shoreham to near Brooker Hall in New Church Road, Hove. The tram depot was in Albion Street but the service ceased in 1911. SUS-150518-183718003

The Southwick Society’s free display will be in Mayberry Garden Centre in Portslade until Monday.

Until the bulldozers moved in 50 years ago, Albion Street was a busy, vibrant, changing and mixed community.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Created at the end of the 18th century, the street grew to be the town’s commercial heart, shopping centre and a densely populated residential district.

Ships in Shuttleworths Yard Albion Street, now Lady Bee Marina, c1865 SUS-150518-183750003Ships in Shuttleworths Yard Albion Street, now Lady Bee Marina, c1865 SUS-150518-183750003
Ships in Shuttleworths Yard Albion Street, now Lady Bee Marina, c1865 SUS-150518-183750003

There was a shipyard, sail-lofts, horse drawn trams, houses for labourers, ships’ captains and shopkeepers, busy wharves, a coastguard station, the Town Hall, butchers and bakers, grocers, chemists and printers, a cinema and yacht club, two chapels and nine pubs.

Once smugglers drank in the pubs, sailing ships were built and fitted out and the horse tram clattered between Shoreham and Hove. During the war, the Canadian Army guarded it and people needed a pass to enter.

Almost all of this was swept away in the 1960s, leaving just a few ghostly memories, but this new exhibition brings some of these places and people back to life.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

There is an accompanying booklet, called Southwick Remembered by Nigel Divers, secretary of the Southwick Society.

Ships in Shuttleworths Yard Albion Street, now Lady Bee Marina, c1865 SUS-150518-183750003Ships in Shuttleworths Yard Albion Street, now Lady Bee Marina, c1865 SUS-150518-183750003
Ships in Shuttleworths Yard Albion Street, now Lady Bee Marina, c1865 SUS-150518-183750003

The booklet contains pictures of Albion Street, describes its history and tells the stories of some of the people who lived there.

This is the latest in a long line of exhibitions set up by the local history group at the family-run Tates garden centre.

The society’s headquarters are in The Manor Cottage, Southwick Street. The heritage centre will open on Saturday mornings, 10.30am to 12.30pm, from May 21 to September 17.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live.

Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on.

1 Make our website your homepage at www.shorehamherald.co.uk

2 Like our Facebook page at Shoreham Herald Facebook

3 Follow us on Twitter @Shoreham_Herald

4 Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.

And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out!

The Shoreham Herald - always the first with your local news.

Be part of it.

Related topics:SouthwickPortsladeShorehamHoveTown Hall