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Archiver > ENG-SUSSEX-EASTBOURNE > 2002-11 > 1038187902


From: "Mark Milton" <>
Subject: [Eastbourne] Tower Street - Thanks for your help
Date: Sun, 24 Nov 2002 20:31:42 -0500
References: <000101c29369$a5898ee0$47811dcb@ppm7500> <001b01c293be$08e09340$ba734ac3@oemcomputer>


Thanks to everybody that helped track down the location of Tower Street. In
figuring out where Tower Street was caused me to dig up memories of places
that I hadn't thought about for many years. It also showed me how much some
parts of Eastbourne had changed. Finally, it showed me that using Street
addresses and census information from years gone by can potentially be
misleading

As Heather and Pauline did, I went "door-to-door" in the 1881 census. It
was very interesting to see the street names and match them with my memories
of the area (mainly from late 60s to late 70s). My mother and uncle grew up
in Firle Road, just around the corner from Tower Street. Some of the names
were familiar (although not identical) and some were not. It was actually
very interesting to see how the area has changed. Tower Street seemed to
run into (or be very close to) Tower Place (which is also long gone). As
Pauline mentioned coming across the Victoria Inn and Ocean Wave pretty much
nailed the exact location (the Victoria Inn is now the Victoria Hotel and
both pubs now have Latimer Road as their address). Thankfully pubs seem to
be a pretty permanent fixture. After Tower Place came Warrior Square (the
Cash family that were in Tower Street in 1896 were at Warrior Square in the
1881 census. Wandering past Church Cottages and Sea Cottages you come to
the Redoubt and ultimately to Seaside (The Kings Arms). From the Kings Arms
(just across from Seaside Recreation ground) you can travel back along
Seaside Road via what was most likely a parade of shops (and still is) and
yet another pub (the 3 Compasses - possibly now the Black Horse)

Going the other way down Tower Street you come to the Compolite Arms (long
gone) and some familiar names - Hanover Place (nor Hanover Road?), Cambridge
Place and Cambridge Terrace (now Cambridge Road?). After this you come to
the Barracks (which has been the TA center in recent years). Manns Row and
finally Addingham Road (the latter being a familiar name).

It is clear that the area underwent much change. Many street names have
changed and it would appear that many old cottages or houses were demolished
and rebuilt in the early years of the last century (that would fit with the
style of architecture that exists presently in the area). Neither my mother
or uncle can remember Tower Street and so I assume that it disappeared (or
was renamed) by the mid 1930s. My mother also told me that it was said that
if you stood on the top floor of the Seaside library (corner of Firle Road
and Seaside road) you could see 20 pubs. Having "traveled" around that area
of the 1881 census I can see that that statement had a ring or truth to it.

>From my travels I also learned that not only do street names change, but so
do house numbers on a given street - sometimes quite dramatically. For
example. the Kings Arms is listed as being at 113 Seaside in the 1881 Census
but now is at 222 Seaside. Also, the parade of shops next to it have odd
numbers, although now that side of the street has even numbers.

Regards

Mark

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