High Street stroll through the past

Let us take a look at the section from the William Hardwick to the Upper Bognor Road.

Alongside the William Hardwick was the site of a fire station, built in 1899 as can be seen from the date on the top of the building.

The fire brigade remained there for almost 40 years and the building is now the Lock Centre.

The original fire station had been constructed in 1873 in Waterloo Square.

For a time, these premises in the High Street were used by the Tourist Information Centre and the Red Cross, and much later Global Flowers decorated the area with their displays.

Next door were the offices Chichester University now occupies '“ a site constructed in 1929 when many changes came about in the town including the building of the Town Hall.

Continuing along this side of the road, there were a couple of terraces constructed, in the 1870s, these being Albert Terrace and Sudley Terrace, built by William Kimber Wonham.

At one time, you could have looked above the shop faades to see the name of Sudley Ter high above the front of the building. This has sadly now been covered over.

On the corner of High Street and Sudley Road for many years was 'a very high class dress shop' known as Coplestone House.

Over the years, I have met many people who can remember this store with its London fashions. One woman told me she had an account with them, but could not afford the dresses that were on sale '“ the account was a sort of status symbol.

This site has now been renovated and converted into flats and also has a new tenant on the ground floor '“ an estate agent.

Across the High Street today is the post office. However, the first post office was situated in Lyon Street, in Derby House, which was mentioned in the early guides to Bognor during the 1800s.

This building was demolished in 1939 to make way for a road-widening scheme to create today's Lyon Street.

Adjacent to Derby House, but now forming the boundary of Lyon Street, is the house known as Valhalla.

This house became known as No 2 Russell Place when it was built in the 1820s by Edward Curtis, who advertised it as a lodging house.

When it was bought in 1870, the name was changed to Valhalla and has remained such to this day under the ownership of the same family.

The opposing house of the pair is known as Manora and in 1974 was converted into flats.

When the rear outbuildings were demolished in 1986, the new block of 11 flats was named Russell Place to reflect the original address.

Next we have the interesting flint-fronted building known as Strathmore, which was part of the estate owned by Sir Claude Bowes Lyon and built by Arthur Smith, a Bognor architect, who built many other constructions around the town.

Next there is South View and Ross House, which are thought to have been part of one of the earliest houses in the town.

In a survey of 1786 this area of Bognor shows Ross House as a Georgian farmhouse.

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The major and most recent alteration to the faade of Ross House was completed in the 1970s.

At the end of the road, having passed between Hotham Park and Butlins boundary where today we have a small traffic island, this area was known as the Triangle, and was shown as such on postcards.

The road junction has utilised many traffic-calming schemes over the years, including a small rustic roundabout and traffic lights in the 1960s where today we have a small roundabout.

Around the time of the traffic lights, a newspaper report suggested that the entrance to Hotham Park should be moved from this area, as it was difficult for traffic leaving the park to get into the main thoroughfare.

If we return along the High Street, of course we have Butlins holiday centre, which was built in 1960, after Billy Butlin moved from the seafront where he had been since the 1930s.

We pass on the corner of Gloucester Road a small garden, which for many years had been the site of a small shop where it is always reputed that Queen Victoria purchased her first boots.

This shop was demolished for road widening, which subsequently did not occur. On the opposite corner is the Tax Office/DSS, which replaced a school.

Opposite the William Hardwick was Frederick Place, built around 1903.

There is still a small entrance, between The Junction pub and Barclays bank leading to an upper floor, to give an indication of a previous use as private premises.

Barclays bank now occupies this area.

From this vicinity Dr Charles Osborn, medical officer to the town, ran his surgeries and he is commemorated by the fountain outside the Unicorn pub at the other end of the High Street.

Over the weeks, we have taken a look at just some of the changes. I am sure as you read this article you will remember many other changes that have affected you.

Why not send them to me for inclusion on the website memories page?