Paint store destroyed by inferno
VERY recently I was airing my views about the junction of the bottom of Folly Hill, Lewes Road, Newhaven and what a considerable drop it had been down into Essex Place or Cock Sparrow as it had frequently been called.
Why this strange nickname was adopted, I have never known.
When I came across this snapshot of July 1976 I at first thought it was a picture taken at Southway where steep Church Road dropped down to
Chapel Street.
The infants school had been cleared away at the left and the building at the right, one of the sheds that was used in the building of the present police station. Despite the wall of Christ Church being in the right location, the immediate background did not fit.
I could see North Quay cranes. Then the penny dropped. This was the steep drop into Essex Place and the road to the left was Elphick Road, which used to join with the Lewes Road at this junction. The wall from the front nearside of the car became a very high wall as it continued down, with almost a lookout effect, with a considerable area of grass, a sort of recreation area for local children.
At the bottom it became the rear wall of Tuckers paint stores, which was destroyed in a considerable fire at 3.45pm on Sunday, September 12, 1971 (thanks to Ron's widow for photos etc). With so much paint involved, this was quite an inferno.
All sorts of theories, not a school day, dry grass. So strange to think that now the busy Northway is passing over the site of such a dramatic happening that had escaped my memory until remarking about the wall and its involvement.
In the near background of Pic No 1 appear extensive factory buildings. These were actually on Denton Island, where were the works of Fergusons (Thorns) and many other industries.
The grass of the river bank stretches along above the white of the chalk infill to bring up the level of the old Essex Place, to enable the flood free Northway we accept today. The lack of action in the picture makes one speculate that this might have been taken on a Sunday and that a nearby resident of Elphick Road, had observed the non use of the no longer through road and left his car where seen.
Picture No 2, has its delights too. The Transport Memorial, near, moved from this site (post last war) to the harbour side between South Way and the Ark Inn. It was moved to its present location about three years ago.
It is in memory of the crews of the transport vessels of the First War, which supplied the needs of our armies in France. Newhaven was a sealed port and the adult population was issued with a form of passport, including a photo of the holder. Sentries and barbed wire everywhere.
Many extra buildings emerged and some of these found a post war use for such of the first two pen factories.
Returning to the photo of the memorial, the significance of the lantern (the original) was to represent I am at anchor, I am at rest, as would have been displayed in reality, but here relating to the deceased.
The tree conceals Willowhale, today a dental surgery, one time home of headmaster EJ Coker of the boys school, now Hillcrest Centre. The large building above the handcart our first purpose-built post office of 1904.
There appears to be a large telephone box at the front? Site now D'Acre Road, which originally linked Meeching and South Roads before it became Southway. A glimpse of Sussex Lodge left, in High Street.
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Weather for Lewes
Thursday 09 February 2012
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Temperature: 0 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: North east
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Sunny spells
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