History of Brighthelmston; or, Brighton as I View it and Others Knew It: With a Chronological Table of Local EventsErredge, John Ackerson
History
History of Brighthelmston; or, Brighton as I View it and Others Knew It: With a Chronological Table of Local Events
Erredge, John Ackerson
Brighton (England) -- History
The handsome building of Italian style, which constitutes the Brighton
Terminus, is the design of Mr. Mocatta; and the original sheds attached
to the Terminus were designed by Mr. Rastrick, whose remains, under a
massive granite monument, are deposited in the Extra-Mural Cemetery,
Lewes Road. The Railway is considered a passenger and pleasure line,
and, during the Summer season, excursion trains make important items in
the traffic returns, as the line is in the direct route from London to
Paris, _via_ Newhaven and Dieppe, and at the various stations throughout
the line villa residences are the retreats of the families of the London
merchants who diurnally travel to and from their places of business.
Hobby Horse racing round the Level formed an attraction to the
fashionable company that, daily, on horseback and in good old-fashioned
and aristocratic hammerclothed coach-box and powder-bewigged coachmen and
footmened family carriages, thronged Morris’s Royal Repository: for that
great toy-mart and favourite lounge really had regal patronage,
especially from William and Adelaide, who were frequently extensive
purchasers. His Majesty, upon one occasion, when Duke of Clarence, was
struck, while there, with the entrance of three ladies in the garb of
Quakers; and as the two eldest were looking over some articles of
peculiar attraction, His Royal Highness addressed himself to the
youngest, who was about fourteen, and said, “So, I see that thou art not
above the vanities of this gay world.” The fair young Friend said
nothing; but the matron, under whose care she was, gave a look more
expressive than words. The Duke felt it; and immediately purchasing a
handsome work-basket, respectfully asked the eldest lady’s permission to
present it to her daughter. The answer was mild, but laconic. “She will
receive it, and thank thee, friend.” The basket was accordingly taken,
with the same courtesy as given; and thus the matter ended.
During the prosperity of the Repository, which had a fame for the bows
and arrows which it supplied, archery was much in vogue, the Archery Club
having their rendezvous in the Queen’s Park, which is situate on the
south-west acclivity of the Race Hill, and is approached by an entrance
that abruptly terminates Park Street, contiguous to the German Spa. This
Park, which is between sixty and seventy acres in extent, was formed in
1825, by Mr. Thomas Attree, whose Italian villa, designed by the late Sir
Charles Barry, crowns its northern summit.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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