The changing character of historic London Road

This is where the historic police station is sited.

Had we taken this route in the 1800s, it would have been called New London Road.

It was bounded by fields, which provided a commanding view around the outer areas of the town towards South Bersted church.

At the junction of London Road and Station Road is the Alexandra Tavern, which has adorned this corner since 1860 when the Turner family owned the original beer house '“ Bognor brewers at that time.

Next door was a bake house owned by Thomas Waight who increased his business by taking over as the licensee of the original tavern.

These premises were combined and rebuilt in 1909 to form the impressive facade that we see today, brightened up regularly with the flowers from the florist next door.

Interesting to think that for many years diagonally opposite this public house, was the town's police station '“ not far to take any troublemakers. Built in 1867 this flint-faced building became the first police station, when London Road was still known as Dorset Gardens.

By 1902 the site was known as No 60 London Road. London Road has been re-numbered, so it can be confusing for historians when trying to place premises in their correct location. Dominating this T-junction for a number of years was the water tower, which was constructed in 1879 to supply the town.

This project however was short lived, as one of the disadvantages of the site was the incursion of the sea thus providing seawater instead of fresh drinking water.

This tower was closed and demolished in 1936 to make way for shops.

On this corner for a number of years was the flint-faced Roman Catholic School, which was built in 1889 and ultimately closed and moved to Lyon Street.

Today, the site is occupied by Central Buildings, built in 1930 and comprising five shopping units.

Next to the police station, on the northern side of the road, was Albany House.

This was occupied by Swansea House School from the late 1870s until 1886.

Two further schools then occupied this site until the Carter sisters ran this house as a school of music from 1918.

Eventually, Miss E Carter was advertised as the proprietor of a board residence at this address.

It was finally closed and demolished to make way for the Odeon cinema, which was built with a shop on either side, which provides an interesting faade.

The cinema was opened in July 1934. On the same side of the road was Woods on the corner with Lyon Street.

In 1918, sisters Dorothy and May Wood took over a small drapers shop at No 72 and by 1928 the business had expanded sufficiently for them to buy No 70 London Road.

This shop operated until 1982 when it finally closed. However it is a shop that evokes many memories, not least the number of sales that it appeared to have over the years as well as the overhead change machines.

One can see in early pictures that buildings on either side of the road were private residences.

Over the years, however, the ground floors have been turned into shops, which allows us to shop as we walk along the road to the library.

Bognor's library had many sites around the town before it moved to Bersted Lodge Farm, which latterly was known as Aldwick Cottages.

These were two cottages originally had been part of the stabling used for William Fletcher and, of course, it was on land owned by Sir Richard Hotham.

The land purchased was used to construct the library and Edward Bryant School.

Across the road from the library was Leonard House, which is shown on many of the town's early maps as standing very much alone.

But we should remember that much of the ground in this area was part of the Hotham estate and as such was not used for development until much later.

Sadly this original building has now been removed to be replaced by flats.

Next to the police station is a block of flats aptly named Sir Robert Peel Court '“ after the founder of modern policing.

Originally it could be clearly seen from the road, but trees now partially obscure the station, but that is another story. Retrace your steps to the High Street. The remainder of London Road was first developed around 1910 and the buildings still see have many of the original features.

Prior to this there were a number of terraces '“ one being Brunswick Terrace. If you look above the shop fronts, many of the original upper floors of these buildings can still be seen.

In 1936 there must have been some consternation when the house known as The Lawns had its garden wiped out when Burton's and Marks and Spencer were built.

The press in July 1936 announced the opening of the new '˜Super Store Marks and Spencer at No. 4 London Road'.

They advertised that there was '˜nothing over 5/- and 90 per cent of the goods were British'.

Part of its advertising claimed that it '˜simply bought in large quantities from the leading British manufacturers', hence their low cost.

It was a shop where '˜your money would go further'. Marks and Spencer sadly left the town in August 1990, with a shock announcement, of which the staff were also unaware, until the final day.

At the same time it advised that it was opening a second shop in Chichester.

During the late 1970s, London Road also contained other well-known traders such as Mac Fisheries, and the well-loved Hansfords, which offers a wide range of gentlemen's clothes.

Can you remember the tea bar within Woolworth's, an attraction that has long since been closed in all its stores?

Woolworth has been in London Road since 1960.

Views of the road in the 1900s would have provided a quiet sight occasionally populated by vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians.

By the 1970s the road was constantly busy and clogged with cars, which then created problems for cyclists.

Today, this busy thoroughfare has been partially pedestrianised, where one of the main problems is avoiding being run over by roller skating youngsters or the new style of scooters.

I have another special request this week. During the spring of 2008 the End of the Pier Festival will again be hitting our film screens.

One of the days will be entitled '˜Made in Bognor', and for this we require cine films, DVDs or videos produced by Bognor residents, covering Bognor life and events over the past 100 years.

If you have any such film could you please contact me as soon as possible as we are currently planning the programme? Thank you for your help.