Simmonds & Pranklins
By John Mills and Richard Bryant
How much has the High Street, which runs from the Black Hill mini roundabout northwards to the top of Town Hill, just beyond All Saints Church, changed in 100 years? This article compares the High Street in 1923 with today.
Starting on the western side of the street, the section from Black Hill roundabout along to the pond is little changed. The exception being Pondcroft, on the corner of Pondcroft Road, which had at the front an ironmonger’s and office of Anscombe and Sons. Their builder’s yard and workshop, now a private house, was a short distance up Pondcroft Road. The houses around the pond are unchanged.
The section from the northern end of the pond to Denmans Lane has seen the most dramatic change. Whilst the townscape of the High Street has remained largely visually unchanged and immediately identifiable, this area has changed beyond recognition with No 31 not being built until 1924. All the original buildings were demolished in 1964 and eventually replaced by the shops seen today, Selbys, Co-op and Nova Medispa. In 1923, this area was the site of Masters grocery and drapers shop regarded locally as Lindfield’s ‘department store’, and next door was Downs House, the Masters family home.
Masters
Across Denmans Lane, the corner premises currently, Corner Hairdressing was Wood’s Cycle Store. Next door a confectioners and tobacconist shop, was run by George Mighall; soon to be the Black Duck coffee shop. Previously the neighbouring business was Capital and Counties Bank which had opened a branch in 1910. The bank became part of Lloyds Bank in 1918 and the branch remained open until 2000. The premises were then acquired by Stand Up Inn and became part of the inn. When occupied by the bank, Mary Newton, lived and had a dressmaker’s business on the premises.
Standing back from the pavement, The Old Brewery and Brewery Cottage, Nos 49 and 51, were once part of Lindfield Brewery that stopped brewing in 1906 and was subsequently used for storage in 1923.
The fine medieval building, today Lindfield Eye Care Practice and Mansell McTaggart, was in 1923 the longstanding location of Durrant’s grocers, china and drapers emporium. Nos 55-57 High Street, Lindfield Medical Centre, was the site of the former Assembly Rooms but used in 1923 as storage by Durrant’s shop.
Adjacent to the walkway was Miss Simmons, stationer and newsagent, now Tufnells Home. Mounted at first floor level and difficult to see on the neighbouring building, is a nameplate reading Prospect House, the home of Hamilton Stone Design, kitchen designers and installer. A hundred years ago it was the popular shoe and boot shop run by Joseph Pranklin.
The adjacent private house was the home of Richard Humphrey, who with his father ran the eponymous Humphrey’s bakery. In recent years it was Lindfield’s best-known shop, having been a bakers since 1796. Sadly, it closed a couple of years ago and awaits a new purpose. Behind stood the bake house now repurposed as the soon to be new home of Doodie Stark, a ladies fashionable boutique.
In the mid 1800s, a short terrace of three storey properties was built called 1 – 4 Victoria Terrace, but now formally numbered 67-73 High Street. The first property is currently the Limes Thai Kitchen, until the late 1920s it was a private residence, before becoming the Lindfield Telephone Exchange, following the electrification of the High Street. Alongside was the home and business of T W Heasman, a house, land and insurance agent. Today, it is Caragon Boutique, a ladies’ clothes shop. Wilfred Capon’s ladies’ and gentleman’s outfitters and general drapery shop traded next door, today the home and business premises of Peter Voigt, a violin restorer. Just as it was in 1923, No 4 remains a private residence.
Known as ‘Poplars’, Nos 75 and 77 High Street are today Tufnells, and Denziloe Hair Design was Joseph Whall’s hairdresser and Poplars Laundry run by Miss May Brown. Kieron James Toys next door was an annexe to the laundry.
In 1923, Wigelsworth Tailors had a branch under the management of George Blunt in the premises now occupied by Martins Newsagents and Lindfield Post Office. Pleasingly, Abbott’s name has remained unchanged serving as a chemists for Lindfield for well over a century, although the owners have changed. The outbuilding in the backyard was Rainbow Pottery.
The fine dwellings, Manor House and Nash House, have always been residential and whilst the adjoining timber framed Well House and Barnlands give a similar impression, they had previously been a poulterers and greengrocers shop. Maud Savill of Finches with her desire to beautify the High Street, purchased the property and converted the shop and cottages into the two houses as seen today.
Looking towards Wrattans
On the northern side of Hickmans Lane, stands a retail unit that, in many years past, was a Toll Cottage for the Newchapel to Brighton Turnpike Road. In 1923, it was the business of Clifford Featherstone, a watch and clock maker. Until recently the home to Doodie Stark, and the last retail unit before the street becomes wholly residential. This was not the case a century ago.
Adjoining was Wratten’s grocers and drapers shop; evidence of this past retail use can be seen by the blank plaque on the facade below the roof line, which once carried the shop’s name. At Doone House, No 111, David Davies ran a tailoring business and his wife, Helen a costumier’s. In the yard at No 115 was the coal and wood merchants owned by James Scutt - the family lived in the house. A little further up the street lived the Misses Wells who were milliners.
Evidence of past trade use can also be seen on the southern side wall of No 129. The now painted over trade sign read, ‘George Mason Fly and Cab Proprietor. Carriages of Every Description For Hire’. While in the right section of the property, Romany Cottage, a shop window still remains in the northern front corner. This part was occupied by Joseph ‘Daddy’ Clough, a boot and shoe maker.
The Bower House, built in medieval times and widely regarded as one of the three oldest surviving houses in Lindfield, surprisingly was in 1923 divided into two cottages. The southern end was home to John Wingham, a builder, and his family. The other half was the home of Herbert Scutt and family - his occupation was motor carman; a carrier of goods by motor van.
Beyond this point has always been residential with Lindfield Place providing the full stop to the High Street. This ends the journey up the western side of the High Street. Next month’s article will return down the east side.
Contact via https://lindfieldhistoryproject.group/ or 01444 482136.