Moulsecoomb - Bevendean History Project
Opening of the Moulsecoomb Estate
GOLDEN KEY FOR LORD MAYOR OF LONDON
East Moulsecombe Estate Opened
The Lord Mayor of London, watched by the Mayor and Mayoress
of Brighton, opens No. 99 with a golden key.
of Brighton, opens No. 99 with a golden key.
Once again the Brighton-born Lord Mayor of London, Sir George Broadbridge visited his native town on Wednesday. Accompanied by his sheriffs — Sir Frank Pollitzer and Sir Charles McRae — and the sergeant-at-arms, Mr W. T. Boston, the Lord Mayor drove to East Moulsecombe, the newest housing estate.
At 99, Hodshrove-road, Sir George opened, with a golden key the first of the 200 houses nearing completion there. They are the first of some 900 eventually to be built at East Moulsecombe, completing, with North and South Moulsecombe, a great housing estate of 2,400 houses and a population of more than 10,000 people.
From the newly opened house the Lord Mayor’s party, and 2 coaches of members and officials of the Corporation, journeyed round the housing estates of the town, passing Queen’s Park road and Pankhurst Avenue on route to Whitehawk and Manor Farm, and thence to Black Rock bathing pool for tea and speechmaking.
It was a pleasant summer afternoon and the estates were looking their best. Everybody turn to admire the delightful front gardens at Whitehawk.
4000 Houses Built before the ceremony at East Moulsecoomb, councillor C. G. Manton, chairman of the housing committee, explained that these 200 new houses cost £343 to build, or an all-in total of £420 and are being let at an economic rate of 12s. 8½d per week. Claiming that the town had been foremost in its activities housing the working classes, Mr Manton said that since the war Brighton had built more than 4000 houses, mainly due to the pioneer work of Alderman Sir Herbert Carden and his successor, Alderman Milner Black – both of whose names drew a round of applause. Personally, Mr Manton was rather concerned about the problem of transport – a serious matter to the workers – and he hoped that the negotiations to be concluded by the council the following day would provide some solution in reduced fares.
The Lord Mayor said it was a keen pleasure to come down to his native town and set in motion this new housing estate. Driving through Moulsecoomb was but one evidence of the Brighton Corporation’s housing efforts which will remain as lasting memorials to the local administration.
“An Absolute Blessing”
“I cannot conceive anything that can be better work than
attending to slum clearance or providing, wherever it is possible
better houses and healthier surroundings for those who have not been
used to such amenities. These houses which were putting up at the
economic rents must be an absolute blessing.”The Mayor and Mayoress of Brighton (Councillor and Mrs John Rapley) then open the next house, No. 101.
Over the tea table, the Mayor took the opportunity for me thanking the Lord Mayor and sheriffs for their visit. He hoped that what they had seen had shown them that Brighton had not been behind hand in dealing with one of the most urgent social problems of the day. But though Brighton has done much the problem is by no means solved.
“We are beginning to see that when we create isolated communities on the outskirts of the town there remains the other responsibility of providing those mental and even spiritual amenities without which the community is not adequately equipped. But before we have done I hope we shall be able to satisfy the reasonable requirements of all our housing estates.”
His Worship added the hope that the additional problem of transport will in due course be overcome.
“Carden on Brighton”
Sir Herbert Carden, waxed enthusiastically the sea ranged over
his beloved theme of Brighton, raised a laugh when he said that
although he had something to do with housing when the work began 20
years ago, he could not keep it up as “the pace was too hot for
me.” He confessed to other that he gave it up chiefly because he
disagreed with the policy of rebuilding in the town. He was all for
“the small cottage, the self-contained house little garden.”If transport was the difficulty, why then, he would provide bicycles – after all, the house costing £400 or £500 another £3 from bicycle is neither here nor there! (Laughter and here, here.)
Pointing to Brighton’s expenditure of £2,250,000 on housing, Sir Herbert was pleased to note what the Lord Mayor had said about the open spaces. He explained that of the 315 acres bought for East Moulsecoomb, 200 acres will be kept permanently and built on.
“Remarkably Well”
“I always like coming down to Brighton,” said the
Lord Mayor, “and when you come down and feel that you have done
something it makes the trip all the more enjoyable. Moulsecoomb is
surrounded by open spaces of a beautiful natural character, but I am
most interested to hear that you are going to leave so many acres and
built on.“You have done remarkably well in Brighton in all your social services – electricity, water, housing, transport, recreation grounds, swimming pools, road widening – such as Western road – markets and the extension of your boundaries; and I think it is a matter for the highest congratulation, as well as pride, that you have such a wonderfully competent administrative authority as you possess.
“You, certainly have very far-seeing men of vision, and people in later years will have cause to bless those who created these open spaces round the housing estates and gave them better conditions of living.”
From the Brighton & Hove Herald on 31 July 1937
