Coldean - Bevendean History Project
What was Coldean like in 1939?
Coldean Lane, Park Road, Ridgeview and
Rushlake Road originally called West Drive were developed between 1934
and 1938. The estate was known as the Park Side Estate due to its
proximity to Stanmer Park.The roads were built first, although Coldean Lane already existed. The roads were somewhat rough and not of the standard we might expect today, as can be seen in this view looking down Park Road soon after the Second World War.
You can just see the chimney of the Water Pumping Station at Falmer in the background.
In 1939 the Government wanted a snapshot of the civilian population of England and Wales just after the outbreak of the Second World War and so everyone had to be registered. This was rather like the census records taken every 10 years, but without quite so much detail.
The information collected was the address, names, gender, date of birth, whether a person was married or single and their occupation. These records can be viewed on the Ancestry or Find my Past websites although some of the records are not visible if they refer to people who are still alive today.
As the 1931 census for England and Wales was destroyed by fire during the Second World War and no census was taken in 1941, the Register provides the most complete survey of the population of England and Wales between 1921 and 1951, making it an invaluable resource for family history research.
The houses built in Rushlake Road were sold for £775 each. They were built by Reginald Charles Newman and Robert Frank Newman, Builders of Dudley Road, Brighton.
This view of the extension of Rushlake Road was taken in 1951 when the Coldean estate was being extended. Note the good road surface and pavements outside the newly built houses.
Arthur Ernest West and his wife Winifred lived at 2 Park Road, Coldean his occupation was described as a Farmer and Stockman.
The Hikers Rest at Coldean was occupied by Ida Anne Pickering a widow and Edward Rudolf Francis Ferment who was married. They are listed as the joint proprietor of the premises.
This picture of the Hikers Rest was taken after the war and when Coldean Lane and Park Road had been improved.
Coldean Lane had 125 residents with the house numbers going up to 28 plus some houses further up the lane at the farm, where the allotments are today. Park Road had 204 residents, here the house numbers went up to 62 although in 1939 not all the houses were occupied. Park Close had 10 residents while the Ridgeway had 39 people living in the road. West Drive had 152 residents were the house numbers went up to 48. This gives a total of 530 people living in 125 houses. In some cases there were just 2 people in one property and in other cases there were 7 people in one property. This does not include people in the cottages which bordered the Lewes Road.
Frederick Hutching and his wife Doris occupied no 39 Park Road, Coldean, he was a Manufacturing Upholsterer.
