Station Road in Cliftonville, (a district to the west of Brighton)
as it was originally known, was named on account that it approached
Cliftonville Railway Station to the North. The road was
subsequently renamed Goldstone Villas Road, and then again to its
modern day moniker of Goldstone Villas.
The Cliftonville
Hotel was the name of the public house immediately outside what is
now called Hove station which was then operated by the London,
Brighton & South Coast Railway who’s green and cream
livery can still be seen today outside the station.
Since then, the pub
changed its name many times, from the 1990’s as the Hedgehog
and Hogshead when it had its own micro brewery, and more recently
to, The Station.
There are two
buildings with history on this road, the cache is located very
close to both of them.
Parking is available but like
everywhere else in Brighton and Hove, you'll probably have to
pay!
36 Goldstone Villas
(Corner of Shirley Street)
Henry Joseph Spink was born in London in 1838, to Charlotte and
Henry Spink, an ironmonger by trade.
By 1864 Henry and
his wife Sarah were living in Brighton and his chosen profession
was that of Photographer and his studio was at 109 Western Road
(which is now an internet cafe).
By 1878 Henry was
advertising a second studio, this time in Goldstone Villas. In the
1881 census the Spink family resided at 34 Goldstone Villas,
although by 1884, probably as a result of the Primitive Methodist
Church being built, this was renumbered as 36.
Henry passed away
in 1892 aged 53, and his grave can still be seen today in St
Andrews churchyard.
circa
1878
modern
day
Henry Joseph Spink
Europa House formerly Primitive
Methodist Church
(Corner of Goldstone Road)
The Primitive Methodist Church was built in 1878 around the same
time Henry Spink operated his photographic studio on Goldstone
Villas.
The building has no
actual number, which could explain why 34 Goldstone Villas was
renumbered as 36 if another building was removed to build the
church.
The Primitive
Methodists were a major offshoot of the principal stream of
Methodism, the Wesleyan Methodists in 19th century
Britain.
The issues which
divided the Primitives from the Wesleyans were, amongst others:
The Primitives focused attention on the
role of lay people.
The Wesleyans
developed a high doctrine of the Pastoral Office to justify
leadership being in the hands of the ministers.
The
Primitives stressed simplicity in their chapels and their
worship.
The Wesleyans
were open to cultural enrichment from the Anglican tradition and
more ornate buildings.
The Primitives concentrated their
mission on the rural poor.
The Wesleyans on
the more affluent and influential urban classes.
The Primitives stressed the political
implications of their Christian discipleship
The Wesleyans
were nervous of direct political engagement.
By the end of the 19th century these two
streams of Methodism realised they had more in common than they
might have supposed. So conversations began which led to their
being the two principal partners in the union to form the present
day Methodist Church in 1932. This would explain the Church being
closed in 1934.
The building was sold in 1968 for £12,000 and
underwent major renovations in the early 1970s at a cost of
£33,000, it has since been used as commercial offices, known now as
Europa House.
Photos of Henry Spink and his photographic studio used by
kind permission of David Simkin of Sussex
PhotoHistory.