The Power of Southwick
A look at Southwick’s three power stations
Saturday mornings 10.30 to 12.30 from 25th May to 6th July
The first power station in Southwick was begun in 1902 when Brighton Corporation decided that they needed to expand on the electricity production from their North Road power station. Southwick canal was chosen because of its proximity to the sea. Sea water could be used to cool the boilers and coal could be shipped down from Newcastle directly to the power station. Southwick Power Station opened in September 1905. After WWII work began on a second power station and for many years the two stations worked side by side until Brighton A, as it had been renamed, was completely closed in 1976. Brighton B was closed only twelve years later and electricity wasn’t produced again in Southwick until our third power station opened in 2000.
This exhibition includes lots of photographs charting the rise and fall of the stations since 1902 and of some the people who worked there.
The Southwick side of Kingston Lane
A look at the buildings on the east side of this ancient road
Saturday mornings 10.30 to 12.30 from 13th July to 31st August
Kingston Lane runs along the border between Southwick and Kingston by Sea. It is part of an ancient network of tracks and paths which criss-crosses the Downs. It originally ran from the coast southwest of Kingston House (now Shoreham College) across the grounds of the house, then north onto the Downs from the Middle Road/Dark Lane junction. In 1786 the section through Kingston House was diverted to its current alignment.
This exhibition takes a stroll up the east side. As well as looking at the history of many of the current buildings, such as Holmbanks, the Old Rectory, Spinnals Grove and Quayside, we will also consider the Napoleonic era barracks, the nurseries, the Glebe lands, Sandown House tearooms and Southwick Hill Farm dairy.
