It's Number 3 in '83

This is Number 3 Temple Street in 1983 when the Jinks family bought it. It looks much the same today. Reg and his family had originally started renting it in 1961.

Now, in 2015, Number 3 awaits its first new occupants for 54 years.

And they've arrived! See below.

Number 4 looks like it could do with a little attention

Temple Street in the 1950s

Reg and Maud Jinks moved into 3 Temple Street in 1961 – but before that the Walden family lived there. Sisters Terry and Bonnie Walden recall what it was like to live in Temple Street in those days

Girls of the house: Terry and Bonnie Walden

The Walden family arrived at 3 Temple Street in 1949. There were open fires in all the rooms and lincrusta wallpaper in the hall, which the girls liked to ‘pop’ (like bubblewrap today). All the front doors had canvas curtains to protect them from the sun in summer. Sisters, Terry and Bonnie have vivid memories of living in the street. Their mother bred budgerigars in an aviary in the backyard and also took in lodgers: two men came from the Isle of Wight to work as bus drivers and so loved Brighton that when they returned home, she sent them The Argus every week!

One door down a woman bred Persian cats. One door up the husband or brother had a dental repair workshop.

There was a tailor (Morris and Altman at no 7) half way up with two daughters. And further up a woman selling terracotta pots (Provence Pots no 21). John Adams at no 41 worked on the Brighton Belle and his was the first family in the street to get a television. The sisters watched the Coronation in 1953 and The QuatermassExperiment on it: television was an event and curtains were drawn and lemonade and sandwiches served. Ken Witty, a lifeguard on Brighton beach, lived near the top on the left. Half way up on the right was some sort of engineering workshop with men wearing green dungarees (Associate Engineering Ltd, selling motor car components).

Entertainment? The girls played all the usual children’s games out on the street. Of course, the beach was very close by. You could catch a paddle steamer to the Isle of Wight from the West Pier and go for boat trips in the fishing boats which pulled up onto the beach. And there were swings in St Ann’s Wells Park. Ice cream could be bought in a jug from Fortes next to the Metropole. There was a wonderful toy shop in Preston Street. Terry and Bonnie had bicycles and went skating at the ice rink in West St. It was a huge event when Father Christmas came to Plummer Roddis (opposite Waitrose which was then the Curzon Cinema) and when Princess Elizabeth visited the seafront in 1952.

Like Enid Gray’s daughter Lynne the girls went to Clifton College in Clifton Road. The uniform was green with yellow braiding and plaid skirts. Mrs Stanley was the head. There was a big old stove like an Aga on which cocoa would be made in the little bottles of milk, stood on it to heat up. Then you took your 11+ in St Mary Magdalen’s school hall. The walk to school took them past a sweetshop at the top of Victoria St where they initially used ration books to buy penny chews and sherbet dabs. The Post office was diagonally opposite and next to it a grocers which delivered every week.

Thanks to the CMPCA

Reg Jinks – a Tribute 

Reg on the steps of Number 3 in 2011, celebrating 50 years in Temple Street

 

Very sad news. Reg Jinks, who lived at Number 3 Temple Street, has died. Reg had been born on 26th April 1926, and lived in Temple Street since 1961, and will be greatly missed by his neighbours. Here is the notice from the Brighton Argus, dated 2nd July 2013.

JINKS Reg. Died peacefully at home, 3 Temple Street, Brighton, on 24th June 2013. Formerly a lecturer at City College and involved in education all his life. Cherished husband to the late Maud, father to Veronica and Anthony, grandfather to David, Laura and Patrick. He will be sadly missed by family and friends. Funeral shall take place on Thursday, 11th July at Sacred Heart Church, Norton Road, Hove at 12.00 noon followed by family only for committal. Donations made payable to CAFD, with all enquiries c/o Co-operative Funeralcare, 133 London Road, Brighton, BN1 4JH. Tel: 01273 607276.
Fran Skeeles, one of Reg's many good friends, writes:

I had the good fortune to become a next door neighbour of Maud and Reg back in 1993 when my family moved into 4, Temple Street.

We were busy decorating the front room prior to moving in, and they popped their heads through the window to say "Hello", and that was the beginning of a lovely friendship.

We shared similar values and interests...a love of family, friends, literature, theatre, art, travel, new adventures in all sorts of shapes and forms, and also the odd glass of wine!!!!!! Sorry, Reg, that`s not true, we enjoyed, on many occasions a jolly good p*ss up for any reason we could conjure up ...happiness, sadness, simply enjoying each others company!!!

Reg adored his family, and we used to compare notes on our growing grandchildren ...his love and interest in his family really sustained him in the years after Maud's death, as did his great friendship with his old friend Trevor, who my heart goes out to at this time. Reg has been such a very good friend to me, and despite his ongoing trouble with his walking, in recent years, very rarely complained, and was always more concerned with offering help to me if I needed it.

Theatre was his life. Both he and Maud were actors and then Reg moved into directing. He was HUGELY involved in the New Venture Theatre, just over the road in Bedford Place ...and lost his hearing when a stage explosion there went horribly wrong and went off in his ear, during a rehearsal. That happened many years ago now.

The front window of Reg's house, Number 3 Temple Street, c1986

Recently I`'ve been seriously ill and in hospital a great deal, and Reg was constantly phoning me to chat and see if there was anything he could do to help. He too had had a heart bypass several years ago, which gave him a new lease of life, and enabled him to go flying round Brighton again on his beloved bike!! I`'m so glad that I popped in on Reg on the Friday before he died, and we had the chance to catch up and have a cup of coffee together. I shall miss our lunches at La Florentina, our catch ups over coffee and chocolate biscuits, and of course the odd shared natter over a bottle of wine!!!

I've been blessed to have had such a lovely man as my friend, and will miss him greatly. My thoughts and prayers go out to Veronica, Chris, Anthony and all his family and friends. I`'d also like to mention Pete and Laura from no. 2 who looked after him so well since they moved in next door. The Hare Krishna Community at no.1 also took him to their hearts and he was much loved by Dina, Jahnava, Sylvan and the other folk who live there.

Reg was a true gentleman, the likes of whom are hard to come by these days. Bless you Reg ...I`'m sure all your friends will be raising a glass to you on Thursday and remembering you with great love and affection.

Much Love my dear friend. Hare Krishna and HUGE HUGS!!

Fran

16 April 2004 – Reg and Maud on their 50th Wedding Anniversary