How history has changed the face of Linden Road in Bognor Regis

Heading away from the Picturedrome towards Hawthorn Road the story of this road can be split into two definitive sections.

The first consists of several sets of buildings from the 1890s. These were constructed from the junction of Station Road and Canada Grove to the roundabout at Victoria Drive.

The second section contained a nine-hole golf course and a cottage as its clubhouse in 1892.

This extended beyond the roundabout area, with open fields and a path, depicted in a sketch of 1893.

Buildings didn't commence along this section of road until the early 1920s. It was initially called Linden Avenue, before being absorbed into Linden Road.

One drawing of 1904 shows a small path through this area with no suggestion of a road.

While looking through the deeds of our house we came across a number of small sketches, carefully drawn on very thin tracing paper.

One plan, from October 1917, shows Victoria Drive running directly from Chichester Road through to Aldwick, although, as we have seen before, the houses in Victoria Drive were actually built over a number of years.

Another sketch shows Green Lane, which today is known as Town Cross Avenue.

It was not until December 1923 that the plans show a proposal for a road link with Linden Avenue and Linden Road, thus making this a through road.

Just think how different this area would have been without this link road.

At the town end of Linden Road, the three-storey Claire Terrace consisted of 11 houses with a footpath at the rear leading back to Longford Road.

These are still private residences with the exception of the corner, which is today the offices of an insurance company with a very interesting turret on the apex of the building.

Over the years this terrace had been occupied by a taxi service and for a time a secretarial school.

I would be interested to hear when this section was constructed and learn why it has a round turret.

Beyond the footpath are two cottages, which are set back, and these were originally called Laurel Cottages.

Where the houses restart on the road is number 1 Linden Road, although today this is 28 Linden Road.

Houses vary in style and era from here to Victoria Drive, but they have remained mainly residential.

It is interesting to try to remember a number of premises and trades that have existed along the next stretch of road.

From about 1916, E H Coleman, the florist, occupied one site.

His was very much a family concern and the fourth generation to operate this trade in the town.

In the 1940s, E H Coleman took over the shop previously owned by H A Harnetts, the butcher.

Who can remember the premises of Cecil Bennett, the garden centre?

Cecil had been in business on this particular site for about 50 years, commencing as he did in the 1920s.

This nursery on Linden Road was well used. It was closed in 1981, but remained a derelict site for a number of months.

For some time, residents of Linden Road complained that this eyesore lowered the tone of their area.

The site was eventually bought with planning permission for 12 flats. These are now Saffron Court and Deane Court.

Further along this road are a couple of bungalows and then Annandale Avenue, a road developed in 1928.

On the corner is an impressive building '“ Colebrook '“ although its address is 2 Annandale Ave.

For a short period this house was the home of Colebrook school.

Finally we come to a relatively new housing complex that was built in 1990 replacing a number of bungalows that were demolished between Annandale Avenue and Victoria Drive.

Moving to the other side of the road, the Picturedrome that was opened as assembly rooms in 1886 until 1919 when it was transformed into the cinema we know today.

We then have a parade of seven shops with living accommodation above.

The fish and chip shop of today has been a fishmonger since as far back as 1953 and there have generally always been confectioners, ironmongers, grocers and butchers.

The site of number 7 was shown in a 1920s directory as E Nixon and Son, purveyors of high-class, home-killed and best colonial meat.

Their advertisements announced that they produced homemade sausages and "families were waited upon daily" for their orders '“ such personal service.

Other names, which may be remembered, are Frank Bennett, grocer and A B Baker '“ ironmongers.

Next we have a road, which was once known as Circus Street until about 1904 when it was changed to Ockley Road.

Next is number 19 known as 'Shirley' which belonged to Arthur & Pat Maginnis '“ Commission Agents.

Numbers 21-29 are still the original houses although numbers 31-35 have been replaced by Linden Court followed by a pair of striking semi-detached houses named Matlock and Kendal Lodge.

I wonder why they were so named?

The next major construction was the United Reformed Church, which had its main opening and dedication on Wednesday, October 29, 1930.

Next comes the Hawthorns, which was built in 1965 and designed by Jack Godfrey Gilbert.

The architecture of these flats were considered of such interest that photographs of the construction were displayed in Portland Place, London, the headquarters of the Royal Institute of British Architects.

In this area I am told there was a children's home during the 1950s. Does anyone have any knowledge of this?

Finally we arrive back at Victoria Drive, which as we have mentioned before was built in the 1890s.

The second section of Linden Road from Victoria Drive to Hawthorn Road with its 1920s and 1930s houses remains much the same today, residential premises with their enclosed front and back gardens.

Incidentially some of the houses in this section of road were damaged in both the 1987 hurricane and 2000 tornado.

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MAP At its junction with Hawthorn Road, we find the only trade in this section is that of '˜Magpie' However at one time one of these was in fact a Newsagent Tobacconist, maybe '˜Happy Shopper?'

Leading off Linden Road we have Parklands and Hillsboro Road which were built in the 1920s and 30s, by which time the through road of Linden Road would have become a main road out to Bersted, to an area which was soon to start its own development, but that is another story.