Early Victorian Brighton 1830-1870, a 5 week course by Dr Sue Berry.

In the mid-1820s Brighton was a large and prosperous resort but by 1830 it was in decline. The lectures will cover the period when it began to struggle to compete with more up to date resorts. There was a national recession and Brighton lacked a proper sewerage system and access to clean piped water. Its slums were criticized in a government report and its public areas were becoming shabby. By 1845 the railway had made an impact and a slow revival began. The new Brighton Corporation bought the Royal Pavilion to prevent its demolition and new buildings in new styles began to change the look of the town. Rail links to Lewes and eastwards and to Shoreham and westwards turned it into a regional centre. Brighton was on the up and a more balanced economy was developing by 1870—a theme we will explore in the second course of five lectures later in the year.
Talks will be held from 10.30am to 12.30pm on February 12, February 19, February 26, March 5 and March 12.
The £25 fee includes all five lectures, refreshments, course notes and reading lists. Numbers are limited to 30.