Turn-of-the-20th century photographic postcard, titled St. Leonard’s-on-Sea (sic), lower left, and simply The Parade, lower right. The view along the seafront buildings of the Grand Parade St Leonards shows the hairdresser’s known as “Professor” Benbow, Specialist For The Hair, as appears on the open awning to the left in the image, who is known from collectible embossed bottles of his lotion to have operated from number 26 Grand Parade St Leonards. Towards the centre is the Royal Saxon Hotel, on the corner of London Road, one of the earliest hotels in St Leonards, having been established in 1831-32 as the South Saxon Hotel. It was occasionally referred to as the Royal Saxon from the late 1850s, and formally changed its name in 1873. The original building illustrated was demolished in 1905, giving a latest date for this view, which continues eastward past Warrior Square and along Eversfield Place to the West Hill in the distance, on the right.
Location: Private collection of Stephen Van Dulken.
