On the 18 March 1895, this strange tale appeared in more than a dozen French newspapers.
[Jack Brown or the living parcel
An elderly man, whose strong English accent left no doubts as to his nationality, appeared last evening at the post office in the rue de Choiseul. He asked for hospitality overnight, saying that he was penniless and reduced to vagrancy.
When he was taken to the police station in rue Marsollier yesterday morning, he gave more or less this account, in a mishmash of English and French:
“Name of Jack Brown. 64 years old, retired non-commissioned officer in the English army, two stints in the dragoons of Her Gracious Majesty …”
At this point he saluted respectfully and continued:
“Live in Brighton, three shillings pension a day. Two nights ago, in Brighton with friends, drank more than usual. My friends – played a joke, très common in the England – sent me to Paris as a parcel; sewed label on my back: ‘Jack Brown en route for Paris’; Brighton – Paris ticket stuck in my buttonhole. Me completely drunk …”
“It’s disgraceful, getting that drunk on gin …” exclaimed the police inspector.
“Non” he replied, “it was whisky, très bon… ]
I have just signed for Fleury 91 in my native country of France, but I shall be sad to leave The Seagulls and Brighton. I arrived in Brighton in August 2019, but in March 2020, at the beginning of the Covid-19 lockdown, I became very homesick and decided to go back to Paris, back to my partner and my lovely cat Newton.
One fine day in 1953, a Frenchman brought his five-year old son to Brighton. The father said Au revoir, gave the boy a peck on the cheek – at most – and then left him. In an old people’s home. These are the facts given at the beginning of Les Vieillards de Brighton [The Old Folk of Brighton] written by Gonzague Saint Bris and published in 2002.
The Covid-19 virus has very sadly meant that, for the time being, such wonderful French themed small bars, cafes and restaurants cannot operate fully. Let’s wish all the best for “after” the lock-down to: Mange Tout in Trafalgar Street, Petit Pois in Ship Street, Terre à Terre in East Street, Le Nantais bistrot in Palmeira Square, La Fourchette in Queens Place, Hove and others that may have been forgotten. Many of these businesses now offer a delivery service, so do support them if you can.
Only eighteen months ago, the Palmeira Square area of Hove was home to several French restaurants (see blog of 5 August 2018: La Place Palmeira). Since then, both La Cave à Fromage and Pâtisserie Valérie have closed their doors. Now we have to say adieu to Café Rouge in Bartholomews which closed on 19 January 2020.
Another ‘French’ loss is the Paris Wine Bar at 119 Church Road, Hove. However, according the Argus, the restaurant was “not as French as its names suggests” – but for all the best reasons. The wines served in the bar came from all corners of world and not just France. Is this adieu to the Paris Wine Bar or merely au revoir? Hard to tell. Let’s look forward to its renaissance.
It’s not only food outlets that like to associate themselves with la France. Cycling and bikes are also often associated with our French neighbours. The bike shop, Velo Ami, at 73 Portland Road closed its doors in early 2019. A result of the harsh economic climate for retailers? But where oh! where was that accent on vélo?
French Brighton 