John Goodridge Butcher's Shop

The 1871 census records that John Goodridge was working as a butcher's assistant. On Christmas Day that year he married Sarah Ann Hyden. He purchased the butcher’s business at 26, Upper St James Street on July 25th, 1872 from Absalom Strong for £100.00.

The purchase was for the fixtures and goodwill, taking the premises on a lease. He remained as the tenant at 26USJS for the rest of his life. The Pages Street Directory of 1882 recorded that he had bought a second butcher’s business where he installed his brother, Harry as manager. He had bought the business at 1 Grand Parade from James Sinfield who had owned the business for a decade. 

John employed his brother as the manager until Harry transferred the business to his own property at 6, Richmond Street. The Conveyance of the property purchase is dated 29th May 1899. The first street directory that recorded H. Goodridge, butcher was 1902. In 1901 the premises were being used by a bootmaker run by a James Smith.

The Electoral Roll for 1881 indicates that John Goodridge had added a second property that he was paying a qualifying rent for 39a Crescent Cottages. This was a lane that was a mix of residential and “trade” premises. It is near to Paradise Street that was home to several slaughterhouses being used by some of Brighton’s many butchers’ businesses. It is most likely that the property at 39a Crescent Cottages was being used by John Goodridge.

His first wife’s brother, Charles Hylden bought the butcher’s business at 33, Trafalgar Street in 1889. He owned this until 1914. (John Goodridge granddaughter, told her children that there were 3 Goodridge butcher’s shops).

An undated letter sent by John to his wife indicated that he travelled to many livestock markets in Sussex and beyond in search of animals needed to keep his business supplied. The railway network available from Brighton gave relatively easy access to market towns as far as Guildford.

John’s daughter, Edith married Percy King in 1899 and set up her new home in Lewes. Around this time John Goodridge rented Ham Lane Farm on the south side of the town to produce animals for the business. He operated the farm until 1916 when the shortage of labour caused by WW1 forced him to auction the remaining livestock and equipment.

After John died in 1923 his son, John Povey purchased the freehold of 26USJS before he auctioned the freehold of the property and business in June 1928. 

His brother died in 1915 and his nephew, also Harry took over the business at 6, Richmond Street. This business was sold to Mr L. Rushman on a 14-year lease. The freehold was sold by auction in March 1937.