Bay Life has invited ‘six of the best’ architectural historians and amenity society directors in Sussex to comment on the plans for the 3 storey building proposal for the Beach Tavern Site in Pevensey Bay. First up, Selma Montford MBE, honorary secretary of the Brighton Society 1973—2016, who participated in one of the talks about the history of Pevensey in 2015 at St. Nicolas church..—Bay Life, 6 March 2017
Selma Montford was awarded her MBE for her services to conservation in Brighton & Hove.
Selma attended St Martins School of Art and the Royal College of Art, graduating in 1959. She was the Director of the Lewis Cohen Urban Studies Centre at the University of Brighton until 1995, and founder member of the Preston & Patcham Society and The Brighton Society in 1973, along with John Morley, then Director of the Royal Pavilion.
On stepping down as the honorary secretary of the Brighton Society last month she said “I am reluctantly stepping down as Hon Secretary of the Brighton Society which I have enjoyed and toiled over for more than 40 years. I have learned so much, about architecture, planning, local government, national government, how to appear at a public enquiry, how to cross examine etc over the years
“I think that one of my greatest achievements was to save Brighton Station from demolition (in the 1970s the Save Brighton Station group and the Preston Society, the fore runner of the Brighton Society). Their resolute action resulted in the station being listed in 1973 and its protection against demolition.”
In the Argus, Andy Winter, director of the Brighton Housing Trust said, “I am sure that I will not be the only one who wishes to pay tribute to Selma Montford as she steps down from the Brighton Society.
“Selma has been an outstanding servant to Brighton and its architectural heritage for almost half a century. Whether you have agreed with her or not (and we have had our disagreements over the years), one cannot but admire her and have total respect for the integrity with which she has fought to preserve the values she holds so dear”.
Bay Life presented Selma Montford with the plan for the Beach Tavern site in Pevensey Bay. She commented “I see the architect has been to B&Q”.
SIX OF THE BEST: Next up, Dr. Geoffrey Mead, University of Sussex, lead tutor, Pevensey Timeline 2015-2016, whose doctoral thesis, “‘Scattered squalor and downland homes: interwar housing at Patcham, Brighton” includes comment on the development of the Beachlands Estate in Pevensey Bay in the inter war years.
