Names on the buses

321 Richard Patching

Connections with Brighton and Hove : One of Brighton’s oldest enterprises is the building firm Patching and Son. Founded in 1774, it has played an important community role as well as a commercial one. Perhaps its most redoubtable son was Richard Patching whose career spanned much of the 19th century. Following his father and grandfather into the family business, he was also a keen Quaker at a time when they were highly influential in the town. For more than 40 years he was also a leading member of the temperance movement. Patching was a town commissioner. They were the forerunners of today’s city councillors. But his best known post was that of chairman of the Poor Law Guardians. They carried out social work in a town where there was much poverty and deprivation. The tradition of serving the community was maintained in the 20th century by a prominent Patching and Son figure. Dudley Baker was one of Britain’s youngest mayors and later chaired the council’s ruling Conservative group. For many years Patching and Son were based in Portland Street near the Clock Tower but eventually moved to Hove.

321 Alexander Dennis Enviro - carried name since September 2019.