Names on the buses

326 Alfred Waterhouse

Connections with Brighton and Hove : Alfred Waterhouse was not the best known architect of the Victorian era but he was probably the most successful. His style tended to be Gothic and grand. His work ranged from commercial buildings to monuments of splendour. His best-known building is probably the National History Museum in London Waterhouse designed many town halls, often for northern cities proud of their municipal enterprise. He was also responsible for the handsome red brick town hall at Hove in East Sussex, then run separately from Brighton next-door. With its imposing bell tower, it was a much-loved local landmark and its spacious rooms were well used for events It also housed law courts and the register office. But in January 1966, an enormous fire destroyed the town hall and Mayor’s secretary John Barter risked his life by going into the blazing building and saving the civic regalia. A new town hall designed by John Wells-Thorpe opened in 1974. Waterhouse also designed the Metropole Hotel in Brighton, another fine red brick building. Unfortunately his exquisite roofline, including a small spire, was altered during the 1960s but the main hotel building is still there. Other members of the family ran a financial firm which eventually became Price Waterhouse.

326 Alexander Dennis Enviro - carried name since September 2019.