Names on the buses

453 George Basevi

Connections with Brighton and Hove : George Basevi was the architect of St Mary’s Hall School in Eastern Road, Kemp Town, an imposing building with extensive grounds. It was a tribute to Basevi’s skill as an architect that a school for the daughters of Anglican clergy shroud have chosen a Jew to design it. Born in 1794, Basevi was a cousin of Benjamin Disraeli who rose to become Tory prime minister. Their mothers were sisters from the Lindo family. Basevi was also responsible for the restoration of St Andrew’s church in Hove where he is buried. He carried out this work between 1834 and 1836 after the collapse of its tower left the building in ruins. The well-connected Basevi did much of his work in London, designing several handsome streets and churches in Chelsea, Knightsbridge and South Kensington. He also designed the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge with its handsome façade and did much work for the Middlesex Hospital in the capital. Basevi died as a result of a fall at Ely Cathedral while inspecting repairs there. He was only 51. Some say he was buried at Ely but his name is clearly upon a vault at St Andrew’s in Hove.

453 Volvo Gemini - carried name since delivery in May 2013 on Route 49. Rebranded to Route 6 in September 2016. rebranded to Route 5 in September 2017. Repainted into standard livery in September 2019.