Connections with Brighton and Hove : Herbert Samuel Toms is an under-celebrated hero in the history of Brighton and Hove’s archaeological community. He was born in Dorset in 1874, the son of an under-gardener and from the beginning of his career was at the cutting edge of British archaeology. As a schoolboy he came to the attention of the pioneering archaeologist Augustus Henry Lane Fox Pitt-Rivers and worked for him on excavations across Southern Britain. Then, in 1896 he became Brighton’s first curator of archaeology and local history at Brighton Art Gallery and Museum and continued in this role until 1939. From the beginning Toms dedicated himself to the preservation of Brighton and Hove’s ancient past and making the public more aware of the city’s heritage. He established the Brighton and Hove Archaeological Club, still going strong after over 100 years, and formed a local group to record the prehistoric heritage of downland surrounding the city. Toms was an accessible curator, generous with his knowledge and time. Eschewing learned journals he published articles on the city’s past in local newspapers and gave regular public talks. His time was also spent meticulously recording the museum’s collections, with his registers still providing important information today. There has perhaps been no single individual who did more to shape Brighton and Hove’s perception of its ancient heritage, both within the city and within the surrounding countryside. Born in 1874, he died in 1939.
490 Volvo Gemini name applied on South Downs bus from December 2016. Repainted into standard livery February 2021. Bus transferred to Metrobus and name removed in March 2024.