Chapter One: The Architect of the Frontier
From Bishopstone to Foredown Drive: The Alexander Family Home
To look at the architectural plans of a 1930s suburban street is to see a vision of the future caught in ink and paper. But to look at the family photos taken within those walls is to see that vision come to life.
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This is the story of Number 87 Foredown Drive, a house built with the highest of standards during a time of global uncertainty. It is a journey that begins with a wedding announcement in Bishopstone and a set of meticulous blueprints from Bank Chambers, eventually forming the backdrop for a family legacy that now reaches from the hills of Portslade to the sunshine of Florida and the lanes of Surrey.
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| Building Character: The 10th Brighton (Hove) Coy. Boys Brigade, winners of the Battalion Football Championship, 1925-6. George Comber served as the team coach, mentoring the young men of the community long before he laid t he first bricks of the Foredown Frontier. Courtesy of the Alexander Family Collection. |
George Comber’s Vision for Foredown Drive
To understand why Foredown Drive remains such a prestigious part of Portslade's history, we must look at the vision of George Comber and his architect, H. J. Lamper. Operating from Bank Chambers in Hove, they weren't just building houses; they were designing "Modern Living" for a new era.
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| Courtesy the Alexander Family Collection |
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| courtesy The Alexander Family Collection |
The Blueprint of Excellence:
In September 1938, the Council approved Plan No. 1961. This represents the "Standard of Excellence" for the Foredown Frontier, approved by the Urban District Council just months before the outbreak of war.
The Technical Profile: The external walls were built with 11” cavity brick, offering thermal efficiency and damp proofing far superior to the solid brick of older Portslade terraces.
The 10-House Acreage: While earlier developments were packed tight, Comber insisted on a density of just 10 houses per acre. With over 80% of the land dedicated to gardens and open space, it was the "Garden Suburb" dream realised.
courtesy The Alexander Family Collection
Designs for the Future: Notice the precision in Lamper’s engineering; the lowest floor was set 18” above the street. This created a dry "sub-floor" void and gave the houses a commanding presence on the hill.
| courtesy The Alexander Family Collection A 1930s luxury: The dedicated domestic garage, featuring a specialised gully for the weekend ritual of car maintenance." |
The Garage: A Social Revolution
The "Domestic Garage" plan is particularly special. It features:Farrer’s "Domestic" Garage Gully: A specific technical feature for washing and maintaining a car indoors.
Architectural Harmony: It wasn't just a shed; it used the same "Dark Red Roofing Tiles" and "Cream Cement Rendering" as the main house, ensuring the "Frontier" looked uniform and prestigious
Occupation likely began in January 1939, showing an incredibly fast turnaround of just 3 to 4 months from the September 1938 planning approval.
While the house was weather-tight, the threat of war meant the builders were called away, leaving the family with a year of DIY to finish the interior.
Chapter Two: From Blueprints to Birthdays
The Alexander Family and the Human Heart of the Home
"The true story of Foredown Drive began not with a surveyor's level, but with a wedding in Bishopstone. The marriage of Phyllis Mary Burcham, daughter of the Churchwarden, to William Albert Alexander—who would later serve a long career with Hove Council—marked the beginning of a new legacy at Number 87.
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| A glazier's signature: The original leaded window illuminating the landing, a detail likely specified by George Comber himself. Courtesy of the Alexander Family Collection. |
A Gallery of Light: Inside the home, the architectural promise of decorative windows came to life. The staircase landing, bathed in light from a magnificent leaded side window, shows the artistry George Comber brought from his own trade as a glazier.
The "Dual-Loo" Insight: The statistics confirm a fascinating social transition: two WCs. One was located in the modern internal bathroom, while a second remained at the rear—a "hybrid" era luxury that paired modern plumbing with gardener's utility.
- The Productive Garden: In the back garden, we see the shift from war to peace. Standing beside a repurposed Anderson shelter, now serving as a greenhouse, the family stands as a testament to British ingenuity and the "Garden Suburb" dream.
Post-war productivity: Jil's parents in the back garden
alongside their repurposed Anderson shelter greenhouse
—a symbol of 1940s ingenuity.
Courtesy of the Alexander family collection
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| Courtesy of the Alexander family collection |
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| Courtesy of the Alexander family collection |
The Road to Foredown: William Albert Alexander on his motorcycle during his pre-marriage days. At the time, he lived at 60 St. Andrew’s Road, Portslade, before embarking on a new chapter at Number 87
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| The social anchor of Number 87: The marriage announcement of Phyllis Mary Burcham and William Albert Alexander, who established their first home on the Foredown Frontier. Courtesy of the Alexander family collection |
The Bride: Phyllis Mary Burcham, wearing an ankle-length dress of white satin.
The Groom: William Albert Alexander, of 60 St. Andrew’s Road, Portslade.
The Best Man: Mr. B. Alexander.
courtesy The Alexander Family collection
87 Foredown Drive The Home of William & Phyllis AlexanderThe Home: The announcement explicitly states they "will make their home at 87 Foredown Drive, Portslade
The Great Escape: RMS Sark
The resilience of the Alexander home was matched only by the resilience of the family itself. After spending a year of the war’s early months finishing the house's interior with DIY—once the professional builders were called away to the war effort—Phyllis and William took a delayed honeymoon to the Channel Islands in June 1940.
They were among the last civilians to escape the islands on the RMS Sark just as the German invasion began. During the perilous crossing, William even did a stint on the deck’s Lewis gun, helping to defend the ship and his new bride as they fought their way back to the safety of the Foredown Frontier.
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AA Legacy Across the Atlantic
While the original blueprints and council stamps tell the technical story of Number 87, the true history is found in the memories of those who grew up within its 11” cavity walls. For Jil’s auntie, now 86 and living in the Florida sunshine, these images are a portal back to a childhood in the Foredown Frontier.
It was a home where the "Dual-Loo" served as a legendary storehouse for Corporation Green paint and ballot pencils, and where the garden featured a repurposed Anderson shelter greenhouse. From the light dancing through the staircase window to the children playing in the spacious garden, the house stands as a sturdy bridge between Portslade's ambitious pre-war planning and a family legacy that now spans from Surrey to Florida.
| Feature | Specification (Primary Source Data) |
| Architect | H. J. Lamper, Bank Chambers, Hove |
| Builder | George Comber, 19 Hogarth Road, Hove |
| Approval Date | 13th September 1938 |
| External Walls | 11” Cavity Brick |
| Internal Walls | 4 1/2” Solid Brick |
| Roofing | Dark red sand face tiles |
| Floor Level | 18” above pavement to street |
| Building Density | 10 Houses per acre |
| Rear Open Space | 25’0” width x 86’0” depth |
| Site Coverage | 16.62% (Plot 87) |
A Special Note of Thanks
This exploration of the Foredown Frontier would not have been possible without the immense generosity of Jil from Surrey. By sharing these meticulous records and intimate family photographs—originally preserved by her grandfather, Mr. William Alexander, and now shared with her auntie in Florida—she has allowed us to see the "bones" and the "heart" of one of Portslade's most enduring streets.
It is a privilege to help preserve the Alexander Family legacy for the Portslade History Round-Up.
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