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W W W. V i Va L E W E s . C o M riverside It’s just a rumour that was spread around town It is commonly thought that the Riverside Centre was built as Albion Russell’s shoe factory. That Russell’s business boomed to become the national retail chain Russell and Bromley. We like it when little old <strong>Lewes</strong> ‘punches above its weight’ like this, but we also thought the Riverside would be a good fit this month, because its past reflects the rise of the motoring age. In 1905, it was home to Ouse Engineering Works, an iron foundry that diversified into the field of ‘steam road cars’ and motor repairs. Until the 40s it was Martin’s Garage, where ‘bodies were first fitted to Model T Ford cars’. Then it housed Becks Hire Cars. But after a little digging, we were diverted from our theme by the discovery that the origins of the Riverside aren’t so clear. In fact, even after a good few days with our noses buried in dusty documents, we found no precise date of the build, nor any evidence of a connection with Mr Russell. Thankfully for us though, we did find plentiful tales of booze, madness, enterprise and loss… As far back as 1620, the area was part of a grand estate known as Bridgefoot, comprising a manor, coalyard, wharf and four acres. It was the home of a string of highly successful merchants, and a couple who were not so successful. Richard Cardin, shipper of arms and wine to ports as far off as Barbados, fled to London after his business collapsed and fire ravaged his property. His successor also went bankrupt. In 1833, the wealthy Quaker Burwood Godlee purchased a wharf, warehouse, counting house and outbuildings, of which we think the Riverside was b r i c k s & m o r t a r part. Godlee was a master of local ventures on the grandest scale. He built and launched a 120-tonne seagoing ship, The <strong>Lewes</strong> Castle, on the banks of the Ouse, and also constructed a drawbridge across the river. It is quite probable that after his grand ideas had been realised Godlee remained landlord until his death in 1882. We do know, at least, that <strong>Lewes</strong> Wharf was in use by a timber merchant in 1839, and that there was a ‘carpenter’s shop and store’ on the site in 1856. Until c.1887 the Riverside site was occupied by CA Wells of Etna Iron Works. Wells acquired the property in 1869, fully kitted with gas works, engine room, boiler house, smiths’ and fitter’s shops, a pattern loft, lathe room and foundry. His poor predecessor, an iron founder named Henry Attwood Thompson, went mad after only two years at the property, which his executors sold. Albion Russell did build his business from <strong>Lewes</strong>. He acquired 187/88 High Street (now Tourist Info) and two cottages behind in 1861 and stayed for many years. Before that, his workshops were behind Baxter’s at No. 37. And it was from here that he secured lucrative contracts with <strong>Lewes</strong> gaol during the Crimean War. In the directories, however, there is only one mention of Russell at a loose address. In 1895, he’s listed as Honorable Secretary of the Ouse Angling Preservation Society, ‘High St’… but that’s not quite evidence of the grand factory master... Chloë King illustration by: Lyndsey smith 6 1