This article was first published in the West Sussex Gazette on 24th September 1992.

This week, Remember When looks at a local family connected with public houses in the area, starting more than 100 years ago. Worthing reader Ted Howell, a member of that family, has some curious tales to tell of old Worthing.

His grandfather, Edward Roffey, was employed as a cellarman at Brighton's Grand Hotel in Victorian times where he worked his way up to become Head Cellarman.

Managing to gather together enough money to realise his ambition, Edward left 'The Grand' to buy his own little pub -- 'The Lord Nelson' in Ship Street, Brighton, and later moved on to take over a much larger pub -- 'The Western' in Hove -- before coming to Worthing where he took over 'The Albion' in Montague Street on the east corner of Portland Road, in 1897.

Some way westward along Montague Street at the Montague Hotel on the corner of Surrey Street, Ted's father Jesse Howell who was licensee there began courting Edward's only daughter Lucy from 'The Albion.'

When, on 21 August 1908, an astonishing road accident occurred nearby The Montague, Jesse posted a photograph of it the very next day to his girlfriend just down the road. A horse and a car were involved in the accident and somehow the horse became trapped on the bonnet of the car.

Jesse Howell and his brother continued to run 'The Montague' throughout the Great War when Montague Street was a hive of activity with the military on duty close to the pub, and a lorry load of wounded Indian soldiers being brought there.

When Edward Roffey of 'The Albion' died in 1919, the license was taken over by Jesse Howell who then married Lucy, leaving his brother to run 'The Montague' by himself. Then two years later she gave birth to Ted himself above 'The Albion' which was not only a public house but also a commercial hotel.

'Well-known national companies like Rowntrees, Frys, Cadburys and Players would send their reps down to stay at The Albion,' says Ted, 'and send their samples and wares down by rail to be displayed in the pub's billiard room for shopkeepers to come and view, and then place orders. This would happen at particular times of the year, such as Easter.'

His schooldays began at Haverfield House in Union Place -- now the Conservative Party's local headquarters -- then a junior school run by the Misses Dutton and Elliott, and his education was completed at the Boys High School in Broadwater Road -- now Northbrook College.

As a lad in the 1920s, Ted remembers when Portland Road ran all the way from Richmond Road to the seafront, before Marks and Spencers store was built across the southern portion.

'There was a little bakery store called Grices on the corner of Portland Road and Montague Street that sold stale cakes the following day. People would queue up for a pennyworth of stale buns. On the other corner was Elliotts the greengrocers.'

Also in Portland Road, but nearer the seafront, was the workshop of Day's Garage next to a horse-riding school at Willey's stables where the proprietor, a very good rider himself, wore a bowler hat and scarf.

Later, Mr Willey's son moved the school to Hillbarn Lane, and it was still there until recent years when the London & Edinburgh Insurance Group extended their car park to incorporate the land used by the riding school.

Ted recalls that in those earlier days, the Montague Street road itself consisted of wooden blocks soaked in tar laid side by side and surfaced with tarmacadam.

The Worthing Operatic Society made 'The Albion' their home, practising regularly in a large upstairs room that was also used for wedding receptions, large dinners and the like.

Ted recalls that local musicians from an army band played at The Spaniard Inn, overlooked by his bedroom window facing Portland Road.

Going to see films at the Picturedrome(now incorporated in the Connaught Theatre) was a regular treat for Ted in his youth. And he remembers seeing the Plaza and Odeon Cinemas being built in the 1930s -- now they are both gone. (The Plaza has been converted into a bingo and social club in Rowlands Road, and the Odeon was demolished to make way for the Montague Shopping Centre, even though it was a listed building)

On leaving school, Ted soon started work.
'In 1937 I got a job as an apprentice mechanic in Southdown's bus garage, through my uncle being manager there,' Ted told me.

Ted, fascinated about intermarrying between local families, told me: 'My sister, Vera, married George Scadgell from the furnishing store in Montague Street, and my elder sister, Amy, wedded Mr Cheal of the well-known building firm in Buckingham Road,' remarked Ted.

Members of different branches of the wide-spreading Howell family could be found operating hostelries around and about the area.

'In the 1920s,' Ted said, 'one had the Downview Hotel in Worthing, while another, Syd Howell, ran the Portland Hotel at Hove.'