The Estate - Bevendean History Project
World War 2 Cooking Depots in Brighton - part 3
Feeding Brighton after World War 2
During 1948, new Canteens were opened at Moulsecoomb, Carden, and Brighton, Hove and Sussex Grammar Schools with a capacity of 600, 500 and 350 meals daily respectively.
The number of meals prepared at the three cooking centres and at Brighton Schools were as follows.
The Cooking Depot in Valley Drive closed on the 31 May 1950. During this year new canteens opened at Hertford Road School, St. John’s School and Woodingdean School, with a capacity of 250, 300 and 250 meals daily respectively.
The Avenue Central Kitchen produced 326,544 meals in 1950, while the Central Kitchen in Loder Road produced 396,432 meals in the same year.
Cooking Depot on the Avenue Green behind the motorcycle with Bevendean Crescent on the skyline.
William Cooper (back) with Harold Hayes on a motorcycle in front the War Time Cooking Depot in Avenue Moulsecombe, c1950.
Photograph from Lynda Duhigg.
One new canteen was opened at the Bevendean County Primary School on 21 May 1951 with a capacity of 275 meals a day.
The total number of school meals served in 1954 was 1,559,323 and in 1955 the number was 1,606,439 meals.
The Central Kitchen in the Avenue at Moulsecoomb was closed on the 18 June 1955 with the building being demolished some time later.
By December 1955 the school dining centres without their own kitchen received their meals from school canteens where the capacity exceeded the demand of that school or from the Central Kitchen in Loder Road. Eventually every school had its own canteen.
Today 2019 there is no evidence of a building having been on the site on the Avenue Green at Moulsecoomb.
Staff at Loder Road Central Kitchen c1960. Lillian Dorothy Fuller 4th from the left behind the tea set.
If you recognise anyone else in the photograph please let us know through the contact page on the website.
During 1948, new Canteens were opened at Moulsecoomb, Carden, and Brighton, Hove and Sussex Grammar Schools with a capacity of 600, 500 and 350 meals daily respectively.
The number of meals prepared at the three cooking centres and at Brighton Schools were as follows.
| Location | 1947 | 1948 |
| Loder Road Central Kitchen | 428,435 | 449,412 |
| Moulsecoomb Central Kitchen | 367,935 | 355,496 |
| Valley Drive Central Kitchen | 244,656 | 310,765 |
| Brighton, Hove and Sussex Grammar School | - | 21,973 |
| Carden School | - | 9,788 |
| Hodshrove Road | - | 71,825 |
| Moulsecoomb Infants' School | 136,262 | 97,503 |
| Patcham School | 34,309 | 131,542 |
| St. Mark's School | 33,829 | 36,846 |
| Sussex Street | 19,744 | 20,611 |
| Tarnerland Nursery School | - | 6,367 |
| Varndean Girls School | 86,556 | 99,387 |
| Varndean Boys School | 89,378 | 87,585 |
| Whitehouse Nursery School | - | 7,999 |
| Whitehawk Junior School | 115,879 | 109,614 |
| Whitehawk Infants School | 9,745 | 41,064 |
| Total number of meals per year | 1,566,746 | 1,857,777 |
The Cooking Depot in Valley Drive closed on the 31 May 1950. During this year new canteens opened at Hertford Road School, St. John’s School and Woodingdean School, with a capacity of 250, 300 and 250 meals daily respectively.
The Avenue Central Kitchen produced 326,544 meals in 1950, while the Central Kitchen in Loder Road produced 396,432 meals in the same year.
Cooking Depot on the Avenue Green behind the motorcycle with Bevendean Crescent on the skyline.
William Cooper (back) with Harold Hayes on a motorcycle in front the War Time Cooking Depot in Avenue Moulsecombe, c1950.
Photograph from Lynda Duhigg.
One new canteen was opened at the Bevendean County Primary School on 21 May 1951 with a capacity of 275 meals a day.
The total number of school meals served in 1954 was 1,559,323 and in 1955 the number was 1,606,439 meals.
The Central Kitchen in the Avenue at Moulsecoomb was closed on the 18 June 1955 with the building being demolished some time later.
By December 1955 the school dining centres without their own kitchen received their meals from school canteens where the capacity exceeded the demand of that school or from the Central Kitchen in Loder Road. Eventually every school had its own canteen.
Today 2019 there is no evidence of a building having been on the site on the Avenue Green at Moulsecoomb.
Staff at Loder Road Central Kitchen c1960. Lillian Dorothy Fuller 4th from the left behind the tea set.
If you recognise anyone else in the photograph please let us know through the contact page on the website.
