The Clifton Arms was thought to have been built around 1863 and is situated on the corner of Clifton Road and Tarring Road.

The length of Clifton Road was then known as New Town, a development in the 1800s featuring small terraced housing for the working classes at the time.

The building was remodelled in 1895 in the Queen Anne style. A west extension was added in the 1920s. The pub is supposedly named after the Clifton suspension bridge, constructed between 1834 and 1864. Allegedly, the pub sign (long time gone) depicted the bridge.

The first recorded landlord was Henry Crunden in 1870. Mr Henry Funnell took over from 1871 to 1872. Willis Hardham took up the reins in 1873 and remained there for the next 15 years.

In 1888, David Brazier, his wife Kate, and their nine children moved to Worthing and ran the Clifton. Kate's father had been a publican at the Stag's Head in Portslade. David's son, Anthony David Brazier, was running the business in 1895.

From 1907 to 1909, George Thomas Brazier, who was the eldest son of David and Kate, was in charge. In 1910 up until 1917, Henry Percy Brazier, George's youngest brother, held the reins. In 1918, it finally left the family's hands and was passed on to Frederick Brownings.

Frank 'Nobby' Clarke, pictured left, was the landlord of the Clifton Arms in 1959. As he was nearing completion of some building work being carried out on the pub and its kitchen, he had an idea. He was going to hide a time capsule within its structure.

On the 14th of February 1959 (St Valentine's Day), one hundred and fifty of his regulars signed a large scroll, the back of a Charrington's poster celebrating its two hundred years of brewing.

They also included a second scroll listing the price of everyday commodities such as beer, milk, tea, eggs, and so forth. Thoughtfully, Frank included a picture of himself behind the bar, which we see here.

Paul Holden of the Worthing Journal recalled a story he had read in the archives last year (2011) about Frank's secret time capsule. An article had appeared in an edition of the Worthing Gazette dated 25th February 1959. It included a picture of Frank holding the scroll with some of his regulars. Again the ever-thoughtful Frank included a copy of the newspaper in the package.

Paul dropped into the Clifton during its conversion in 2011 and spoke to the builder, Roger Beard. He asked if he would keep an eye out for the package. We kept a close eye on proceedings too.

In early 2012, Roger found the package walled up in the kitchen, the last room to be renovated. He sent out word of the find. Paul Holden, Roger, and us gathered together at Worthing library for the grand opening.

Two years after the Clifton closed in 2010, Paul Holden, Roger Beard, James Henry, and Colin Walton are in Worthing Library opening the time capsule hidden by Frank Clarke over 50 years ago.

Both scrolls were there, along with the original newspaper from 1959 that carried the article. Thankfully, the scrolls were on a sturdy velum-like material and had held up well.

Sadly, the pub would never serve another pint of beer again, being converted to flats and a retail unit/office. A fate that more than one of our older pubs has suffered.

We are, however, grateful to Roger the builder for taking some pictures of the Clifton being stripped out.

Scanned images of the original scrolls can be viewed to examine in more detail.

The top of scroll one starts with the landlord and his family, what was happening to the pub, the builders and the trades involved. This is followed by the signatures of around 150 customers.

Scroll two lists the price of everyday commodities, such as milk and butter. Included, of course, how much you paid for a pint or a tot of your favourite short, as well as some other notes.

All prices and in pounds, shillings, and pence.
£1 = 20 shilllings, 1 shilling = 12 pennies, £1=240 pennies

A spirit bottle from the Clifton under Anthony David Brazier
who was shot by his father, also a David.

On the 3rd of October, Anthony, brother George, and their father were out rabbit hunting. Anthony was lying low, but stood up just at the same moment his father fired a shot.

An inquest was held at the Battle of Trafalgar Inn in Portslade, where a verdict of accidental death was recorded. No blame was attached to his father. His funeral was attended by upwards of two thousand people. David's wife, Cecilia Brazier, carried on with the pub from then until 1902. She remarried local Worthing corn merchant Edward Henry Isted.

In 1888 David Brazier, his wife Kate and their nine children moved to Worthing and ran the Clifton. Kate's father had been a publican at the Stag's Head in Portslade. David's son, Anthony David Brazier was running the business in 1895.

Rupert Cavendish Isted, brother of Edward Isted married Lillian Alberta Brazier (daughter of David and Kate Brazier) and they ran the pub from 1903 to 1906

From 1907 to 1909, George Thomas Brazier, who was the eldest son of David and Kate, was in charge. In 1910 up until 1917, Henry Percy Brazier, Georges's youngest brother, held the reins. In 1918, it finally left the family's hands and was passed on to Frederick Brownings.

Outside the Clifton, getting ready for a coach trip, image supplied by Major Tom Wye MBE.

John Lisher has been kind enough to identify some members of the Clifton Coach outing. We now have Edward (Ted) Lisher, John's father, and Jack Lisher, John's Uncle, both of whom appeared on the time capsule scroll as 'Plumbers'.

John's mother, Floss Lisher who worked as a barmaid all her life before retiring in 2002 at the age of 83. During her life, she worked at The Clifton, The Central, The Downview, and from around 1969 to her retirement at The George

1870 - Henry Crunden
1871 - 1872 - Henry Funnell
1873 - 1888 - Willis Hardham
1888 - David Brazier
1895 - Anthony David Brazier (Son of above)
1900 - James Brazier
1901 - 1902 Cecilia Brazier (Widow of Anthony David)
1903 - 1906 - Rupert Cavendish Isted
1907 - 1909 George Thomas Brazier
1910 - 1917 - Henry Percy Brazier
1918 - Fredrick Brownings
1920 - West extension added
1925 - 1946 Charles Ernest Lodge & Lillian
1931 - CE Lodge
1970s - Philip & Elizabeth Hutton (11 years)
2000 - Evie Heath

Our thanks to Paul Holden of the Worthing Journal for allowing us to be part of the discovery of the time capsule.