 Mr. Herbert Tennent leaning against his refreshment hut situated by the Palace Pier with his Mother inside.During this time Mr. Tennent (known affectionately as Mr. T) had two kiosks by the Palace Pier groyne. One selling teas and pies the other selling drinks and ice-cream. He also had at one time a small kiosk near the lift by Peter Pan’s playground and one by the paddling pool adjacent to the West Pier. 
This kiosk near the paddling pool was close to Jim Hatton’s weighing machine (jockey scales). Mr. T would wheel a barrow from Elm Grove carrying bread, pies and cakes all the way to the seafront. He had to order his supplies on Thursday and pick them up on a Friday in readiness for the weekend Mr. Herbert Tennent and Mrs. Louise Tennent can be seen inside the freshment hut situated adjacent to the Palace Pier It must also be remembered that all water had to be queued up for and collected from a stand pipe along the beach. At that time the seafront families operated a form of cartel agreeing not to compete to bid against each other for their pitches to keep the status quo.
Mr. T was a semi-professional ballroom dancer and with his wife Louise reached the finals of the Star Championships at the Hammersmith Palace in London around this time. Wealthy ladies would arrange afternoon dancing lessons at the Regent and Sherry’s with Mr. T and Sydney Bellman anothergood dancer.
Herbert Tennent’s mother and a customer can be seen inside the refreshment hut positioned adjacent to the Palace Pier. 1939 Mr. Clifford Musgrave was appointed Chief Librarian and Curator of the Art Gallery and Museums in Brighton. Mr. T was too old to enlist so worked all night at CVA in Portland Road as a tool maker to help the war effort. Herbert Tennent Snr (My Grandfather’s Dad) and a member of staff leaning against his other refreshment hut situated 60 yards to the west of the one by the Palace Pier. |
Mr. T also had a restaurant called the ‘Prompt Corner’ in Duke Street at the junction with Middle Street. Mr. T did a lot of the cooking serving pies and puddings to variety artists appearing at the Brighton Hippodrome.