thebrightontwins

The plaque

Violet and Daisy Hilton were huge stars in America, but their birth place in Brighton remains unmarked… until now that is! We should be celebrating two of our own with a commemorative plaque this year – 2022.

Through a combination of generous donations, walking tours of Brighton, some very unofficial merchandise and even two screenings of Freaks, there is enough money to place a commemorative plaque on 18 Riley Road in Brighton.

In 2018 it was costed at £1,200, plus roughly £300 for scaffolding costs, so £1,500 was the target. In 2022 it costs £1,500 plus £300 VAT so I have just about enough.

I’m not allowed to reveal the design of the plaque before it’s unveiled, but I’ve made this teaser for those interested in the wording…

The Hilton Twins with the plaque half hidden behind them.

Go to the donation website.

thebrightontwins

Who were they?

They were stars of stage and screen, as well as being the UK’s first surviving pair of conjoined twins.

Fans of the 1932 film Freaks may be aware of them but otherwise they remain rather unknown in Brighton. I hope to change that through the plaque, after all, they’re ‘One of us’.

The story of Violet and Daisy Hilton is a tale of rags to riches, and back again.

The tale of:

  • A mother’s rejection
  • A guardian’s exploitation
  • A life in the spotlight
  • The struggle for love
  • The strength of two remarkable sisters from Brighton.

There is more information about the life of Violet and Daisy Hilton on the donation page – see what I did there 😉

thebrightontwins

Walking tours

UPDATE: Apologies – the walking tour are now over. They were amazing and thanks to everyone who came on one.

Come and join me over the summer and walk around the centre of Brighton, taking in some of the key locations that feature in the Violet and Daisy Hilton story.

They were born at 18 Riley Road but that’s quite a walk from central Brighton, so I’ll bring a picture of it… that will keep the walk just over an hour in length. We’ll meet at the Queens Arms in George Street where the twins were moved to a few weeks after their birth in 1908, and we’ll finish at Brighton Hippodrome where they performed four sell-out shows in April 1933 during their only UK tour as adults.

There will be some merchandise available to anyone on the walking tours, all proceeds going towards funding a commemorative plaque for two incredible sisters.

Dates (2018)

  • Saturday 5 September
  • Saturday 25 August
  • Sunday 26 August
  • Saturday 11 August
  • Sunday 15 July
  • Saturday 14 July
  • Sunday 8 July
  • Sunday 1 July
  • Saturday 30 June