Sunday 25 December 2011

Teddington, Middlesex, Christmas 1906

Merry Christmas from the postcards then and now blog. Here is a wintry scene showing Teddington Bridge in a photograph taken by Richard Charles Young in late 1906. For more old views why not visit the Sepia Saturday blog. As always, click the postcard to enlarge.

Saturday 17 December 2011

Richmond, Surrey, Peldon Avenue c1915

Richmond, Surrey, Peldon Avenue circa 1915. The pleasant tree lined avenue that we see in the old postcard looks like so many other late Victorian suburban streets in West London. The postcard publisher, who identifies himself as 'GWH', has got the street name wrong on the postcard caption - there never was a Peldon Road in Richmond, it was Peldon Avenue. On the modern Google Street View we can see what has replaced Peldon Avenue - a group of large blocks of flats called Peldon Court. When the flats were built its name changed from Peldon Avenue to Peldon Court. Below the postcard you can see a part of the Bacon's map of 1904 showing Peldon Avenue as it was. The son of the artist Camille Pissarro, Ludovic Rodo Pissarro, himself an artist, lived in Peldon Avenue from 1919 to 1921.

However, it was in the early part of The Blitz in 1940 that Peldon Avenue became infamous. It was hit by a land-mine - a huge bomb dropped on a parachute - on 20 September 1940. The bomb destroyed almost all of the street causing the greatest loss of life in the borough of Richmond during the whole war. All of the female members of the Danby family were killed along with many other people. A good account of the bombing of Peldon Avenue can be found at this BBC web page. The present flats were built in the late 1950s. This is the only picture I've ever seen of Peldon Avenue, it may be the only one there is. Click the pictures to enlarge.

For more old photographs visit the Sepia Saturday blog.



View Larger Map

Thursday 15 December 2011

Sulgrave, Northamptonshire, c1920

Sulgrave, Northamptonshire, circa 1920. Sulgrave is a village in South Northamptonshire, near Banbury. This view hasn't changed too much in the intervening years. The road now has a proper surface. The thatched cottage on the left has gone and the post office is now a private house. Postcard by Blinkhorns of Banbury.


Friday 9 December 2011

Cleveleys, Lancashire, The Palace, Victoria Road, c1910

Cleveleys, Lancashire, The Palace, Victoria Road, circa 1910. Cleveleys is a pleasant seaside town just north of Blackpool. It is not entirely clear what 'The Palace' actually was. On first inspection it appears to be an early cinema. However, any self-respecting cinema would have posters prominently displayed advertising the latest films and film stars. This one does not. I suspect that it was a very low-budget concern, showing a limited amount of novelty films over and over again to attract the day-trippers. They would have depended on rainy days to keep their business alive. The  frontage shows that they have tickets at 3d, 6d and 9d, so perhaps I'm wrong and they were a real cinema? It would appear from the shop windows that they may have also been a retail premises too, probably selling the usual seaside goodies, sticks of rock, silly hats, postcards etc. In the main entrance there is a sign saying 'Palace Theatre' - perhaps they had live acts too? A charming mystery, I'm sure Cleveleys experts will know the full story.
The building on the left has survived, but 'The Palace' has gone. I will not comment on the relative merits of its current replacement.
For more old pictures you might care to try Sepia Saturday. Click the postcard to enlarge.



View Larger Map

Sunday 4 December 2011

Gurney Slade, Somerset, c1910

Gurney Slade, Somerset, circa 1910. In this postcard by Young and Co of Teddington we can see The George Inn. Gurney Slade was also famous as a 1960 television series by Anthony Newley, 'The Strange World of Gurney Slade'. Click the postcard to enlarge.



View Larger Map

Monday 28 November 2011

Broadwater, Near Worthing, Sussex c1913

Broadwater, Near Worthing, Sussex c1913. In this photo by W. H. Applebee we can see an old horse-drawn bus. Within just a few years of this photo being taken all of the buses were replaced by more efficient motor buses. For a really good horse-drawn bus postcard you may be interested in this post - Putney Horse Bus. As always, click the postcard to enlarge.



View Larger Map

Sunday 27 November 2011

Brentford, Middlesex, Congregational Church c1910

Brentford, Middlesex, Congregational Church circa 1910. The church is now called Brentford Free Church and has been altered slightly. The building next door has gone. Postcard by Young & Co of Teddington.



View Larger Map

Sunday 20 November 2011

Englefield Green, Surrey, Alexandra Road c1914

Englefield Green, Surrey, Alexandra Road circa 1914. The buildings on the left appear to have survived relatively intact, though the prominent shop on the right hand side of the road advertising 'Colmans Starch' has gone. The children playing in the road have also gone, replaced by parked cars. You can see the sign for The Jolly Sandboy pub (probably just a beer house). The building still stands, but is now a private house. The house has a blue sign on its wall saying 'The Jolly Sandboy'. Postcard by W. H. Applebee, click to enlarge.



View Larger Map

Tuesday 15 November 2011

Woking, Surrey c1930

Woking, Surrey c1930. The road on the left is Chertsey Road, to the right the High Street. The hotel on the left, the Albion Hotel, is long-gone. The current building on the site is at least called Albion House. You can just make out a woman in the top window of the hotel. The modern canopy you can see on the Google Street View is part of the rejuvenated Woking Railway Station. The building on the right of the picture that was a Barclays Bank is now a Budgens convenience store.
Postcard publisher not stated, but probably Charles Mitchell (1888 - 1961).
Click the postcard to enlarge.



View Larger Map

Saturday 12 November 2011

Chelsea, London, Dr Phene's House Of Mystery, c1916

Chelsea, London, Dr Phene's House Of Mystery, circa 1916. Dr. John Samuel Phene, a well-known resident of Chelsea, started to build this bizarre house in about 1901. Apparently it was regularly 'pulled to pieces' and rebuilt again. It never approached anything near completion. Dr Phene owned many properties in Chelsea and must have been quite wealthy. This house was apparently based on Phene's ancestoral home in France. The front was plastered in statues and painted in bright colours. The text above the front door reads 'Renaissance du chateau de Savenay' - rebirth of the house of Savenay. The house was never lived in. Dr Phene died in 1912 and the house was demolished by the early 1920s. Pictures of this little-known house are hard to come by, this is probably the best one you'll find on the Internet at the moment. More information on this fascinating building can be found here, here, here and here. Postcard by Johns. For more old photos please visit the Sepia Saturday blog.

Click the postcard to see an enlarged version. If you right-click the enlarged image you get an option to save it at the original 300dpi size, worth seeing if you want to see all of the detail.



View Larger Map

Tuesday 8 November 2011

Sutton, Surrey, Cheam Road c1910 (2)

Sutton, Surrey, Cheam Road c1908. The road has changed, but the church is still there. Also see this post. Postcard by Young and Co of Teddington. Click the postcard to enlarge.



View Larger Map

Tuesday 1 November 2011

Kingston, Surrey, Wyndham Road c1908

Kingston, Surrey, Wyndham Road circa 1908. Apart from the obvious cars, this pleasant road appears to have changed little in over a hundred years. The lack of street lighting must have made it difficult in the dark though. Postcard published by Young & Co of Teddington, click to enlarge.



View Larger Map

Saturday 29 October 2011

Putney, The Northumberland Arms, c1907

Putney, The Northumberland Arms, circa 1907. A very rare postcard, published by Young & Co of Teddington (publisher's info is printed on the back of the postcard). Up until recently the pub was called 'Jim Thompsons', but it has now reverted back to its original name - 'The Northumberland Arms' - an excellent name for a traditional pub. This posed photo postcard shows a Tillings Horse Omnibus on the way to Peckham. Tillings is still going as a bus company, but they do not provide horse buses anymore.

Edit - October 2011, it looks like the pub has changed ownership again and has been given a silly and irrelevant new name, the 'Captain Cook'.

Edit - November 2015, pub has shut down and is being converted into luxury flats.




Wednesday 26 October 2011

Leatherhead, Surrey, Bridge Street c1910

Leatherhead, Surrey, Bridge Street circa 1910. The first two buildings on the left in the postcard have been replaced in the modern view. In the postcard you can just see the top of the white three storey building that is prominently displayed on the left in the modern Google Street View. The ancient pub at the bottom of the hill, the Running Horse, is still in business. Postcard by Young & Co of Teddington. Click the postcard to enlarge.



View Larger Map

Saturday 22 October 2011

Stanwell, Middlesex, Lord Knyvetts School c1910

Stanwell, Middlesex, Lord Knyvetts School circa 1910. Stanwell is a village in Middlesex near Heathrow Airport. The boys in this photograph appear to be celebrating something, perhaps it was Friday afternoon? Lord Knyvett was the man who arrested Guy Fawkes in his attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament. In his will Lord Knyvett made provision for a free school in Stanwell and the school was founded in 1624. The school building still exists in the High Street but is now used as an old people's day centre. This postcard was published by Young & Co of Teddington in about 1910. For more old photographs visit (or join) the Sepia Saturday Blog. As always, click on the postcard to enlarge. Blogspot.com have recently introduced a 'lightbox' feature that make the picture open in your browser's window, but you can right click on it and save a high resolution version to your computer.


View Larger Map

Wednesday 19 October 2011

Ruislip, Middlesex, The White Bear c1913

Ruislip, Middlesex, The White Bear circa 1913. The White Bear is still in business. Postcard by W. H. Applebee. The three-wheeled vehicle in the centre of the picture is an A. C. Sociable and belonged to the photographer, it appears in many of his postcards. Click the picture to enlarge.



View Larger Map

Saturday 15 October 2011

Richmond, Surrey, 1910

Richmond, Surrey, 1910. This postcard, published by Lovell Smith of Richmond, is a bit of a mystery. Lovell Smith published many postcards of the famous Richmond Horse Show, so this may have been taken at that event. It is equally possible that it was taken at a May Day fair or any other similar celebration. I bought this postcard very recently at a postcard fair for a few pounds. There is nothing on the back other than the date 1910 written in the same ink as the 'X' on the front of the postcard. What is fascinating is the postcard itself, or rather the people in the postcard. I particularly like the contrast between the well-dressed young man on the left compared to the impoverished young man on the right. Their posture speaks volumes about their social standing, both posing with some pride, but in a very different way to each other. I don't think either of them are connected to the family in the centre of the picture. Many of the other people in the picture are smiling, something that you don't often see in old postcards. One of those postcards that rewards close study, every time I look at it I see something new. There are some fabulous hats on display here. Sorry, no 'now' picture in Google Street View this week as I haven't pinned down the location. For more old pictures please visit the Sepia Saturday blog. As always, click the postcard to enlarge.

Wednesday 12 October 2011

Pinkneys Green, Berkshire, Stag and Hounds c1913

Pinkneys Green, Berkshire, Stag and Hounds circa 1913. Pinkneys Green is a village in Berkshire, near Maidenhead. The Stag and Hounds is still in business. Postcard by W. H. Applebee. Click to enlarge.



View Larger Map

Saturday 8 October 2011

Nottingham, Midland Station c1912

Nottingham, Midland Station circa 1912. This postcard shows the third Nottingham Midland Station, built in 1903. The postcard was published by a publisher who signed themselves 'C. A.'. It was posted to an address in Roslindale, Massachusetts, USA in 1913. For more old pictures visit the Sepia Saturday blog. Click the postcard to enlarge.




View Larger Map

Thursday 6 October 2011

Pinner, Middlesex, Woodhall Gate c1930

Pinner, Middlesex, Woodhall Gate circa 1930. Woodhall Gate is the road off to the left, the photographer is actually in Uxbridge Road. Not a very exciting postcard, but I was born in Woodhall Gate on October 6th, some years ago (can't quite remember how many), so the postcard holds considerable interest for me. The postcard was published by an uncredited publisher. Click to enlarge.



View Larger Map

Saturday 1 October 2011

Levisham, Near Pickering, North Yorkshire c1910

Levisham, Near Pickering, North Yorkshire circa 1910. Levisham is a village to the north-east of Pickering, on the southern edge of the North Yorkshire Moors. The village appears to have changed little in the last hundred years. The building at the end of the road is the Horseshoe Inn, thankfully still in business. Postcard published by J. W. Malton of Pickering. For more old pictures visit Sepia Saturday.
As always, click the postcard to enlarge.




View Larger Map

Wednesday 28 September 2011

Ladbroke Grove, West London, Chesterton Road Post Office 1909

Ladbroke Grove, West London, Chesterton Road Post Office 1909. It was a stroke of luck to be able to find the location of this postcard. The original was very faded and there is no postmark on the back to aid with identification. There is a message on the back dated July 7th 1909. The person I bought the postcard from said it came from a collection of cards from around the Notting Hill area. After a little editing I was able to read the '.....erton Road' sign at the top which enabled me to pinpoint the Chesterton Road location. Amazingly the shop is still there, though it has lost much of its charm. Click the postcard to enlarge.



View Larger Map

Monday 26 September 2011

Pytchley, Northamptonshire c1920

Pytchley, Northamptonshire circa 1920. Pytchley is a village in Northamptonshire, south of Kettering. The bus is a number 7 to Wellingborough. It has solid rubber tyres. Postcard by an uncredited publisher, click to enlarge.



View Larger Map

Friday 23 September 2011

Falfield, Gloucestershire, The Huntsmans House Pub, c 1910

Falfield, Gloucestershire, The Huntsmans House Pub, c 1910. The pub is now called The Huntsman Inn and the surrounding area is not nearly as idyllic. Postcard by Young & Co of Teddington. For more old photographs please visit Sepia Saturday.
Click on the postcard to enlarge.



View Larger Map

Wednesday 21 September 2011

Cleveleys, Lancashire, West Drive c1920

Cleveleys, Lancashire, West Drive circa 1920. Cleveleys lies on the west coast of Lancashire, just north of Blackpool. It is pleasing to see that the picket fence of the house on the right has survived. A solitary horse and cart travels towards the camera. Postcard by uncredited publisher. Click the postcard to enlarge.



View Larger Map

Tuesday 20 September 2011

Chulmleigh, Devon, East Street c1912

Chulmleigh, Devon, East Street circa 1912. Chulmleigh is a village in North Devon. This postcard was published by a local publisher - F. J. Williams of Chulmleigh. Click the postcard to enlarge.



View Larger Map

Saturday 17 September 2011

Earlsfield Station, South West London, c1910

Earlsfield Station, South West London, circa 1910. Earlsfield Station appears to have changed little in the last hundred years. The modest entrance is out of sight in the top postcard, it is actually just past the bridges. The station has very recently had a make-over and a lift to the platforms has been added. Postcard by a local publisher who signed the back 'J.H.E' (I suspect J.H.E. is the shop on the left of the picture). Underneath the Google Street View is a view of the station platforms with a train passing through, posted in December 1908. Finally, a view of the station from the other side of the bridges, showing the entrance, published by Keystone Art Co of Norwood in about 1910. For more old photographs visit Sepia Saturday.
As always, click the postcards to enlarge.




View Larger Map





View Larger Map

Wednesday 14 September 2011

Norbiton, Surrey, St Peters Church 1914

Norbiton, Surrey, St Peters Church 1914. St Peters was built in the early 1840s by Sir Giles Scott. The posters by the gates of the now defunct Liverpool Arms pub are interesting. There is a detailed view of them below the Google Street View. The top one advertises a show called 'Can You Beat This?' at the Kingston Empire on Monday 28th September 1914. Postcard by W. H. Applebee. Click the pictures to enlarge them.



View Larger Map

Friday 9 September 2011

Camberwell, South London, Lyndhurst Way 1915

Camberwell, South London, Lyndhurst Way 1915. On the back of this extraordinary postcard is written by hand 'Some of the Camberwell Division of R. F. A. July 30th 1915'. The Royal Field Artillery were responsible for medium sized guns. Apparently there was a division based at Camberwell. The soldiers and horses seem particularly incongruous in this quiet suburban street. The street is actually Lyndhurst Way, not Lyndhurst Road as stated on the postcard caption. The postcard was published by Frederick Alfred Finch, photographic artist, of 112 Peckham Rye. For more old pictures visit Sepia Saturday.
Click the postcard to see a high-resolution scan.



View Larger Map

Wednesday 7 September 2011

Hounslow, Middlesex, Staines Road c1904

Hounslow, Middlesex, Staines Road circa 1904. This view shows the original Duke Of Wellington pub. The tram is travelling from the terminus at the end of Staines Road towards Hampton or Twickenham. Postcard published by the Collectors' Publishing Co, 42/44 Imperial Buildings, London EC. The postcard was sent in 1906 from Harry Symons to his mother at the British Consulate in Hamburg, Germany. It is possible that Harry was a soldier at the nearby barracks. Click to enlarge.



View Larger Map

Friday 2 September 2011

Laundry Workers, Gillingham, Kent and Twickenham, Middlesex c1910

Laundry Workers, Gillingham, Kent and Twickenham, Middlesex circa 1910. The first postcard shows four laundry workers and was posted from Gillingham, Kent, in 1910. I was particularly struck by the expressions on the girls' faces when I bought this postcard. The sender of the card, possibly one of the ladies in the picture, identifies herself as 'Nell'. The second postcard is an advertising postcard for Poupart's Electric Laundry in Twickenham posted in 1916. Poupart's were very big in Twickenham, they also had a dairy business, a jam factory and property interests. I believe a Poupart was mayor of Twickenham at some point. Both of these postcards are very rare, the Gillingham postcard may be unique. Obviously there are no 'now' images from Google Street View for these postcards. For more old images visit this week's Sepia Saturday blog.
As always, click on the postcards to enlarge them.


Tuesday 30 August 2011

London, Oxford Circus c1910

London, Oxford Circus circa 1910. In this very busy street scene we can see Peter Robinson's department store on the left-hand side. Further on is the furniture maker, Waring and Gillow. The street looks just as busy then as it does nowadays. Note the milkcart about to negotiate the junction. On the right you can see the entrance to the tube station. Postcard published by C & H Gurnsey of Paddington.
Click the postcard to enlarge.



View Larger Map

Friday 26 August 2011

Sutton, Surrey, Burgess Stores, Burgess Road 1935

Sutton, Surrey, Burgess Stores, Burgess Road 1935. It is possible to date this postcard by the poster for the Morden Cinema behind the bicycle wheel which is advertising Dolores Del Rio in 'In Caliente' and Wallace Beery in 'O'Shaughnessy's Boy', both of which came out in 1935. Postcard is by an unnamed photographer. One must assume that one of the men in the picture is Arthur Edmunds, the proprietor. It is pleasing to see that it is still a corner shop, not many have survived into the 21st century. For more old pictures please visit Sepia Saturday.
As always, click the postcard to enlarge.


View Larger Map


Tuesday 23 August 2011

Worplesdon, Surrey, The Fox c1912

Worplesdon, Surrey, The Fox circa 1912. Worplesdon is a village outside Guildford. The Fox is still in business. Postcard published by W. H. Applebee. Click the postcard to enlarge.



View Larger Map

Thursday 18 August 2011

Wandsworth, South West London, All Saints Church c1906

Wandsworth, South West London, All Saints Church circa 1906. This is an early postcard by Young & Co of Teddington, signed RCY for Richard Charles Young. It is interesting how the church tower has changed. Click the postcard to enlarge.



View Larger Map

Tuesday 16 August 2011

Faversham, Kent, Ospringe Road c1908

Faversham, Kent, Ospringe Road circa 1908. On the left of this first postcard, by Arthur Filmer of Faversham, we can see the Faversham Arms, now a private house. The house has retained the pub's etched glass windows. The pub was tied to Rigdens brewery. Shepherd Neame is now the last remaining brewer in Faversham. The second postcard, a coloured view by Miltons of London E.C., shows a close-up of the pub. The final postcard, in the Bells Series, shows the road from the bottom of the hill looking up. This postcard is a little later, circa 1920.
Click the postcards to enlarge.



View Larger Map





View Larger Map




Saturday 13 August 2011

Guildford, Surrey, Chertsey Street c1910

Guildford, Surrey, Chertsey Street circa 1910. We can see two old pubs in this postcard by Young & Co of Teddington. On the left-hand side of the street, The Dolphin Inn and over the road on the right-hand side the wonderfully named Leopard Inn. The only pub to be seen in the modern Google Street View is the big building that occupies most of the left-hand side, the not so wonderfully named Slug and Lettuce. On the left-hand of the postcard you can see a sign advertising a 'Fish Supper Bar'. Notice that a couple of the children in the postcard have a stick and a hoop. These are what children used for amusement before the days of iPods and PSPs (whatever they are). For more old pictures please visit Sepia Saturday.
As always, click the postcard to enlarge.


View Larger Map

Thursday 11 August 2011

Penn, Buckinghamshire, The Old Stock Elms, c1911


Penn, Buckinghamshire, The Old Stock Elms, circa 1911. The elm trees were replaced by the War Memorial, erected in 1922. The pub on the left is The Crown, still in business. Postcard published by W. H. Applebee in 1912, from an earlier negative by Young & Co, circa 1911. Click the picture to enlarge.



View Larger Map

Monday 8 August 2011

Farnham, Surrey, The Borough c1913

Farnham, Surrey, The Borough circa 1913. The buildings on the right are relatively intact, but much of the left-hand side of the picture has changed including the impressive municipal building in the centre of the picture. Postcard published by W. H. Applebee. Click to enlarge.



View Larger Map

Friday 5 August 2011

Tramcar accident, Millbrook, Near Stalybridge, Greater Manchester 1908

Tramcar accident, Millbrook, Near Stalybridge, Greater Manchester, April 2nd, 1908. Unfortunately I have not been able to locate whereabouts in Millbrook this accident happened. In the background of the postcard is a large building with at least three stories, possibly a mill. There is one mill left in Millbrook but I don't think it is this one. There were more mills there in the past. If any eagle-eyed readers can pinpoint the location of this accident I'll be very grateful. The tram was operated by 'The Stalybridge, Hyde, Mossley & Dukinfield Joint Transport and Electricity Board.' The tram route ran along the Huddersfield Road (on the Google map below, from near the bottom left to the top right corner). Postcard publisher not credited. The postcard was very faded so I've had to edit it to bring out the details and contrast. Notice the two girls on the extreme right of the picture. For more old photographs visit Sepia Saturday. The Google map below shows Millbrook, but not necessarily the scene of this accident.
As always, click on the postcard to enlarge it.


View Larger Map

Tuesday 2 August 2011

Grasmere, Cumbria c1920

Grasmere, Cumbria c1920. Grasmere is a particularly pretty village in the heart of England's Lake District. Formerly in Westmorland, it is now part of Cumbria. As you can see from the postcard it has changed little in the last ninety years. The Lamb Inn at the Red Lion on the right is a good place to stop for a pint of Hawkshead Lakeland Gold after a hard day's walking (though there are a couple of other excellent pubs in Grasmere too). The postcard is credited but I cannot make out the publisher's name. Click the postcard to enlarge.


View Larger Map

Friday 29 July 2011

Slough, Buckinghamshire, High Street c1926

Slough, Buckinghamshire, High Street circa 1926. Most of Slough High Street is unrecognisable now from pre-war times, but this stretch of the High Street has retained some of its old buildings. Postcard published by WHA. For more old photographs visit the Sepia Saturday blog. As always, click the postcard to enlarge.


View Larger Map

Wednesday 27 July 2011

Brixton, South London, 148 Acre Lane, Reveley Fish Salesman and Ice Merchant c1906

Brixton, 148 Acre Lane, Reveley Fish Salesman and Ice Merchant circa 1906. I think Reveley was Albert Reveley born 1885. This postcard was badly faded so I've edited it to bring out the contrast. The signs state 'This is the shop where you can obtain really good and freshly cured smoked haddocks' and 'Our customers tell us we sell the best fish in Brixton, A trial well rewarded'. The postcard was not posted and has no writing on the back. Unfortunately I don't know the identities of the people on the front or the publisher of the postcard. I have guessed the date to be around 1906. The premises is now a fast food outlet, but at least they still sell fish. Click the postcard to enlarge.



View Larger Map

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...