For more old photos have a look at Sepia Saturday.
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Friday, 14 February 2014
Ilford, The Broadway, c1912
Ilford, The Broadway, circa 1912. Ilford is a suburb of east London. In this postcard, we can see on the left, the White Horse pub and on the right, the Black Horse pub, with the Ilford Hippodrome (presumably a theatre) to the right of that. In between is a magnificent municipal clock and a tram. Looking at the modern Google Street View of the scene, the White Horse building is still there on the left, but it is now a branch of Barclays Bank. The Black Horse on the other side of the road is still a pub, but the building is now modern and characterless. Much more of a pity is the disappearance of the clock. Do any readers know what happened to it? The tram of course has long since gone, and with it some of the soul of old Ilford. Click the postcard to enlarge.
For more old photos have a look at Sepia Saturday.
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For more old photos have a look at Sepia Saturday.
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I enjoy how an old view can be compared with the newer one. I might try finding the google earth views from some of my scenes I've posted.
ReplyDeleteI don't know that either version of the intersection would be easy for a pedestrian to cross. The clock tower looks like it evolved from its original purpose into a multi-tasking structure - clock, lights, horse trough, shrine, guard tower?
ReplyDeleteoh no, another one of those modern scenes that breaks your heart compared with how it used to look. Fantastic postcard, I wonder if the clock was built in honour of Qn Victoria's Diamond Jubilee.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately most modern buildings don;t have a soul. I don't know why I feel like that but the old buildings seem to welcome you in a way the newer ones don't. Fancy taking that lovely clock away.
ReplyDeleteWhere would we be without Google: In 1923 the Broadway Clocktower was relocated to South Park to make way for a new tramway junction and to relieve traffic congestion. It was there destroyed by a direct hit by a V1 bomb on June 16, 1944.
ReplyDeleteThanks Rob, what a terrible ending!
DeleteOh my, I am all for the old days!
ReplyDeleteAm I the only one who things that the overhead wires have connections that look like someone one skis? Great card, Howard.
ReplyDeleteBob you're right, its the winter olympics!
DeleteGreat details on the postcard.
ReplyDeleteI have been watching the Olympics, and to me it looks like there are mini skiers all over the sky!
I was just thinking the same thing...little skiers.
ReplyDeleteThat municipal clock is fascinating, as are so many other details of this gorgeous card.
I love then and now photographs, although the 'now' version is often quite sad when you realise what has disappeared from sight, one way or another. The wires overhead would be for the trams I imagine.
ReplyDeleteRemoving the clock tower might have improved the driver's view at the intersection, but the pad is still there, so I'm not sure the road is much better.
ReplyDeleteModernization has little charm or 'soul' now. But I wonder what people will think of our current-day modernization a hundred years or so from now? And after reading Bob's remark about the overhead skiers, I had to go back & check it out. Guess I'm not always that observant!
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