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 All dressed up and posing for photograph are the lady and gentleman in the photograph, does anyone know who they are? Underneath the gas light (not Lili Marlene!) but a policeman; the horse patiently waiting for it’s owner. The road in this picture looks as though it is not yet tarmacked, lovely and peaceful wish I was there.  This postcard view shows another street that hasn’t changed much over the years, although I don’t think so many people would congregate now if anyone came with a camera. Paul Jones-King told the Archive: “I live in the second cottage in, which hasn’t changed much since this photograph was taken! Image courtesy of Maurice Grayson and thanks to Paul Jones-King for the update.  An aerial photograph of the original Loftus Rectory shows just how big a house it is; a good big family house for the Rector of the parish. It features in postcard views else where on the Archive.  An imposing building, Loftus Rectory was easier to see before the Arlington Estate was built; a new rectory was built below the old one (in the late 1970’s). The present day rectory was purchased as an already built house on Micklow Lane, on the site of the Women’s Institute Hall. Image from a T. C. Booth glass negative and thanks to Steven Gale for the update information.
Springhead Terrace viewed from an elevated position; possibly from the property for many years occupied by the Gallilee family. Derick Pearson added: “Although the elevated viewpoint would indicate it was taken from the rear upstairs room of a house on Arlington Street. There was a photographers studio on Arlington Street for many years from the early 1900s until the 1980s”. Eric Johnson told us: “The top house on Springhead Terrace was known as the “Belgian’s house.” George Cuthbert told the Archive: ”The reason for the title ’Belgian’s house’ came from the occupation of the house during World War I by a group of Belgian refugees. At the end of World War I all but a 16-year-old girl returned to Belgium. The young lady later married the post master at Runswick Bay.” Thanks to Eric Johnson, Derick Pearson and George Cuthbert for the updates.
An earlier view of the houses on Micklow Lane; viewed up Springhead, Loftus. It is possibly a postcard view by T. C. Booth. Richard Watson told the Archive: “The houses in the foreground look like my mothers and the Gale’s on Micklow Lane. The side view shows a single lower ground bay window — a second floor bay was added before we moved – in about 1961. The next block up was owned by Fred Hutchinson when I was young and the Colbecks lived in the one above that”. Christopher Colbeck added: “The house in the foreground was lived in by the Watson’s and adjoining them in the 1950′ – 1960’s were the Fisher’s though before Fishers occupied it, the order of Nuns were living there (before they moved to the Convent on the main through road in Loftus). The next block: the first is ‘Springfield’ and was Fred Hutchinson’s and his two sisters who used to make funeral wreaths. Adjoining that was ‘Springrise’ later to become number 37 Micklow Lane; home to Archibald and Annie Tose. We moved there in the summer of 1958. My father Edgar Colbeck was a monumental sculptor who became the proprietor of Arrowsmiths monumental business on Zetland Road”. Many thanks to Richard Watson and Christopher Colbeck for the updates.
A busy day on Arlington Street even though it looks as if snow is on the ground; there are two horses and carts. The shop in the corner was owned by Tommy Wren; a dark musty kind of shop that sold everything or so it seemed when I was young. A lovely gas light on the left hand side and no I don’t remember them.
Don’t think it’s fog or a fire; it’s a fault in the photograph, but once again everyone stops for the photographer. We do have a man in uniform, a policeman, don’t think he will be directing traffic as there is only one horse and cart in the scene. The road looks pretty dire with the pools of water, maybe it hasn’t been tarmac-ed yet. What do you think?
Must be the most photographed street in Loftus; the gardens on the left and the chapel on the hill made it a lovely picture. In this one in the right foreground is Tim Lines boot and shoe repair shop; what was the shop next to it, was it his shoe shop? Please tell. M. Flegg has advised: “The shop down from the shoe sales shop was where the shoe repairs were done by ‘uncle Tim’”. Many thanks to M. Flegg for the update.
Number 2 East Street, was badly affected by the subsidence. The doors jammed and the occupants couldn’t get out. The nightwatchman’s hut was in the yard of number 2 in this photograph. He was on duty because of the coal gas in the mains and had to go round at night testing for gas and for water leaks. Numbers 2 and 3 East Street had to be demolished because of the damage. Image and information courtesy of Eric Johnson. |
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