This view predates the reconstruction of the drinking fountain, for the great war memorial. Steps were built at each side of the fountain, with new railings. Further down the wall can be seen the opening for the steps from the road up to High Side; this was removed after a tragic accident to a child. Lucie Wood comments: “I have recently purchased a house on the High Street and I’m interested in photographs of yesteryear. I’m from the south and Loftus is such a special place.” Mervyn Brown advises: “Unlike Lucie, I’m from the north but moved south, born in Liverton Mines 92 years ago. My uncle, Maxwell Race owned a well known Cafe/Bakery in Loftus Market Place, at the time (pre -war, I believe and pre World War I as well) between the Lion hotel and a wine shop Cammels. The saying was then that it was the only place you would see a Race between a Lion and a Camel. He sold out to make way for a new cinema which was built on that site and moved down the High Street to what was then known as Dam End and had a shop last on the right, on the corner. Happy days! Enjoy Loftus. I did though we left when I was 12 years old and after several subsequent moves arrived in Pinner where I now live.” Ian Harrison adds: “Hiya, Mervyn do your remember Tom Wren’s shop at Dam End. My mother and her family lived above when she was a small girl. She once told me that her and her sibling’s once went into one of Tom Wren’s rooms which was out of bounds really and to their amazment was full of Zulu gear: shield’s, arrows, and head gear.No doubt all from the Boer war.”
Image courtesy Joyce Dobson and Keith Bowers; thanks to Lucie Wood, Mervyn Brown and Ian Harrison for the updates.
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