Work of town artist in the spotlight
Cicley Pickering painted many pictures of the town years ago
WELCOME once again to Hinckley District Past & Present’s pages here in the heart of The Hinckley Times.
This week we have more interesting images from the past. School days you either have happy memories or not so happy and looking at our selection today a couple of pictures from the early 1900s at St Mary’s Church School.
It looks like these children found life tough as you may expect. I wonder what their lives were like and what they went onto do into adulthood? Rowan Almey of Hinckley sent us a super picture from around 1954 taken at Townend School in Barwell. Maybe you recognise some of the youngsters of the time in the picture?
Then a mystery picture brought to our last scanning session by Ann Christen, she is confident its Hinckley but not sure of the school.
We wondered if it was one of the two schools that were once many years ago in Hill Street? Once again maybe you have an aunt, uncle grannie or granddad in the picture? Please let us know.
A splendid picture of the Boys Brigade at St Mary’s Church taken late 1950s.
We can see Canon Platt in the middle. This would have been shortly after he began his time at the church.
Finally this week we are delighted to share with you just some of the wonderful Cicley Pickering pictures with you for the first time.
Cicley lived in Hinckley and sketched and painted lots of scenes throughout her life and she has left us with a splendid legacy of picture. Here at HDPP are delighted to say that we now have official permission to reproduce and sell her prints.
All proceeds with go into our ‘good causes fund’.
One of the images shows the Hinckley Fire brigade racing out of the Market Place into Regent Street. Another depicts the splendid old Tudor building that stood in The Borough (where the church now stands next to building society).
The figures in the picture show the ‘Strolling Players’ entertaining the townsfolk. In a more traditional style a scene that would have been common place in Hinckley, a framework knitters cottage complete with family and the all important frame.
Then the railway that came to Hinckley in 1861/62. What a super picture this is. Just think back in those days the railway station would have been set in the fields on the edge of the town.
A scene straight from the Railway Children as they wave excitedly at the train. The last picture of this set shows Cicley’s interpretation of how a scene at the bottom of Stockwell Head looked.
Note it’s called Stocken Head. This was also the site of Hinckley’s first workhouse. Today it is the same corner that The Concordia Theatre stands on…on the left of the picture today is the Britannia Centre car park.
Remember we are always looking for pictures to scan, use and post on our Facebook group. We scan every third Saturday morning at St Mary’s Church Hinckley 10am until noon. If you would like to join us socially we have a monthly social night in the function room of The Greyhound pub on New Buildings Hinckley on the fourth Wednesday every month at 7.30pm. Everybody is welcome. We have regular guest speakers and film shows. We hope to see you there. Admission is free.