Lovis Toone and her camera
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AS always another interesting batch of photographs for your enjoyment this week. We have been going through our ever growing archive to find the pictures we think are of interest or tell a story.
Groby Old Hall is one of those pictures and it is still there today. Furthermore, a number of years ago the TV programme Time Team spent three days there uncovering secrets of this fascinating site.
Today the A50 runs along its northern boundary.
The town is indebted to Lovis Toone, a very keen photographer who took lots of pictures around the town particularly in the 1930s and 40s.
She realised how the old town was disappearing even back then.
Her main picture, taken locally and showing a demonstration of the auto scythe, was entered into a photographic competition. It would be great to find the location of this picture, maybe you recognize where it may be?
Please get in touch with us if you know.
We have always been proud of our local fire service. These pictures were taken at a medal award event.
The Fire Station then was on London Road in the top corner of Queens Park. Today it is just a car park to the old original technical college building.
Some readers my also recall up to the early 1970s the old air raid shelter still stood on this car park.
The George Fox monument at Fenny Drayton is pictured in much clearer surroundings than it is today.
George Fox was a Quaker. He travelled throughout Britain as a dissenting preacher, performing hundreds of healings, and often being persecuted by the disapproving authorities.
Another picture shows a view of St Marys church with how the corner of Station Road and Church Walk looked in the 1930s.
This is another picture by Lovis Toone. Around 1908 the Globe Inn that stood here was knocked down but one remaining outbuilding survived. Today it’s a small Remembrance Garden and town twinning marker.
We also have splendid private country houses around the district.
Pictured here is Sketchley Hall which was the residence of the Aldridge family. It still remains but the chapel disappeared many years ago.
Finally we wonder how many faces you may recognise from this picture of Hinckley Rotary Club of 1970 to mark the 65th anniversary. Names include: A.B. Mills, J.W. Gilbert, F.E. Downes, A. Payne, Dr F.C. Johnson, R.F.A. Smallshaw, A.K. Davey, R.T. Stevens, W.O. Ruffle, E.W. Platt, R.E. Bennett, J.T.L. Baxter, A.B. Coley, J. Pickering, J.O. Prytherch to name but a few.