Two peaceful views from the bridge

To begin my brief run through the letter F, I will show two old views taken from the Friars Bridge – one to the north, the other, the south.

The northerly view dates from July 1932 and shows a river tours punt gliding towards the photographer, with a top hat-wearing rower in charge. Two women in cloche hats admire the view, while a small boy runs a stick through the water.

Behind them are the two surviving buildings of the Blackfriars – the guest hall, left, still awaiting restoration at the time. Immediately to the right is the timber-slatted side of Green and Company Fellmongers, while on the left is the premises of Friars Garage. The fellmonger premises would be all but destroyed in the Blitz.

The view to the south is slightly earlier and probably dates from the early 1920s. The photographer has done well against the direct sun and although the distant tower of All Saints’ Church is burnt out, its reflection in the calm waters of the River Stour is still clear. On the left is part of the old foundry, which served the Cathedral for many decades, if not centuries.

Further down is the end house of Best Lane Square that, despite its name, was a row of six tiny cottages with access through a narrow passage from Best Lane. These tenements were demolished in the first wave of slum clearance at the end of the 1920s.

On the right, the house in the foreground has changed little over the years, while the riverside section of All Saints’ Square, further along, would be demolished in 1931.

The bright sun reflects on the surface of the Stour in this 1920s view

A rowing punt is about to glide under Friars Bridge, but the boy in the stern is more interested in what is in the water, in this 1932 photo