Looking towards the north east

Town landmarks identified from old Echo archive photograph

THE latest rare old aerial photograph of the town from the Echo archive has had readers contacting us as you’d expect.

Dave Dunkerley wrote in to say: “Well, it took a few minutes to orientate myself, but got there in the end.

“The picture is taken from somewhere above what is now Epinal Way, between Field House and Alan Moss Road, say above the hospital.

“We’re looking north east. Clues are St.Peter’s Church, lower left centre, the old town gasworks, i.e. gasholder - upper left centre (where Sainsbury’s now is). Also, the Carillon, extreme right, towards the upper right hand. corner of the picture.

“So, that means the road snaking up the picture, just right of centre, is Ashby Road, heading towards town.

“The ‘boomerang’ shaped road, extreme right centre is the sharp bend on Westfield Drive from its junction with Radmoor Road.”

Looking Back regular Mike Jones said: “The aerial photo is rather interesting, as it appears to have been taken from the north east, showing streets on that side of town very clearly.

“The first thing that struck me was the former Rosebery Street School, bounded by Cumberland Road in the foreground Rosebery Street on the left and Storer Road above.

“Further up Storer Road, toward Ashby Road, can be seen the former St Peters C of E Church and Community Centre, now Rosebery St Peters, and at the end of the Road, St Mary’s Catholic Church.

“The former Hammonds Needle Factory can be seen on Havelock Street, to the left of the school and the Messengers Industrial Site in the bottom left hand corner.

“Station Street, Paget Street and Leopold Street are also on the left, including the Paget Arms public house and beyond that Regent Street and the Union Workhouse/Hastings House site.

“The two Rushes Gasometers can be seen in the distance, so it must be dated at least as far back as the 1950s.

“Usually, when looking at such views, one uses the Carillon to position everything. However, on this view, the Carillon only just finds its way onto the photo’ in the distance to the top right, above Curzon Street, Arthur Street and Frederick Street.

“I could go on, as many other prominent buildings are shown, but I’m sure that others will comment on those.”

Joan Tassell also rang in to identify Rosebery Street School and the Messenger building on the left.

Vincent Gilliver also spotted the gasometer, Messenger’s and Rosebery.

Former borough surveyor and regular Echo reader, John Todd, also confirmed that it the west part of the town with the gasometer and Carillon on show.

John was a little puzzled as were a few other callers, as to what exactly the building in the bottom right hand corner of the picture was and whether it still existed, or had possibly been lost with the building of the Epinal Way.

Can anybody help solve that little mystery? Please contact Andy Rush at Looking Back on 01509 635802. E-mail andy.rush@reachplc.com