My postcard of the Week resulted from a random dip into my postcard box. It shows the junction of High Street and Silver Street in Leicester in, I would guess, about 1905. I don't know Leicester at all well - I only visited the city for the first time a couple of years ago - but a quick review of Google Earth reveals that much of the city centre has been rebuilt during the last fifty years or so, However, I did manage to find a photograph taken from almost exactly the same spot as the 1905 one, which suggests that the one part of the city centre that has retained its buildings and its architectural style is this particular part of the High Street. I tried to trace the history of Hogget Son and GGH but I could find no information on either. Hopefully someone familiar with Leicester will add a comment and let us know what happened to both shops.
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| Photograph by NED TRIFLE. Downloaded from Flickr under a Creative Commons Licence and used with thanks. |
Yet again we see that the lovely old trams have gone; a sadly missed mode of city transport. The modern Siemens trams in Sheffield are fine, but not like the old ones and with nowhere near the route coverage. Must be getting old.
ReplyDeletelove the contrast between the two alan...i tend to prefer the pre-modern....
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing how they are so similiar and yet so different. Really cool to have the pics from almost the same spot. Truly so much history that you are surrounded by. I like to see the past but I do not think I would like to be living during those times. Mostly due to the medical advances that have been made since those times. But I do think I would like the politeness and manners that they had during those times. It would be kinda fun to experience it.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing the postcards.
God bless.
Amazing. I made myself dizzy scrolling back and forth from the then and now. How many postcards would you say are in your wonderful collection, Alan?
ReplyDeleteI only 'know' Leicester through Sue Townsend's delightful Adrian Mole books, which is not at all the gracious, lovely Leicester of your postcard. I very much enjoy these historical glimpses into before/after.
ReplyDeleteNice! It looks like the only thing that's changed is that they seem to have cleaned up the marble on that columned building, unless the brownish/yellowish tint on the postcard is the result of the printing process.
ReplyDeleteBack in 1997 Steven Spielberg filmed Amistad here in Newport, and needed to transform the downtown Washinton Square area back to the 1830s. They didn't have to change much about the buildings on the north side of the square; all they really needed to do was put boardwalks over the modern sidewalks and pread dirt and cinders over the street. We value our architectural heritage here, too!
What a gorgeous old postcard! & the then & now look is always appreciated!
ReplyDeleteStill very beautiful today, despite the missing trams.
ReplyDeleteI love the architecture. The long awnings in the first picture are so wonderful!
ReplyDeleteOoh - trams. I love them!
ReplyDeleteAlways great to see one of my photos turn up somewhere. If I had known about that postcard I would have stood a bit further back! The GGH building is still there - incorporated into the Highcross shopping centre. Despite what some people seem to think there is an awful lot of Victorian (and even earlier) architecture in Leicester City Centre. I'm afraid I don't know anything about the two companies mentioned but I know a man that might so I shall make enquiries
ReplyDeleteAlways nice to see my photos turning up in places - if I had known about that postcard I would stood a bit further back! Actually I have got a photo of the building on the far right of the postcard. Still there and looking better than ever - you can see it here - https://www.flickr.com/photos/nedtrifle/4794775074/in/photostream/
ReplyDeleteDespite what many people (including people in Leicester) think there is still an awful lot of Victorian (and older) architecture in the city centre. I would go so far as to say the majority of buildings are from that era in fact.
I did my own comparison shot nearby which might interest you...
My photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/nedtrifle/4795924209/
Postcard: https://www.flickr.com/photos/25797459@N06/4728057794/
Regards, NT