City of Leicester & Leicestershire - The Good and Historical Stuff

[davieG]

A positive view of present-day Leicester from a boater:

[davieG]

 

 

Made In Leicester

Terry Jones  

St Peters Rd Highfields looking towards East Park Rd many moons ago.On the left hand corner of Chesterfield Rd can be seen the corrugated iron church of St Thomas`s that would have been demolished before 1916 when the Evington Cinema was built (Below red dot)...Just look at those beautiful villas that line the road.....Click the link to see how it is nowadays.... https://goo.gl/maps/gAQmXJu9FipSroaY7

[davieG]

From this 

 

 

To this

 

 

With thanks to Sketchley in the 60s who bought the site.

[davieG]

 

Graham Taylor  ·

The view from the Catherine Street bridge, Leicester, in 1962

 

 

 

Dave Morcom  · 

Another view of Leicester Midland from the mid 1960s

 

 

[davieG]

 

Wharf Street, no.s 7-27, with Bowles & Son and the Old Hippodrome Theatre at the end.

 

More about the Hippodrome here - http://www.arthurlloyd.co.uk/LeicesterTheatres/HippodromeLeicester.htm?fbclid=IwAR2mtALQOjRLZdNuAErri7NhogqSbtKYKX-BRaRus1O4C7Ml6uXJm1Fp6AU

[Parafox]

2 hours ago, davieG said:

 

Graham Taylor  ·

The view from the Catherine Street bridge, Leicester, in 1962

 

 

 

Dave Morcom  · 

Another view of Leicester Midland from the mid 1960s

 

 

In my youth at school I was a train spotter with a book of all the registered locomotives and steam engines registered in the UK and I'd put a line through the numbers in the book once I'd spotted them. This photo reminds me of standing watching the turntable from Swain Street Walk which overlooked the sidings at the London Road station.

It might be a bit Roy from Coronation Street, but I love steam trains. The engines are like living, breathing beings and the mechanics of construction are awesome when you consider how far back they go in the industrial revolution.

Edited 5 November 2021 by Parafox

[Buce]

9 minutes ago, Parafox said:

In my youth at school I was a train spotter with a book of all the registered locomotives and steam engines registered in the UK and I'd put a line through the numbers in the book once I'd spotted them. This photo reminds me of standing watching the turntable from Swain Street Walk which overlooked the sidings at the London Road station.

It might be a bit Roy from Coronation Street, but I love steam trains. The engines are like living, breathing beings and the mechanics of construction are awesome when you consider how far back they go in the industrial revolution.

 

When we 'upgraded' to diesel trains, we sold all our steam locomotives to India; back in the Eighties I travelled all over the sub-continent on them and it was truly magical.

[davieG]

59 minutes ago, Parafox said:

In my youth at school I was a train spotter with a book of all the registered locomotives and steam engines registered in the UK and I'd put a line through the numbers in the book once I'd spotted them. This photo reminds me of standing watching the turntable from Swain Street Walk which overlooked the sidings at the London Road station.

It might be a bit Roy from Coronation Street, but I love steam trains. The engines are like living, breathing beings and the mechanics of construction are awesome when you consider how far back they go in the industrial revolution.

Same here but we underlined them and put a line through them if we'd 'Cabbed' them. Birdcage Walk I think it was called, we used to sneak down the slopping path to the roundhouse and cab all the engines in there.

 

Also used to stand on top of the Swain Street Bridge.

[Stadt]

If you don’t love or appreciate steam trains something is missing with you imo. They’re magnificent.

[Parafox]

5 hours ago, davieG said:

Same here but we underlined them and put a line through them if we'd 'Cabbed' them. Birdcage Walk I think it was called, we used to sneak down the slopping path to the roundhouse and cab all the engines in there.

 

Also used to stand on top of the Swain Street Bridge.

Yeah, Birdcage Walk. Loved being there watching these wonders of engineering, not just the steam engines themselves but everything going on. Indescribable to those who never experienced it. The sounds and the smells of it all. I can't think of anything that comes close nowadays. 

As a kid I lived close to the (now Midland) mainline railway and I saw the Flying Scotsman go past the end of my road. It's something I'll never forget.

Edited 6 November 2021 by Parafox

[davieG]

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/local-news/gallery/demolition-plan-2-pictures-show-5548657.amp?fbclid=IwAR0NnQmOOOdQN7OK3qvIBIV3WdYalL5u9f2O7cxpzffpye0LEBrv5e7x0t8

 

Pictures show wrecking crews removing landmark buildings in Leicestershire

[davieG]

[Kinowe Soorie]

56 minutes ago, davieG said:

What was Granby Halls?

[davieG]

22 minutes ago, Kinowe Soorie said:

What was Granby Halls?

The site was used for various functions since its initial opening in 1915, when it was built as the training halls for Leicester's Army recruits during World War I.

It's had various usages such as exhibitions ( Home Life Exhibition), Roller Skating, Boxing, Concerts/Gigs, was home to the Leicester Riders Basketball team and many other usages.

 

A look back at Granby Halls - 23 pictures of the Leicester venue before it was demolished in 2001 - https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/look-back-granby-halls-23-1249224

 

 

[davieG]

 

1903

 

According to - Stephen Robert Vaughan-Icke

The laying of the most complex tramline intersection in the country at Leicester's clock tower. It took just nine days to complete.

[davieG]

Just now, davieG said:

 

1903

 

According to - Stephen Robert Vaughan-Icke

The laying of the most complex tramline intersection in the country at Leicester's clock tower. It took just nine days to complete.

It seems like nowadays it takes them that long to set the roads up before they can even start the work but I guess the good old H&S has an effect and if it saves lives the it's worth it.

[davieG]

 

Peter Burnham  ·

Great Northern Railway station Belgrave Rd. opening day May 1882

[davieG]

Entrance to the Market Place - no date.

[davieG]

A knitted Soldier - Syston Memorial

 

 

 

 

[davieG]

· 
Terry Jones - Haymarket c1900 and the hoss tram waits for a few more fares before setting off for Belgrave village...

 

 

 

 

 

[Stadt]

City centre map, 1950

[Free Falling Foxes]

5 minutes ago, Stadt said:

City centre map, 1950

I have a 'Geographia' Leicester street guide published in the mid 50s. It is fascinating to see how much the City and surrounding estates have changed since then.

Alas, not all for the better.

[lcfc278]

1 hour ago, Stadt said:

City centre map, 1950

Is there a way of laying this over a modern day map of Leicester?

 

Fascinating to see all the areas and streets/street names that no longer exist.

[Free Falling Foxes]

1 hour ago, lcfc278 said:

Is there a way of laying this over a modern day map of Leicester?

 

Fascinating to see all the areas and streets/street names that no longer exist.

There's a number of websites that do what you ask. Here's one

[davieG]

On 26/08/2020 at 10:19, davieG said:

https://www.archiuk.com/cgi-bin/build_nls_historic_map.pl?map_location= Leicester LEICESTER City of Leicester&search_location=Leicester%2C City of Leicester%2C SK5804%2C SK 58 04&os_series=1&is_sub=&pwd=freesearch%40freesearch.com&latitude=52.630664&longitude=-1.144498&postcode=&fbclid=IwAR1LQ5yzh6uU3egvjveVYJcWTZIYbH9vF-twj_vE9YORKp0Aotk7EWBqpz8

 

Interesting Victorian Map based on Leicester. You can enlarge and move around the country and go back to an Old Victorian Ordnance Survey 6 inch to 1 mile Old Map (1888-1913) of Leicester, City of Leicester, SK5804, SK 58 04, United Kingdom

 

1 hour ago, lcfc278 said:

Is there a way of laying this over a modern day map of Leicester?

 

Fascinating to see all the areas and streets/street names that no longer exist.

Not an overlay as such but you can use the slider to move through the years