Description

Summary: 29 black and white photographs of Devizes, Wiltshire. 1 - The Market Place c. 1970's, a group of young people are sitting around the fountain, another group are standing around some motobikes, both groups are inbetween parked cars. The following 23 photographs are part of a "Then and Now" series c. 1970's. 2 and 3 - The Market Place centred on the Market Cross, the "then" photograph shows the cross surrounded by at least seven horse and carts, the "now" photograph shows cars parked either side of the cross. 4 and 5 - The Fountain in the Market place, the "then" photograph shows four men around the fountain which has four recently planted trees at it's edge, the "now" photograph shows one person sat at the edge of the fountain with cars parked on two sides of it. 6 and 7 - The Corn Exchange and Market Place, the "then" photograph shows the opening of Assize, a liveried, horsedrawn coach complete with grooms is accompanied by horseback outriders, some in police uniform, a small crowd has gathered to watch, the "now" photograph shows the front of the Corn Exchange with cars parked in front, opposite it and along the road. 8 and 9 a view from the Market Place looking towards St John's Street, the "then" photograph shows the surrounding buildings decorated with bunting and a temporary decorative arch at the entrance to St John's Street, the "now" photograph shows cars parked on all streets and the branches of two national banks on either corner of St John's Street. 10 and 11 - Dunkirk Hill, the "then" photograph shows a walled, banked and tree-lined road with a horse and cart coming up the hill, the "now" photograph shows less trees, modern flats in the distance and an open topped car going down the road. 12 and 13 - Dunkirk, the "then" photograph shows the "Queen's Head" Inn in the right midground with houses either side, the church can be seen in the distance, the opposite side of the road is picket fenced, the "now" photograph is taken from approximately the same angle, the sign for the pub has changed and some of the buildings after the pub have been demolished. 14 and 15 - The Police Station, the "then" photograph is a side view of the police station looking down the fenced, tree-lined road, the "now" photograph shows a new housing estate occupying the site of the old police station. 16 and 17 - Southbroom Voluntary School, the "then" photograph is of a large group of school children, possibly the whole school, standing in front of the school building and behind the railings on top of the wall, two young trees stand at the edge of the footpath, the "now" photograph shows the building little changed, the walls and railings are still present, one of the trees still survives and a flag pole hase been added just inside of the wall.18 and 19 - Maryport Street, the "then" photograph is looking down the street with shops of various types on either side, including Neate & Sons and T.C Dee, the "Three Crowns" public house can be seen in the left midground, there are two horse and carts, a small hand cart, and bicycles on the left and a group of gentlemen including one with a bicycle in the middle of the street, a lady with a parasol towards the end of the strret and a delivery man in the right background, the "now" photograph shows the "Three Crowns" still serving customers, the building that was to it's left has gone and a new supermarket in it's place although the buildings to the pub's right don't show much change, just more signage, the buildings on the other side of the street appear little changed as well. 20 and 21 - His Majesty's Prison, the "then" photograph shows the main gate of the prison with a guard and a young boy standing in front of them, the walls of the prision extend on both sides, the "now" photograph shows a new housing estate on the site. 22, 23 and 24 - New Park Road looking towards Quakers Walk, the "then" photograph shows a long straight road leading to the large gates, the entrance to Quakers' Walk, just before the gates the road is pinched by the two inward facing semi-circlular walls of a bridge, on the left of the road is a large, many cimneyed building with gardens around it, to the right of the road appear to be allotments and open fields, the "now" photograph shows the large building, bridge and gates still in evidence but all the surrounding land on the closest side of the river has been built on. 25 - The Brittox, c1970's, looking down the pedestrianised, shop lined and very busy street, the shops are different now but the buildings remain more or less the same. 26 - Caen Hill Locks, looking up the range of locks, a small sluggish stream in the foreground with a trackway leading up the hill on the right, a row of buildings can be seen on the right hand sky line. 27 - looking up an elderflower and tree lined track. 28 and 29 - these photographs may be part of the "Then and Now" series but there is no information on them, they show tree lined walk ways, the "then" photograph shows a wide track lined with large, mature trees, the "now" photograph shows a narrow footpath with different, smaller mature trees lining the way.