This series of pictures of the same area of Wickford shows the changes that have taken place and what has not changed.
The Broadway by the Swan
A photographic record of changes
The Broadway around 1900
The Co-op in The Broadway 1904, it was more-or-less opposite the entrance to Southend Road. This building can be seen in the photograph above.
This photograph may have been taken in the 1930's or 1940's as the cars parked on the street are from that era. The Swan is on the right, you can just see the turning into Swan Lane. There is a petrol station on the nearside of the road, on the right.
The Broadway in 1955
The Broadway 1960
The Broadway 1965
The following series of photographs are looking at The Broadway from the opposite direction.
The Broadway in 1907, this building still exists minus a few chimney stacks! Considering that has existed for over 100 years there are considerable architectural features that have not been lost over the years.
The Broadway 1950
The Broadway 1955
The Broadway 1960
The Broadway 1965
These photographs of the same area of Wickford covering a long period of time show both large changes and, surprisingly in some of the detail, very little change. The pedestrian crossing outside the Swan appears to have been built somewhere between 1955 and 1960. This crossing is quite significant to me as this was the site of my first car accident, in around 1963. I stopped at the crossing in my Austin Somerset to allow people to cross. The person behind me decided not to stop! The accident was witnessed by two Police Constables standing outside the Swan, both said, although looking straight at me, they had not seen the accident! Fortunately the other driver, after saying I had reversed into him, decided he was actually an honest man and agreed it was his fault and he was responsible, so 'paid-up'!
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Great photos.
There was a zebra crossing across the beginning of Southend Road to Stafford’s. I recall my Mum (Ruby Bishop / nee Burton) buying a frozen chicken in the butchers opposite Stafford’s (not sure of the name of that butcher). As we stopped at the zebra crossing, the frozen chicken had other ideas and bounced across the crossing. We never forgot that evening, as I nearly died from laughing!!
Does anyone remember the co op dairy behind the Swan?
Great photos John, I remember Quirks Estate Agents being on the corner where Staffords was in 1965. Do you remember them being there?
A superb set of photographs.
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