Early 1980s looking up the High Street towards Shire Oak. Image very Kindly supplied by Steve Turner.
Reader Steve Turner sent me some great pictures a week or so ago that I know blog regulars will love – but I couldn’t resist pulling out these two for a quick midweek post and a bit of nostalgia!
Steve sent these with a huge collection of images of the canal breach in the 1980s also recordered by David Hodkinson, which I’ll post later in the week, but these are fascinating.
Steve said:
Good Morning Bob,
Sorting through some old photos and came across these that might be of interest to your readers.
Late 70s I think when a hole appeared at the back of Millfield School and drained the canal.
Also a couple of the high street maybe early 80s.
Best Wishes
Steve Turner.
They show the garage that is now Kwik Fit, and the entrance to the old market site, now pedestrianised and the cut-through to Tesco. Amoco petrol is £1.896 per gallon – that’s about 42p a litre.
The Fish and Chips sign in the upper picture I think is from the Golden Grill cafe, a palace of formica tables, faux Americana and vinyl seats. The photo would have been taken from outside the old MEB showroom, I think. Also, there appear to be two Ford Capris in the same shot!
I can’t date these precisely, but I’d say early 1980s. Certainly no later than 85, as that’s when the market was moved and the access road pedestrianised.
Thanks to Steve for a couple of wonderfully evocative photos and for the whole bunch he sent me – thanks, donations like this keep our history alive.
Has your memory been jogged? Please do comment here or mail me: BrownhillsBob at Googlemail dot com.
This is the place that is now Kwik Fit, and the road branching to the left beyond went to the old market site, behind the garage. Image very Kindly supplied by Steve Turner.