Bedford, High Street c.1955

Photo ref: B51139B

More about this scene

The statue of John Howard, the founder of the Howard Leagyue for Penal Reform, broods over the Sqaure - and perhaps over the irony of its location - close to the old Town Gaol that allegedly once held fellow preacher John Bunyan. Many of the company names of the shop fronts live on in other contexts after nearly half a century. Wells furnishers were related to the brewing family of the same name; the Green Chair sign over the shop is intended as a hark back to the craftsman guilds of medieval times. The National Provincial bank is now part of NatWest Bank, itself owned by the Royal Bank of Scotland. The Jaegar Shop on the extreme left of the picture conjures up memories of tweeds and country pursuits; nowadays the branch is much more fashion orientated, but nevertheless to be found on the High Street in most large market towns. Currys, at the far end of the street, has now moved out of town and operates from a retail park, in common with most of its fellow brand-holders in the DSG Group. The Norvic shoe sign on the right indicates a footwear retailer that specialised in children's styles and fitting. The High Street is now a one-way traffic flow to cope with the influx of daily traffic. For the same reason, it is unlikely that drivers will ever again enjoy the same freedom to park at the side of the road as those in our picture.