Leicester, Leicestershire

Memories of life

I was born in 1942 and spent my childhood years living in the way road area of the city.  My brother and I were lucky enough to have a family living directly behind us in Homefield Avenue (I think that is what it was called) there were three children. We used to spend many happy hours playing in the brook at... [more]

New Years Eve

I think it was possibly 1957 when I was at the Clock Tower seeing the New Year in! Lots of fun and no trouble as I remember.

End of war

I used to live in Cheapside, in about 1945.

The Eclipse Pub

The public house in this picture is 'The Eclipse'. I lived in the Eclipse as a small boy in the mid 1950s. My bedroom was on the top floor. I use to lie in bed at night and watch the Bovril electric sign across the road. My grandfather and grandmother kept the pub, their names were Charlie and Elsie Haigue. As... [more]

Fond memories of Wyggy Girls'

I well remember starting at Wyggeston Girls' Grammar School in Sept 1968 with my new shiny leather satchel. I was so proud of my black velour hat, black gloves, and 'sensible lace-up shoes'.  It had been my ambition to go to Wyggy Girls' from the age of five, when a girl visited class 1, St Joseph's Primary School, Armadale Drive. I... [more]

Thomas Pritchard , Chief Constable circa 1780's

My wife Merlyn's great, great, grand uncle, Thomas Pritchard, held the position of Chief Constable in Leicester during the 1770's to 1790's. He had seven sons, and the youngest Thomas migrated to Australia and settled in Bendigo, Victoria in 1850's, as a result of the gold rush. He married a Mary Stevenson, who also was born in Leicester. Thomas joined with... [more]

Lunch at the Pavilion

I was at Wyggy Boys School from 1961 to 68. Usually I went home for dinner (which we always had mid-day) as my father worked nearby and took me. But if he wasn't going home I used to meet my mother or grandmother and have lunch in the pavilion, Usually it was egg and chips for 1s.6d. and... [more]

De Montfort Rocked

Good to see DeMontfort Hall as it used to be. It was a great venue to see bands there. Once the small blues clubs had ran their course bands needed larger venues to ply their trade, De Montfort was one of the first, I saw Rory Gallagher, John Hiseman's Collesseum,Yes, Sutherland Brothers/Quiver and never to be forgotten Free (when they reformed... [more]

Leicestershire Photographic Memories

To the young in Leicester in 1949, the Clock Tower seemed like the universe, and life revolved around it guided by policemen on point duty. Holidays were generally taken at Skegness, Mablethorpe or Great Yarmouth; pre-television entertainment was fairly extravagant, with seven cinemas in the town centre, including the Floral Hall, along with three live theatres. Within two miles of the... [more]

Leicestershire & Rutland Living Memories

Tram wires and tracks are evident in this view of the county town. With five important roads making this junction, it proved to be one of the most complicated tramway configurations in the world. The 1960s saw all but a few buildings on the left swept away. Note the fine White Hart Hotel and the adjoining buildings.

Leicestershire Photographic Memories

How well ordered this street scene appears, with virtually no cars, only rumbling trams, and great six-wheeler buses. The Bell Hotel speaks of genteel days, and Lewis's store on the right speaks of a more pressurised era of merchandising in the 1930s. It is sad that a high proportion of the buildings in this photograph have been demolished in recent years.... [more]