Braunston, the Marina c1965 (ref. B778015) | The marina was
originally a reservoir
to maintain levels
in the Grand Union
Canal; it was also
used as a pound to
moor working boats.
Water was pumped
from here up to
the top lock. The
line of bushes and
trees in the middle
distance hide the
embankment of the
railway line, which
ran from Weedon
through Daventry
to Leamington.
The service was
withdrawn in 1959.
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Braunston, the Canal c1965 (ref. B778014) | We are looking westwards
along the Grand Union Canal
on its way to Birmingham, at
point where it originally joined
the Oxford Canal. This junction
was later moved further on,
and the 'cut' to the left became
the entrance to the 'pound'. The
building on the left is the Stop
House, where boats would stop
to pay their tolls as they moved
from one canal company canal
to another. The 'Belmont' (centre
left) is the butty to the 'Stanton'
(next to it), belonging originally
to Barlows. Butties were the un-
powered boats towed by their
powered partner.
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Braunston, the Canal c1965 (ref. B778026) | Blue Line, whose buildings
and offices we see here,
was a pioneer company in
promoting canal cruising
both here and in France.
The buildings and covered
dry dock are situated on the
original route of the Oxford
Canal. This was re-engineered
around 1830, after the Grand
Union Canal was built. The cut
to the left leads to the pound,
now the marina.
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Braunston, the Church c1955 (ref. B778001) | All Saints' Church
was built in 1849 to
replace a crumbling
medieval building. It
was later re-ordered
inside by William
Butterfield, probably
while he was working
nearby at Rugby. The
house to the right
with a corrugated iron
roof, now demolished,
shows a common
solution to failing
thatch. Often the tin
was put on over the
remaining thatch- an
inelegant but cost-
effective solution to a
leaking roof!
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Braunston, the Canal c1965 (ref. B778016) | The 1960s was a turning point for the canals as the working boats' cargoes were switched to the
roads, particularly the new M1 motorway. Many of the old boats were converted for cruising, but
this one may well have been built to order. In the background is the A45 London to Holyhead
turnpike. Just past this is the new Oxford Canal junction.
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Braunston, High Street c1955 (ref. B778006) | Looking west along the
High Street, we see on the
right the Dog and Gun, a
Phipps public house, now
closed and converted to a
private house. Next door
was the post office, recently
demolished to allow
restoration of the garden
to a charming Georgian
gentleman's house. The
white house further on was
the Crossed Guns, another
public house. Behind the
wall to the left was the
Baptist Chapel of 1796,
demolished in 1967.
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Braunston, High Street c1950 (ref. B778004) | As we move further west, we can identify the van on the left as a Mackeson Stout delivery van. Just beyond it, the half-
timbered house is believed to be the oldest building in Braunston. Further down to the right was the village bakery with a
'Hovis' sign on the façade. This bakery was in business into the 1990s.
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Braunston, the Green c1955 (ref. B778007) | Leaving Daventry northwards along the London to
Holyhead turnpike, we arrive at Braunston, the hub of
the canal network. From here you can travel to London,
Birmingham, Leicester, Oxford and Stratford upon Avon
by canal. At the top of the High Street stands the old
National School, now the Village Hall (centre). After the
new school was built in 1967, part of this building was
used as a branch library for Braunston.
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Daventry, High Street c1955 (ref. D83028) | The two impressive
buildings to the
right now house
the Natwest Bank,
previously the
National Provincial
and originally the
Northamptonshire
Union Bank.
Rodhouse's, a
milliner's and draper's
(extreme right), are
still remembered with
much affection in the
town by the many
ladies who bought
their hats and bonnets
there, made by the
Misses Rodhouse.
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Daventry, High Street c1948 (ref. D83011) | The car on the left obscures what
was the front window of the
Daventry Weekly Express office (or
The Gusher, as it is affectionately
known by the locals). In 1981 they
crossed the road to the building
occupied here by E Harris, the
chemist (second from the right).
On the extreme right is Wood
Bros, wine merchants, and above
the shop there were two flats,
both rented at one time by BBC
trainee engineers and their fami-
lies. This building, a fine example
of a Georgian town house, is now
Barclays Bank.
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Daventry, High Street c1965 (ref. D83078) | Daventry High Street is
now looking very busy. The
Co-op have modernised
their premises from the
original three shops (a
baker's, a grocer's and a
butcher's) to a modern
supermarket. Golding &
Son, the grocer's beyond,
has been replaced by
Rainbow's carpet shop. The
white building to the right
of the Co-op still houses
the Conservative Club. On
the left, Jean Green has
opened her fashion shop,
bringing style to the ladies
of the town.
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Daventry, North Street c1965 (ref. D83029) | The attractive Beehive Cottage on the right was originally the lodge to Captain Stopford's
house on Ashby Road. That house, alas, was demolished, and the site used to build the
Community Centre. For many years Grammar School pupils used North Street to reach their
sports ground at the bottom of the hill. We now return up the hill to High Street.
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Daventry, High Street c1950 (ref. D83009) | Judging by the clothes
worn by the two ladies on
the right, it is thought that
this photograph was taken
in the late 1940s. They are
passing two of the main
food shops of the town.
On the extreme right is
the Co-op butcher, whose
meat won many prizes, and
next door is Golding & Son,
a grocer, whose shop was
renowned for the smell of
good coffee. The Rugby
Provident Building Society
on the left became part
of the Hinckley & Rugby
Building Society in 1983.
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Daventry, High Street c1965 (ref. D83049) | Comparing this to
picture D83053, we
can see that the
decorators have
changed position.
The painter is now
'footing' the ladder
for his colleague. This
picture clearly shows
Lloyds Bank as the
neighbour of the TSB.
Just further on across
North Street, the new
building is Newman's,
the first supermarket-
style shop to open
in Daventry. It is now
the offices of the
Nationwide
Building Society.
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Daventry, High Street c1965 (ref. D83053) | The Working Mens' Club
is receiving a lick of paint.
The Working Men's Club is
now at The Lodge, Welton
Road, just out of sight to
the left down Abbey Street.
On the left is the Trustee
Savings Bank, which had
just opened in Daventry
with Barbara Green as
their first cashier. The bank
encouraged young savers
by providing services
in the lunch hour at the
Grammar School. The TSB
was absorbed by Lloyds
Bank, which in Daventry just
happened to be next door!
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Daventry, Grammar School c1965 (ref. D83020) | North Street joins High Street by
Lloyds Bank, and it is down here on
the left that we find the last Daventry
Grammar School building. The
Grammar School was founded in 1576
by William Parker, a Daventrian who
became a wealthy merchant in London.
The school was originally situated in
New Street. This photograph shows
the later building, built in 1937, which
itself became redundant following the
amalgamation of the Grammar School
and the Secondary Modern School in
the 1980s. That school on Ashby Road
is now known as William Parker School.
This building at present houses the
County Library, but redevelopment
plans are afoot!
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Daventry, the Canal c1965 (ref. D83042) | Braunston Tunnel en route for London. Many of the 'butties', which are the unpowered towed boats, were originally horse-
drawn. The two vessels moored on the right are British Waterways boats used to maintain the canal.
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Daventry, High Street c1960 (ref. D83027) | Another quiet day in the High Street; perhaps the photograph was taken on a Wednesday,
which was early closing day. Most of the buildings are still recognisable, but only Lloyds
Bank, now Lloyds TSB, is still trading. Lloyds' building was built for the old City and Counties
bank, and the superb coat of arms sculpted on the side is plain to see. The three shops on
the right, where the barber's pole is, were demolished in the 1970s to make the entrance to
Bowen Square. The barbers were Messrs Bolton & Warne, with Bird's the greengrocer's this
side and Walker's bakery on the other side.
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Daventry, the Reservoir c1960 (ref. D83030) | A chance for the local people to relax sailing on one of the canal reservoirs. These were built along the Grand Union Canal
to maintain the water level in the canal. This one, on the Ashby Road, is still used by the Rugby and Daventry Sailing Club.
The larger reservoir nearer to the town is now the centre of the country park.
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Daventry, High Street c1965 (ref. D83070) | Looking along the High Street past
the beleaguered Burton Memorial,
one would see little change today in
the buildingscape. Danetre Bakery
(left) has long gone, and the building
society on the extreme left in this
photograph may be the old Anglian
Building Society before they became
the Nationwide and moved across
the road. The Milk Bar (centre right),
built in 1952, has replaced the
tobacconists seen in picture D83004.
It was a favourite meeting place for
Grammar School pupils, and is still in
business today. The adjacent Lion and
Lamb, however, is now called Friday's.
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