Hitchin, High Street 1903
Photo ref: 49736
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This 1903 view looking south down the High Street is full of detail. It seems to have been taken one warm morning - note the open windows, and the summery dresses of the girls on the right. The Cock Hotel advertises a billiard table and stabling. A cast-iron milestone outside records the fact that it is 34 miles to London. Next to the Cock is Barclays Bank, built by Sharples, Exton and Lucas in 1841. Next-door-but-one to Barclays is the establishment of William Payne, an agricultural, veterinary and dispensing chemist. He was also a dentist, and advertised as 'the Hitchin Modern Pharmacy and Artificial Teeth Laboratory'. The road visible at the far side of the Market Place is Bucklersbury. Only one or two municipal gaslights are evident, but private ones supplement them: for example Wightman's, on the left, and B K Williams next door (drapers, silk mercers, costumiers, and milliners). The man on the left, in the road, is pushing a milk cart.

An extract from Hitchin Town and City Memories.

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Hitchin Town and City Memories

Hitchin Town and City Memories

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A Selection of Memories from Hitchin

For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our website to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was, prompted by the photographs in our archive. Here are some from Hitchin

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In the sixties Hitchin market was a "proper" market where local traders brought their produce and goods, all assembled and displayed on trestle tables in the open area alongside the duck stream and church. There were many regular traders who sold their goods each market weekday with their cry's of Three fer-a-pand" and "Over ere madam " for your quality towels and bedding from "Jonnie" a favourite with the ladies. ...see more
The gentleman in the white printer's apron walking towards the camera behind the group of three men on the right hand side of the picture is my grandfather James Cannon (1878-1922). He worked in Hitchin at the printers, Paternoster and Hales, as a compositor.
I am trying to trace the two sisters from Arlesey who were at the Girls Grammar School during the period 1942-1949, their names were Patricia and Freda Davies. Does anyone have news of them?
I would like a photo of St Mary's School (C of E) Churchyard ,Hitchin, Hertfordshire where I spent my childhood. I know it was pulled down in around 1970. Thank you Effie Lewis