Anna Brown: photograph collection

Courtesy Peggy and Catherine Guest

The above two photographs date from c. 1895 as shown by the election notices on the advertising hoardings below St Mary's Church. The scaffolding reflects the restoration of the exterior stone work carried out on the tower between 1893 and 1895.

 

The pony and traps captured here have just negotiated floods in Mill Street. In the distance is the Town Mill building, then the Town Baths and finally the Carpet Factory of James Humphries. Date of the photographs? Town Mills was built in 1881 and subsequent to this year floods occurred in the town in 1882,1886, 1900, 1908, 1914 and 1915. At this stage 'you pays your money and takes your choice'.

 

This set of pictures depicts a procession along Blakebrook. The houses that form a backdrop to most of the scenes can still be identified today opposite St John's School. The inclusion of clowns, an elephant, camels and many horses would indicate that this is a circus advertising event. Is that 'cannon' being carried by the elephant big enough to fire a human cannonball?