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LEICESTER | Now & Then photos

73K views 454 replies 35 participants last post by  Leicity82 
#1 ·
Leicester then and now

I wonder if anyone can guess where the buildings below were in the city and what replaced them?

It is lamentable at what wonderful buildings were allowed to be demolished in the name of progress. I am all for skyscrapers in Leicester but there is enough shitty under utilised land that we don't have to carry on destroying our victorian heritage.





more wonderful images to follow...
 
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#69 ·
Has anyone ever found an aerial photo of the Old Town, before the construction of the ring road? Doesn't matter which decade. I'm interested in anything around St Nicholas, Jewry Wall, St Martin's, St Mary de Castro, the Castle Precinct, the Guildhall and Redcross Street, Talbot Lane, St Nicholas Square, Thornton Lane, Bakehouse Lane, Harvey Lane and the current site of Jubilee Square.

Also any old photos of these areas.
 
#71 · (Edited)
Here's one. If it weren't for the Castle Gardens area it would be a mystery as to where it is!


Unfortunately I can't remember which website I found it at or what date it is.

The website 'Britain from Above' is excellent for aerial shots pre dating the 1950s. Here's one you will be interested in Lears:

Image from http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/download/EPW054393

www.britainfromabove.org.uk
 
#83 ·
Hahahahaha, oh dear Leicity82, what have you done? Nothing good can come of creating this thread.

Just to push the wrist-slashers over the edge:

Palace Theatre, Belgrave Gate - http://www.arthurlloyd.co.uk/LeicesterTheatres/PalaceTheatreLeicester.htm

Royal Opera House, Silver Street - http://www.arthurlloyd.co.uk/LeicesterTheatres/RoyalOperaHouseLeicester.htm

Temperance Hall, Granby Street - http://www.arthurlloyd.co.uk/LeicesterTheatres/TemperanceHallLeicester.htm

Additional Temperance Hall pic:
 
#84 ·
Hahahahaha, oh dear Leicity82, what have you done? Nothing good can come of creating this thread.
It's nice to have a good moan!

However seriously what was going through people's heads that all this was allowed to happen? I know Leicester wasn't the only place for such disastrous planning decisions, but have we really learnt from the past, especially when schemes such as Victoria Halls are built?
 
#95 ·
#98 · (Edited)
The area occupied by Highcross now:

Image from: http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/onlineex/firemaps/england/eastmidlands/mapsu145ubu11u9uf011r.html

Around Highcross Street/Southgates:

Image from: http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/onlineex/firemaps/england/eastmidlands/mapsu145ubu11u9uf014ru2.html

Area where the old Southgates bus station land is now and around the relatively unchanged street scene of Greyfriars (inc. area where Richard III's skeleton was found):

Image from: http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/onlineex/firemaps/england/eastmidlands/mapsu145ubu11u9uf010r.html

Just imagine if a similar street scene were to be recreated in the old bus station land with independent shops, cafes, high end shops, etc.

All the maps can be seen on the British Library website here:
http://gallery.bl.uk/viewall/default.aspx?e=Fire insurance maps and plans East Midlands&n=2&r=10

They are really interesting, including around the market, showing the pre-indoor market buildings.
 
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