Northgate between Lord St and New Market St - 1963

 

Two shots of the same stretch of Northgate, the section between Lord St West / Lord St and New Market St / Blakey Moor. One looking north and the other looking south.

There have been many shops and businesses along here over the decades, over a couple of centuries I suppose, but probably the best remembered from the 20th century and into the 21st, has to be Mercers.

Though best known as an ironmongers, they sold much more besides. A great shop, over two floors, where you could browse for hours.

The name is still carried on, by the toy shop now on Darwen St.

Photos courtesy of John Eddleston

King William St - Looking South - 1963

Looking south along King William Street, towards the bend where Lord Street crosses. The dark edifice on the extreme right of the photo is the entrance to what is now the Nat West Bank, so the photographer would have been level with New Market Street as he took this view.

Photo courtesy of John Eddleston.

Thwaites Arcade - 1963

Thwaites Arcade viewed from the Church St end and looking in the direction of Lord St.

Courtesy of John Eddleston

King William St viewed from Church St - 1963

King William St viewed from the corner of Church St, looking north. 

In the distance, on the corner of Lord St, is the magnificent National Provincial Bank, which was built on the site of the St Leger Hotel. The St Leger was the hotel, where back in 1875, John Lewis, Arthur Constantine and a couple of others met, with a view to forming a football team, which indeed they did. That team became The Rovers.

If anyone has a photo of the St Leger, I would love to see it.  I have a couple of old postcard images, where it is seen in the distance, but both are so indistinct, you would never know it was a hotel / pub.

Courtesy of John Eddleston

Lord St viewed from Lord St West - 1963

Lord St viewed from Lord St West, looking across Northgate, with Johnny Forbes outfitters on the left and Watson & Wrigley (work wear?) on the right. Just out of view (sadly), beyond W & W is the old Wine Lodge.  I think that is probably its sign jutting out a bit towards the top of those premises.

Lower down on the left hand side is the National Provincial Bank (again) on the corner of King William St and further down Harrops, the Clarence pub, Rakestraws and in the distance, market stalls and the buildings on Victoria St.

Courtesy of John Eddleston

Thwaites Arcade - 1963

Thwaites Arcade viewed from the Lord St entrance, with Church St visible at the opposite end.

Courtesy of John Eddleston

Lord St - 1963

Lord St viewed from its junction/crossroads with King William St and looking down towards the market square, Victoria St and the rear of the old Woolworths store.

Courtesy of John Eddleston