Penny Street viewed from Salford - 1963

Looking up Penny St from Salford, with the Lord Nelson pub on the right, with its fondly remembered OBJ man, which used to light up in sequence. First the O, his head, then the B, his body and then the J, his legs and then at the end, the whole three together.

A Dutton's house, as you can see (the brewery was just across the road, to the right of this photo), Oh Be Joyful was one of their most popular bottled beers. 

Photo courtesy of John Eddleston

Penny St / Brown St / Lark Hill - 1963

Penny St, and again looking towards Lark Hill. The street to the left, which the couple have just crossed was Brown St. That street is still with us, but doesn't follow the exact line of the original street. They kind of moved it slightly to accommodate the 3 day market and the wholesale market, back in the 1960's when both were built.

The premises on the upper corner of Brown street, with the doorway angled towards us, was The Ship Inn. The taller buildings a little further on, are the start of Lark Hill. 

The higgledy piggledy look, with the varying roof levels, gives us an indication that the various shops along this stretch were built at different times, in different periods. Darwen St, King St and Church St were (to some degree still are) also like this.

Photo courtesy of John Eddleston 

Penny St looking towards Salford - 1963

This is the bottom end of Penny St, looking down towards Salford at the very bottom, with a glimpse of Railway Rd (where the bus is emerging from). 

On the left of the photo you can see a little bit of the canopy over the entrance to the Odeon cinema and just past the Fleece pub, is the junction of Starkie St.

Note the Dutton's OBJ advertisement on the gable facing us. Quite a popular drink back then, in their dumpy little half pint bottles. The Dutton's brewery is just out of sight, to the left around the corner at the bottom, as is their pub, the Lord Nelson, which had the illuminated OBJ man on it.

(photos of the Lord Nelson will follow, in time)

Photo courtesy of John Eddleston

Starkie St (site of Thwaites Brewery now) - 1963

This is looking along Starkie St from the Penny St end. The photographer would have been stood (approximately) at the junction of Moor St, sort of where the ramp that takes you up onto Thwaites car-park starts (behind The Fleece pub). In the distance, where the people are, we have Cleaver St off to the left and to the right, Vicar St. Standing here today, you would just see Thwaites Brewery all up the left hand side and at the far end. Turn right at that end, the only way you can turn these days, and you come out onto Salford, where The Veteran pub and the Salvation Army Citadel are.

Photo courtesy of John Eddleston

Penny St / Lark Hill - 1963

This is where Penny St became Lark Hill. If you look closely, you can see both street signs to the left of the photo.

The first property on Lark Hill (the three storey buildings) was the Post Office that my mum used to use. I'm not sure what the next shop was, but the next along was Gleave's chippy (Cose Cafe) and then on the corner of Regent St was Holt's Chemist. On the opposite corner was Ramskill's tobacconists, who also sold sweets and then midway up the next block was Seddon's clothes shop. You can also just see a glimpse (towards the top) of The Lark Hill Tavern on the corner of Blakewater St and across the road, the walled embankment of Lark Hill Terrace and the large property on the corner of Primrose Bank (near to St Alban's Junior School and the church).

Photo courtesy of John Eddleston 

James St looking into Brown St - 1963

 This is a scene that has changed beyond all recognition, well virtually. All that remains of this today is the building to the right of  the car in the foreground.

The view is looking along James St into Brown St and the photographer would have been stood (approximately) on the intersection of Ainsworth St and James St. In the distance, where the road veers to the right, just out of sight, would be its junction with Penny St. 

Behind the photographer would be the little part of the street that still remains, up by the side of St John's Church.

The building with the portico and steps in front of it was the James St Chapel. Towards the top left of the photo, over the rooftops, can be seen the brew tower of the old Swan Brewery on Lark Hill / Moor Street.

Photo courtesy of John Eddleston

Below is an old postcard image (1905 / 06) of the same chapel. 

Postcard courtesy of the CP collection.

Penny St looking towards Lark Hill - 1963

Looking along Penny St towards Lark Hill in the distance. Old Chapel St (in the previous photo), is on the left, just after the two parked vans. 

Note Reidy's old shop on the left.

Courtesy of John Eddleston

Old Chapel St viewed from Penny St - 1963

Grays outfitters on the corner of Penny St and Old Chapel St, with St John's church in the distance. The pub on the end of the block is the old Regent, replaced by the 'new' Regent, further up Penny St, after all these properties in the foreground were demolished to build the 3 day market. The 'new' Regent has also gone now, replaced by the Job Centre, or whatever it's called.

Courtesy of John Eddleston