Then And Now

This section of the site is provided in partnership with The Swindon Society and The Richard Jefferies Society. It enables you to see how the surrounding area used to look and learn more about your town. We are adding value by providing a current photograph taken as far as possible from the same position. The project involves a fair bit of detective work, so if you can add or correct information, please get in touch. This is your site, so if you would like to get involved in extending this project, please let us know.

Titlesort icon Description Date
Whiteman Street, Gorse Hill, Salvation Army Band, 1968 June 1, 1968 Then
Whitehouse Road Gorse Hill 1950

Railway workers leaving the Beatrice St entrance to the works onto Whitehouse Road

 July 1, 1950 Then
Westlecott Road, No.10 Walton House School, 1913

The Revd Harold Higgins, is the man in the centre of this portrait of him and his pupils in 1913. He was the founder and headteacher of Walton House School, at No10 Westlecott Road. Prior to this he was the curate at St Barnabas' Church, Gorse Hill, and in 1910 he started the school. Between 1933 and 1950 Mr Higgins was the Rector of West Kington (near Chippenham). He died in 1953 aged 84.

 June 1, 1913 Then
Westcott Place, The Ship Hotel 1903 - Unfortunate barmaid murdered

Esther Hettie Swinford was a 19 year old barmaid at the Ship, and had engaged herself to marry Edwin Palmer. She evidently had second thoughts as to his nature and subsequently called it off. The jilted former fiancee walked into the pub in September 1903 and shot her dead with a pistol as she worked. Palmer was hanged at Devizes the following year. This portrait is believed to be the first photograph ever published in Swindon's Evening Advertiser, which brought out special editions to report her death.

 January 1, 1902 Then
Westcott Place, The Ship Hotel 1902

The Ship Hotel on the corner of Westcott Place and Birch Street in 1902, The Ship had a turbulent history as a public house, though it lasted the century with the same name and only recently was converted to a live music venue and renamed the '12 Bar'

 January 1, 1902 Then