Watford High Street in Old Postcards

 

Under Construction  - details of more shops to be added

 

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The Parade, Watford - W [Valentine] 60961.Photographed 1908.

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Fire Station, Watford

B & D Kromo No 21096

Posted 1906

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Market Place, Watford - Harris, 20 St Albans Road, Watford .Circa 1903.

See the High Street on Market Day

Detour to St Mary's Church

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Market Place, Watford - [Blum & Degen Ltd.] Posted 1903.
[Coloured version also exists]

The shops on the right (1902 Kelly's directory) are:

Samuel Carter, Essex Arms Hotel, 69 High Street.

John Pearce Taylor, tailor, 67 High Street

Lloyds Bank Ltd, manager William Henry Cooke, 63 & 65 High Street. (Listed as Bucks Oxon Union Bank Limited, with manager W. H. Cookes, in 1896)

Rogers & Gowlett Limited, iron monger. wine bin manufacturers, hot water, electric light & bell engineers, gas and range fitters, 61 High Street (also upholsters & furniture dealers 49 High Street)

The same shops can be seen from the other direction on the left of the postcard below:

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Market Place, Watford - Hartman 3955/1 .Circa 1903.

       

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Market Place, Watford
Valentine Series 34306.
Photo 1900. Posted 1906

The shops on the right are: to be added

The following view is taken from a similar position (Rogers and Gowlett are the building on the left.)

watford-event-great-storm-high-st-1907

 

High St, Watford, after the Great Storm, July 22nd, 1907
 Photo by Couper, Matthews & Co. (photographers, 2 The Parade, Kelly 1908)
Published by The Watford Engraving Co.

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High Street, Watford - Valentine Series 34307. Photo 1900. Posted 1906

Peacock's 1896 directory listing of properties in the High Street, in number order, is reproduced  on the back of the South Watford & New Bushey OS map of 1896, as reproduced in the Godfrey Edition  reprint. In 1896 the properties on the left of the picture were:

R Rookby, 109a (Tobacconist in 1890, not listed 1912)
Eight Bells Inn, 111 (H. W. Randall - inn listed in 1890 and 1912)
London and County Bank, 113 (tall, brick, typical bank building)
Messers Kempton Bros 115 (with blind - grocers in 1890, not listed in 1912)

In 1896 the properties on the right of the picture were

J W Ellis, 122 (John William Ellis, linen draper in 1890, William S Wilson, motor and electrical engineer, in 1912.
[See HEDGES, 122 High Street, Watford, mid 19th century]
J Smith, 124 (Jonathan Smith, fishmonger and game dealer in 1890)
J Smith, 124 (Jonathan Smith, fishmonger and game dealer in 1890)
T. Mullett, oil and colour dealer, 126 (Mrs Louisa Mullett and Sons, home decorator, in 1890, Thomas Mullett, hardware dealer, in 1912. The objects hanging at the front of the shop are galvanised iron baths.)
H Tipple, 128 (nor 1890 or 1912, ?= Horace Tipple, butcher, 38 Sotheron Road in 1890)
Kings Arms Beerhouse, 130

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High Street, Watford
Valentine Series 34307
Posted 1914

The card is taken from almost exactly the same position as the previous one and confusingly has been given the same reference number. This one must be later as part of a garage sign can be seen.

The double-decker bus in the distance is similar to the horse bus illustrated in Watford at the turn of the century

References to 1890 and 1912 relate to the Kelly's Directories for Hertfordshire (on the ArchiveCDbooks compendium). By selecting intermediate years (not available to me at home) and even better looking at Watford Street Directories for the period (in Watford Central Library) a more precise dating of the photograph should be possible.

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Watford High Street

Hartmann card posted 1904

 

High Street, Watford

[Blum & Degan] No 8118.Posted 1907

(earlier in B&W, numbered 3691, with very wide white strip)

Turn left at grocers (big blind) into Queens Road

Continue down hill to Lower High Street

Page updated Jamuary 2009