As we leave Hotel Street (far left of the picture) we find ourselves back in Victoria Square by the Commercial Hotel.thought to have been built in the 1790s in open fields. This picture is c1900 perhaps before the electrification of the trams. We note the tram tracks, Oxford Street, horses and carts, toy shop on far right in Market Street. Note the pub is Brandwood's.

One claim to fame is that on the inauguration of the Bolton to Chequerbent (later Leigh) railway in 1828, William Hulton its instigator and George and Robert Stephenson the builders with their guests had a celebration dinner here.

1954

In its heyday, as many people remember it.

It is now Magee's. Look at the pram!

1950s, still cobbles, still horses and carts, trams have been discontinued,now bus stops. Headscarves are in, but so are hats with bows and trilbies. We have a foreshortened view along Knowsley Street with the Victoria Hall visible and beyond it the tall steeple, now removed, of St George's Road Congregational Church  (Now St George and St Andrew URC)

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The Commercial Hotel has been recently demolished despite many protests and work is in progress on the new Mothercare store on a wet January afternoon in 1973. Another storey was added in 1974. The store closed in ??2006 and is now Barclays Bank.

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1974

work on adding another storey to Mothercare is in progress while the shop remains open.

Victoria Square is now pedestrianised (yes almost 50 years ago) with the prize winning cement flags.

The Co-op is the Co-op Superstore.

The Hick Hargreaves machine is there in its glass case.

(C)WDC September 2009

Mothercare.

There have been a lot of trees planted in the town centre and they sometimes obstruct attempts to copy previous views.

Looking back where we came from down Hotel Street, Gas Offices on the right. The Co-op building is the most obvious feature, still there though sadly no longer a co-op. The street on the left is Old Hall Street North. Where the flags are is now Paderborn House. Date not specified but obviously the time of the Coronation in 1953.Decorations which we saw previously are visible on Naisby's.

1955

A snowy evening scene just before Christmas, looking past the Co-op to the Commercial, Naisby’s and the Gas Offices

between 1955 and 1961 -

1,3,5 Victoria Square demolished but Timothy White's has not yet been built.

From the side of the Town Hall near Old Hall Street North, looking towards Hotel Street and the Gas Offices Tower.

Photographer took advantage of the scaffolding while work was being done on the Town Hall. This is before any large scale clearance in that area. Gas Offices (demolished 1963) and Commercial Hotel still there. There is an unexpected chimney attached to the Bolton Evening News offices, a chimney is marked on the 1939 map attached to the “printing office”.

1964

Taken from the top of the Town Hall not long after the Gas Offices were demolished to make way for the Arndale Centre. There has been demolition on the near corner of Mealhouse Lane but we are some time off the building of the new Marks and Spencers. There is a clear view down Fold Street.

1961

On Victoria Square, newly built Timothy Whites, the Northern Clothing building, Thomas Cook. Shortly before the Arndale Centre was built, now Crompton Place.

Howell Croft North towards Hotel Street, the garden on the left became Paderborn House with the GPO the Register Office and motor taxation office. Later Whitaker's extended into it, now Beales, empty since 2016. The pillared doorway is the Co-op Department store, now Sports Direct and Costa Coffee. Across is the Commercial Hotel, later Mothercare, at present Barclays Bank. On the right of Hotel Street the Gas Offices. The parish Church is to be seen dimly in the distance.

A view down Old Hall Street probably from a Town Hall upstairs window. Across Deansgate roof repairs are taking place on the corner of Ridgway Gate. A little way beyond we see the towers of the Victoria Hall, Gt George's Road Congregational and St George's Church.

Between Howell Croft North and Old Hall Street North. The lawn and the buildings to the left were replaced by Paderborn House.

1950 The Crescent (later Le Mans Crescent)

Horse and cart is still a standard means of transport but town is getting increasingly busy with motor vehicles.

1960s?

The last picture looked quite summery. The same place a few years later in the depths of Winter (mid 60s? compare Morris 1000 with cars of previous shot).

1968

Howell Croft North. This whole area had once been Howell Croft, but the Town Hall and Crescent cut it in half so we have Howell Croft North where the Police Station used to be and Howell Croft South where the Library and the Deane and Daubhill bus terminus were.

The Aspin Hall still stands, though it is many years since the dances for which it was well known. In this block you might remember Betty’s sweet shop, less likely to be remembered, H Lee, grocer; Hughes drapery and household; Civil Defence Headquarters; Health Food Store.

La Casa Blanca coffee bar was behind here in Old Hall Street N.



Paderborn House now stands here