MANY people have approached me concerning the old Winsford in comparison with the new. Nostalgia is alive and well in the town as it continues to change almost weekly.
In the coming months Flashback will try to stir the memory of the older Winsfordians and to show the newcomer what the town used to be like in terms of its folk, buildings, shops, the landslips it has coped with and the surrounding treasures.
And what better way to start a series of articles than to show a photo of Winsford taken in around 1960.
The gas tower is overlooking the old town, which in just a few year's time would almost disappear.
The town bridge can be seen in the centre of the scene, with the old High Street going up the hill, and the spire of Christ Church can be seen just off centre by the sprawling hill to Over.
Coming to the bottom right, Stoneley's hairdressers, complete with revolving sign, is at the side of the old hoarding boards, advertising Bristol Cigarettes.
I can remember that the shop was still there in the early 60s, next is Brook's shop with the blinds pulled down, it was there for years, their pies were renowned locally and only finished trading a couple of weeks ago, sadly another blow for the town.
The chimneys of Hamlett's Salt Works are to the right. George Hamlett's premier salt works opened early in the century and seemed to be one of the first companies in the town to have a telephone as the number was 'Winsford two'.
Hamlett's closed in 1956 being the last salt works operating in the town using the open pan method.
The buildings were not demolished until 1961. As kids we would play in the ruins which seemed much larger than the site now seems, many of the premises around the gas tower were owned by the Co-op movement, prominent in the town.
The present view seems almost unrecognisable, the tower still stands proud, but all the buildings to the left hand side of the High Street were knocked down to form the town by-pass.
The only survivors in view on the right are the Red Lion, the old Brook's premises and Pimlotts Shop which stood next to the old Christ Church, demolished in 1980.
The next article will cover the fondly remembered shops of High Street and their proprietors, some of whom were real characters.
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