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Darlington Street |
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| Darlington Street has always been a busy
shopping area. It was constructed on land belonging to Lord Darlington who
sold it to the Town Commissioners for £350 per acre. It opened in
1821. Although the upper half has changed little since the early 1970's, the
building of the ring road and car park has greatly the changed the lower
half. |
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The north side of the
street in the early 1970's. Little has changed other than shop signs.
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| Things are still unchanged
as we carry on down the hill. The Abbey National Building Society is
very prominent.
On the right is Roden's music store which is the town's
main sheet music dealer.
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This view of Waterloo Road
junction could almost have been taken yesterday. |
| At this time the ring road was still under construction,
and the car park was yet to be built.
Although the buildings have hardly
changed, the older ones do look quite run-down compared with their
modern appearance. |
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Similarly little has changed since this mid 1970's view
of the south side of the street. On the corner of School Street was The
Sleep Shop, and next door was the Pertemps Agency.
Next was Rosebys, and
then Michael Gowns who was a ladies outfitter.
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| Darlington Street Methodist Church opened on 29th
October 1901. It is capable of seating 1200 people, and is a
replacement for an older church and school built in 1825.
The original
school building still exists in School Street and was a school for boys,
girls, and infants. The school closed in about 1910.
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This part of the south side is now almost
unrecognisable, all that remains is the church.
The other buildings have
made way for the car park
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The old Darlington Street Post Office has now moved to new premises on
the other side of the street. |
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Today its hard to appreciate just how many shops fitted
into the space now occupied by the car park.
In the centre was the Den
of Antiquity which sold furniture and antiques.
The shop to its right
housed the Stafford & County Building Society, and Lampshades sold
lights and light fittings.
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| Today this scene looks a little odd as the foreground
remains unchanged, whereas all of the shops in the background are gone.
The premises with the wall clock in the centre was occupied by opticians
A.G. Moore Ltd.
Also prominent is the Hei Fung Chinese Restaurant and
A.J. Chamberlain's cycle shop. |
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A little later the same buildings look forlorn as they
await demolition. |
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