Derby Then and now : The Wardwick 1907 to 2025

Описание: In this Derby then and now I'm standing on Victoria Street looking north west towards its intersection with Wardwick and The Strand. Personally this is an iconic view of Derby, I've always loved the buildings on this junction. Depending how old you are will depend on what you remember of this intersection, I remember that building being a Strand Wools shop but mainly Revolution bar.
What shops do YOU remember being in this view and what years?
In the 1960s there was a small roundabout located in front of this area with flowers in it.

In the 1907 view the lovely rounded building on the junction was Edgar Horn & Co, Piano and Organ merchant. In the 2025 view its Molly Malone's Irish Tavern (which opens 23rd May 2025), before this it was Revolution bar which opened in 2000 and closed in January 2024.

In the 1907 view the Open-top electric tram car number 6 is on its way to Uttoxeter Road. Culverting of the brook between St James's and Sadler Gate bridges started in 1863 and a new street was built over it, The Strand with its graceful curve following the brook course and officially opened in 1881.

The Mechanics Institute building on the right adjacent to the tram was rebuilt in 1881 in the Italian style by Arthur Coke Hill and G.H.Sheffield. The Derby Working Men's Association organised concerts here. Prior to rebuilding eminent people such as William Makepeace Thackery, Charles Dickens, and Franz List performed here. In 2008 this building was Native State and The Barracuda Bar, by 2012 it was Flamin monkey, by 2014 Revolution de Cuba and Ten.

In the 1907 view the three storey building on the far left was the Saracen's head pub, in 1996 became O'Neill's, in 1999 became The Victoria, then 2001 back to The Saracen's head, then in 2006 was D.Gio's bar until 2020 then closed down for 4 years and in June 2024 this became R Lounge.

The 1907 image was taken by local photographer Francis William Scarratt who published postcards, he had a shop in the Derby Market Hall "F.W. Scarratt & Co. Postcard Publishers" on the balcony.

Photo A taken : 1907 F.W. Scarratt
Photo B taken : 12th May 2025
Time elapsed : 105 years

Past & Present - in fading Photographs.
High quality resolution fading photos showing local scenes as they were and how they are today from exactly the same view point. Then and now, Now and then, Past and Present, Old and New, Before and After. Call it what you want, just try one and see the effect!

The presentations you can see here are the result of many hours of work put in by myself ensuring that the old and new photographs line up precisely, I don't publish any if I'm not 100% happy with the match.

http://www.derbyphotos.co.uk/thenandnow/

Please note that the Then & now section on my website is currently in need of a revamp as they were all created back in 2005 using Flash and this is no longer supported so I will have to recreate all of my work again using a different method. In the meantime I'm publishing then on my YouTube channel like this one.

Best viewed on a large computer screen or smart TV as this is recorded in 4K resolution with great music so a real waste watching it on a small phone screen. Did you know you can cast it to your smart tv from the YouTube app?

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Music Credits :
'The Restoration' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au
   • 'The Restoration' (from 'Monomyth') [Ambie...  
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Thanks
Andy