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An Early view of Skinningrove Beach

Almost looks posed; but a lovely hand-tinted picture of Skinningrove beach with the jetty and ships inthe background.

Image courtesy of Jean Dean.

Zetland Road

A quiet sunny day in Loftus, the awnings are down to protect the shop windows from the sun. A more modern view, but not a lot of people out shopping and not much traffic.

Zetland Road

I wouldn’t try standing around in Zetland Road like this today. I wonder – are the men selling the horse?

Image courtesy of Joan Jemson.

Zetland Road

Once again a nice crisp image of Zetland Road from the end of West Road. Interestingly the present day derelict Congregational Chapel has not been erected, so dates this image as pre 1906. This view is again taken from the ”Cooke’s Views of Loftus and District”.

Image courtesy of John G. Hannah.

Temperance Hall, Loftus

This view of the Temperance Hall on West Road in Loftus comes from the ”Cooke’s Views of Loftus and District”. The Temperance Movement was an attempt to stop the decline in the morals and christian behaviour of the British worker. It had a strong following among the employers, who were losing work-days through drunkenness and unruly behaviour. They built this fine building in Loftus to further their aims. It was also ”friendly” society; where, for a weekly subscription, the members were insured against illness and hard times. Today the building is the ”Dole Office” building or more properly The Department of Works and Pensions (DWP). Eric Johnson tells us: ”The dedication stone for the Temperance Hall is weathering and becoming illegible, I can make out the following inscription, but some of the letters and numbers may not be correct, or missing.
m – laid by s ?
v (or w) lapsley marske
on behalf of ??
plant of renown lodge
1283 ? I.O.G.T. june 11 1877”. ”The letters: I.O.G.T. stand for the INDEPENDENT ORDER of GOOD TEMPLARS. established in America about 1852 to combat the evils of drunkenness and abuse. with a structure similar to the Freemasons, with rituals, regalia, songs, and password to gain admittance. the order was started in England in 1868 in Birmingham, and eventually throughout the world. The order is still very much in existence.”

Image courtesy of John G. Hannah.

West Road

A very popular place to photograph, West Road again with the Congregational Chapel in the centre of the picture. Pretty much contemporary with the previous post.

West Road – Loftus

Must be a sunny day as the awnings are out over the shops, we can see the pavements – but is the road a tarmac one yet? I don’t think you could stand and talk at the cross roads today as the men in the photo are doing.

Image courtesy of Mrs Sakelaropoulos.

West Road

A different and more modern view of West Road, there is now a proper road although not very busy.

Image courtesy of Joan Jemson.

Lovely Bay

What a great photograph, has the boat just come in from a fishing trip? The cliffs and the bay make a lovely backdrop. Peter Appleton comments: “Towards the top-right corner is the World War II gun emplacement.”

Image courtesy of Ted Morgan (via Eric Johnson), thanks to Peter Appleton for the update.

Whitecliffe Terrace

Obviously a posed photograph judging by the number of bystanders; this postcard image was part of a range of views of Loftus streets taken by George Skilbeck. Whitecliffe Terrace in Loftus was one of the four terraces of houses built to accommodate workers at the Whitecliffe Mine. Simon Chapman’s ”Whitecliffe Ironstone Mine” states: ”Houses in blocks of six were rented for 21 years @ £60 per annum – located on the south side of West Road, Loftus. Whitecliffe Terrace, Newcomen Terrace and Dundas Street.”