Then and Now: Chapel Street, Harbury

Chapel Street, Harbury 1907.

Warwickshire County Record Office reference PH1035/A7673.

Chapel Street Harbury, 2015.

Photo by Benjamin Earl

This is another fascinating record of social history.  The photograph is dated 1907 and at a glance, the buildings and their appearance, the clothes of the people and even the differentiation of roles within the village society are displayed for that time.  This photograph seems to have been taken during the day as the absence of men is conspicuous; there are only women and children, and the three women on view are each pushing prams.  The women are standing outside Thornicroft’s Bakery, and the bread is clearly shown on display in the window on the right of the photograph.

Weslyan chapel

Chapel Street was named after a Weslyan chapel which was later converted to a private house and this is next door to the bakery.  Directly opposite is the Fox Inn whose sign is highly visible in the left hand side of the photograph.  This inn was demolished in 1977.