Looking Back: Peterborough in the 1970s

How many of these buildings do you remember?

The 'Little John Cafe' on St. John's Street, April 1971.

Says Andrew: "The school boys of Eastholm Boys (Brooke Street), in 1963, would march in crocodile by this building on their way to Vineyard Road School (a prefabricated school, demolished in 1965) (now Bishop Creighton Academy , Primary School).

"On their right was the newly built St. Mary's Flats which had been constructed on parts of the oldest area of Peterborough. Some said on the site of the former plague pits. To the left of the cafe was one of the areas scrap yards which later became the site of the public house called 'The Clay Pipe' (later 'Good Barnes Yard') (now 'Ishtar' Dessert Lounge and Turkish Grill). To the right is now the BP - Spar garage services.”

St John's Street. St Mary's School, April 1971.

"At that point the old school had be already partly demolished. It was L shaped in plan but the southern section had been recently removed. On the right hand side you can see the lighter section of the wall where the entrance hall had once been. In the 1960s Rev. Philip Cauwood allowed the local youth to use the building as a weekly club. He even allowed scooter driving lessons and formal sex education. The curate was Mervyn Terrett who was popular in the area especially with the young people.

“By 1989 the School had been demolished. Churchgate was built 1990-1 on the site of the school and the original church (demolished 1989) and on what had been part of St. John's Street. About 200m of road were moved towards the east to enlarge the site. We now have the Churchgate offices and St Mary's Church.”

The construction of Barclays Bank, Cathedral Square, October 1970 from the rear of the Guildhall.

“Note the three old style telephone boxes (designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott). It was in this area the scooter boys parked their machines while meeting up or going for a coffee at Purdy's. Behind where the photographer stood was a large underground toilet block. Not overly savoury but at least in 1970 Peterborough had a choice of numerous public W.C.s.”

The prefabs on Bishops Road, April 1971.

"The image was taken looking south towards Stanground. It is probable that the building within the trees was the old Victorian isolation hospital. There was no parkway or regional pool then and a series of grassy paths led to the old toll house and the north bank light road. Many of the families who lived there are still local. Examples are the Bakers and the Mucklins. The exit from the Regional Pool car park intersects the front hedge at what was within Mr Mucklin's garden. There is at the corner a remaining may tree which blooms well each spring.”

Bridge Street, west side looking south, October 1970

"Freeman Hardy and Willis's shop can be seen on the corner of Priestgate.”

The construction of new offices in Priestgate, April 1971

“Originally this building provided a ground floor carpark with offices above. In the late 1970s this is where the offices of Messrs. Widnall and Trollope were situated to oversee the financial side of the construction of the Queensgate Centre on behalf of the Peterborough Development Corporation. Now this building is called 'St. James House' and is residential.”