Matthew Ellis Nutter, Carlisle Artist.

www.tulliehouse.co.uk/pages.asp?type=M&url=264_Local+Artists&lvl=,48,78,264,

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The following cards are based on the original drawings in Nutter's book 'Carlisle in the Olden Time'.

Carlisle Cross or Carel Cross, built in 1682, this was considered the centre of the city. Markets were held around it, meetings and rallies also. The hiring of farmhands and servant took place here until the early 1950s. Carlisle Great Fair is proclaimed from here.

The lion on the top may represent the Royal authority given to Carlisle to hold markets through various charters. The book it holds is the Dormont Book of the city, the rules by which the city was governed. The building on the right is the Old Guardhouse.







Old Guild Hall, Carlisle , in the times of Prince Charlie.

Also known as the Redness Hall after Robert de Redness for whom it was built in the early 15th.C

Taken over by the Guilds (each had a room in the building), Carlisle had the following Guilds .. Merchants .. Smiths .. Weavers .. Tailors .. Shoemakers .. Tanners .. Glovers and the Butchers. This card would show one of their special meeting days, there are still Guild members today and they cannot be forced from the building unless they fail to hold a meeting there for three consecutive years, they haven't missed yet. Well worth a look when the Council can be bothered opening it.

Highmoor House, the headquarters of Prince Charlie when he captured Carlisle in 1745 and of the Duke of Cumberland after he recaptured the city. It stood where Marks and Spencers is today, look for the plaques either side of the building.



The Citadel c.1745, not quite the well kept building we see today. Built in 1541, by 1545 it was deemed a waste of time and money as the Scots tended to attack from the north. Since the English Civil war, Carlisle had been fairly peaceful and the building had been allowed to fall into disrepair, so much so that a Carlisle doctor actually had his garden on the top of one of the towers. The station side tower became the County Gaol in the early 1600s, this tower was knocked down between 1807-22 and a new tower built about 30 feet further west..

The central tower was demolished in 1804, but the lower part of the eastern tower survives and the gun ports can still be seen inside the building.

The walkway on West Walls, as can be seen the wall was higher than it is now with watchtowers spaced at intervals. the view is almost the same today, the little doorway in the wall can still be seen.


The Irishgate, so called because the road from and to it led to the ports of Whitehaven and Maryport and thence to Ireland. The houses would have stood just about where Chivers shop is today and the cart is making its way up West Walls.

Horse drawn transport.

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Picture postcards only started in 1894 and prior to 1902 all messages had to be on the same side as the illustration as the reverse was for the address only. This card was posted in 1901 and is the earliest dated one in my collection. The picture was taken prior to the arrival of the trams as no tram lines are visible. The horsedrawn buses are the interest in this picture.
The coming of the trams in 1900 killed off the horse buses.



Posted in 1904, this card shows carriages at the station, it was popular for this type of shot as transport would gather awaiting the trains.





A delivery cart at the station, I think the horse is about to get a ticket. Posted 1907.







The battle to get a shelter for the 'taxi drivers' started in 1875, it was finally built in 1905 and was there into the 1960s. P.S spot the tram. Posted 1909.

















In Lowther Street, a horsedrawn delivery wagon delivers cut flowers. About 1904.




















Lastly, back to the station, when a train came in there would be the horsedrawn taxis gathering along with private carriages and I'm sure some hotels had their own carriages.

The Crescent at the top of the card was then a residential street being a favourite with the medical profession.

Botchergate.

A strange card as it looks like a drawing whilst the buildings on the right look authentic. Posted 1907.





















Looking down Botchergate around 1910. The building now The Griffin was in 1906 The York City and County Banking Co. Limited and in 1914 was The London Joint Stock Bank Ltd, it continued as various Banks (latterly The Midland) until it became a pub in 1999.

On the left we have The Red Lion Hotel Vaults, hey look !!!!, there's a tram in the picture.










A splash of colour in 1908. A better view of the Vaults (basically a pub), plenty of activity yet plenty of people idly chattering, and not all women. :-)




















Looking up Botchergate from Portland Place. Just past Parker's Ironmongers is The Carlisle Picture House known as the Botchergate (opened in 1915). It was also The Gaumont and The Odeon before closing in 1969. Didn't they once show James Bond movies at midnight (daring).
'Hello Sailor', are those matelots chatting up the ladies? the building they are in front of is Harrison's Auction Mart (I think all of these buildings still survive).




















The spire of Christ Church (built 1828-30, closed 1938, demolished 1953) dominated the skyline in this card. Judging by the only type of transport in the picture Carlisle must have had some beautiful roses. No date but probably about 1910.

On the right is the Earl Grey Inn owned by the Carlisle Old Brewery.

The last of the castle cards

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There are many cards featuring the castle, this is the last of the ones I consider to be interesting.













This is actually a store-room that doubled up as a prison when necessary. After the Rebellion (uprising if you are Scottish) of 1745 prisoners were brought back to Carlisle for trial, many were crowded into this chamber to await their fate. The writing on the card contains a couple of myths, one is 'The Licking Stone' being worn by prisoners tongues, the wear is actually iron deposits in the sandstone becoming exposed then expanding like rust and falling out. Because that wall is always damp they may have rubbed their hands on the wall and licked them for moisture thus enlarging the holes, but licked the walls, no. There is also no evidence that prisoners were shackled to the wall by the neck, the holes in the wall said to be for shackles were actually to support shelves, they may have been shackled together but that's another story.

A good drying day at the castle as the soldiers washing is hung out to dry over the ramparts, wonder if todays curator hangs his smalls out to dry in the same way. Posted 1908.















Are they off to the Cathedral? Probably about 1910. Note the two ladders on the keep, now just two windows this used to be an entrance to the keep.








I have included this one because the two wings to the tower have been demolished and the gates at the bottom of the steps are no longer there.










Not sure what the occasion is, may just have been a shortage of room in the barracks.










No date, possibly around 1910. Included because cards with a lot of soldiers on are not plentiful.

I wonder where they are off to?








A view along the ramparts about 1906-7. There are now no trees or bushes to be seen around the castle.









Lastly a view of the outer bailey pre 1919 as no excavations have taken part to uncover the half-moon battery. the well is protected by a fence.

The Market, the Grammar School and the Station

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A view of the market at West Tower Street around 1906. The loading bay has been demolished, todays bus stops are here now. the entrance to Market Street is on the left.














102 years ago (1904), the city's elite schoolchildren gather at the railings of the Grammar School to have their picture taken. You can tell they're posh, they've got shoes.













A shot from a little further away in 1908. Strand Road is to the right and Spring Gardens Lane to the left, this went down and turned coming out onto Lowther Street where the Bowling Green Hostel is today.

Not sure of the date 1910-20 ?. Would the double-header be for climbing up Shap?










Posted in 1921, there are plenty of trains in this shot.
























Older viewers will remember the John Menzies news stand, no date but early. One of the headlines read 'Russian Disaster, battleship sunk, 700 lost'. In 1905 the Russians lost 4 battleships in a clash with the Japanese.

The man with the top hat is probably the stationmaster.

Oh no, more of those tram cards.

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As trams were fairly new (only starting running in 1900) to Carlisle when most of these cards were produced they naturally got a lot of the photographers attention.












Heading south on a sunny day, the tram passes the Victoria Hotel on the right and the Gaol wall on the left, more about this on the next card. Date around 1902.













The Victoria Hotel in the previous card has been demolished and replaced with the building we know today (current police station), then still known as the Victoria Hotel, this card was posted in 1908.

The building on the left was always known locally as the Gaol Tap, because of its proximity to Carlisle Gaol. In 1906 it was called The Pineapple, in 1858 it was renovated and called The Carlisle Arms, at the same time the City Coat of Arms was sculpted into the top of the building.

P.S There's a tram in the picture as well. :-)












On a nice sunny day In English Street people go about their business. Crates of goods stand on the pavement edge, wonder what's in the basket the women are carrying?

The person who tinted this card has stayed true to the colour scheme of the trams, which at one time was chocolate and cream.









Approaching English Street from Botchergate this tram appears to have just missed one of the local jaywalkers









Another shot looking south down English Street. On the left is Tweddle's the Hatters.

North of the River, Stanwix, Etterby & Moorville

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100 years ago. The rooftops of Eden Terrace peep above the bridge and Cavendish Terrace goes off to the left.










Munching away on the grass the sheep seem quite happy on this card of 1913. Eden Terrace is at the northern end of the bridge.









Looking back down Stanwix Bank a tram makes its way up the bank to Etterby and a road roller chugs its way up towards Brampton Road. Circa 1907.






















A similar view with a real old boneshaker making
its way down the bank. Would the ladies walk in the middle of the road today? The building on the left was probably demolished in the 1930s bridge widening scheme.















Moorville, card posted 1904. The house on the right and the smaller buildings behind it stood until Morrisons was built. This view is looking up Kingstown Road from just beyond the lights at Morrisons. The houses on the left still survive.


Stanwix Church, date unknown, but around 1907.









Etterby Scaur, early 1900s. A view almost unchanged today, apart from the horse and cart. The tower of Stanwix church is on the skyline.























Probably taken from the top of what is now Austin Friars school (about 1905) this view looks down the Scaur towards Stanwix. The path in the centre of the card runs beside Etterby Terrace and above the cricket ground, the large houses are Cavendish Terrace.

Etterby Street is much harder to spot and runs just to the right of the church tower on the skyline. The houses in the foreground can still be seen today.

Before winter leaves and the last of the 'art cards'

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Just before we leave winter behind here are a couple of cards of the city in winter's grip and the last of the art cards.













'The Avenue' leading to the underpass and the Sands Centre. Eden Terrace is on the left and apart from the one man in the scene not a soul is stirring. Card posted 1905.


Victoria Park around 1905, the houses to the left are Solway Terrace and Dacre Road, demolished in 1964.





















Probably taken on the same day as the first winter scene card, this is the scene from The Scaur. No play today in the cricket or bowls. Again posted in 1905.


'English St. Looking South'.

Circa. 1904.










Produced by Thurnams of Carlisle.

A view of the castle.








Another Thurnam's card 'The Cathedral from the Deanery'.











'The Guildhall, Carlisle' , looking down Fisher St.

The artist is H. Hadfield Cubley (see link)http://www.postcardcollecting.co.uk/backart.htm