More of the Town Hall

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A scene in the 1930s that at first glance looks fairly quiet but look at all the different transport used. People on foot, bicycle, pony and trap, horse and cart, motor car, motor bus, tram and one small group have a perambulator. :-)

Thurnams on the right have been in Carlisle for 190 years (founded 1816) and at Lonsdale St. since 1957.



If you look down Scotch St. on this card you get a little glimpse of the buildings of Rickergate (now all demolished, will be shown on a later card).

Although posted in 1936 this is a scene from the 1910s or 20s. The gentleman in the horse and trap has come into town (is he wearing a 'topper' ?) on what seems to be a pleasant day.




This is a 'reproduction' card but I have included it as it gives a nice view of the Town Hall area in its pre tram days.

Look at those ornate gas lamps. In 1805 Carlisle's lighting consisted of 400 oil lamps, in 1820 it was lit by town gas and in 1899 the first electric light was switched on.

English Street.

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This card was posted in 1928. On the right is Boots the Chemist who have been on this site for at least 90 years. Next to Boots is the Silver Grill and above them Nicholson & Cartner who produced postcards, china & glassware.




No date but probably the 1960s. It looks like you could just park anywhere you fancied then. Samuels the Jewellers is on the left



Again no date 1920s? This card has a fascinating message on the back. The sender gives a little description of Carlisle and then goes on to say ' I think I was further down the street where there were two sets of rails as I had barely room to pass the tram and the curbstones when I knocked down the tram conductor'

Posted in 1917 this card has the Cumberland News offices on the left.

Lord Lonsdale (and some more trams)

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Lord Lonsdale was a prominent landowner outside of the walled city. His name is remembered in street names of the area he owned such as ......... Lowther Street, Lonsdale Street and Earl Street.
He was a leading light in the move for the renovation of the Courts, in recognition of this a statue to him was erected on a small island between the courthouses in 1847.
In 1929 the statue was considered a traffic hazard and was removed to the Citadel gardens.

He doesn't seem to be treated with much respect as in the card he is being used as handy place to ties notices to, these are adverts for The Silver Grill. Note too the boy with no shoes, not an uncommon sight. Card posted 1929.

This card was posted in 1905. It shows the Victoria Hotel, next to it is the Three Crowns public house and further along the Wellington Hotel.



I I haven't been able to find out when the old Victoria Hotel in the previous card was demolished to make way for this new building.


Another early card. The workmen with the ladder appearing to be maintaining the street lighting, a busy sunny day with plenty going on in the card.

Warwick Road

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'The Old Waterworks', this stood just opposite Stoneyholme Golf Club clubhouse. This was actually the Pumping Station that supplied water from the river Eden to the reservoir on Gallows Hill at Harraby. It came into use in 1848 and although it probably fell out of use when the Geltsdale scheme was completed in 1909 the building survived until the 1960s.

It was built as a mini castle because one of the main shareholders could see the building from his house at Rickerby and wanted to look out on something pleasant.

It's still remembered today at Brunton Park by the 'Waterworks End'.



A card posted in 1906. Tramlines can be seen in the road and the Tramway Offices are on the corner of Lowther Street and Warwick Road.

Is that a small clock on the wall of the Tramway Offices, perhaps for the tramdrivers to keep to schedule.

A view east along Warwick Road from St. Aidans church.

The foundation stone was laid in 1899 and the large bell outside the door was hung in 1902 (originally cast for Highmoor House at Wigton).

In 1911 it was stated that the vicarage was heated throughout by hot air (direct from the pulpit ?).

The little horse and cart passing the church belongs to the Carlisle Steam Laundry Company.



Built in 1892, the land is now a business park. Notice the two carts similar to the one passing St. Aidans church. I'm not sure when the laundry closed but it's only in the last 30-40 years.

General scenes take 2.

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A card posted in 1928 showing the view from the Crescent along English Street. To the left of the 'Gaol Tap' is the lane which continued as Blackfriar Street on the other side of the Viaduct. Some of the Gaol buildings can be seen on the left.




The Crown and Mitre Hotel in the 1930s or 40s.

Style & Mantle were costumiers, to the left of that is The Angel Inn (the 'Angel' sign is still there). Does anyone know when the covered entrance to the hotel was taken down?

The castle in the 1940s, the notice on the gate says 'We Proudly Serve'.

The castle was built as an earth and wood fort in 1092, building in stone began in 1122 and took about 46 years to complete (trouble with the unions I think).

The castle and the surrounding area was given to King David of Scotland as part of a peace deal in 1135, David died in the keep in 1153. The castle, Carlisle and the area around was given back to the English in 1157 and has been in England ever since.

A view along The Avenue from the subway linking The Sands to Bitts Park. Known as Weavers Bank, building the raised walk gave work to unemployed weavers in 1819-20.




Late 1930s or early 1940s, English Street and the Law Courts. The tracks of the tram lines can still be seen though the trams had long gone. The little notice board in front of the left arch of the Law Courts gave the tariffs to be paid for goods brought into the city, it is now inside the arch.


A view from the other side of the road in a card posted in 1945, although the scene must be earlier as the Law Courts still have their railings, removed in 1941 for the war effort. The shop on the corner of the Crescent is Redmaynes, Tailors and Outfitters.

Buses, buses and more buses.

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The town hall was always the main gathering spot for buses until recent years, so most of the cards are centred there. If there are any transport enthusiasts out there who can give information on types of vehicles in the cards drop a line via the 'comment' facility.


A scene in the 1930s, I believe most of the single deckers would serve outlying areas. One thing to note of interest above the double-decker (far left) is the plaque in the wall of the white building. I think this is the 'Angel' which marked the site of the former Angel Inn, the sign is still there today.





Another scene in the 1930s, lots of people on the centre island waiting for buses.







A nice summers day in this card of 1935, all the blinds down on the shop fronts, I wonder where the double-deckers off to?






A good close up view of the buses, again in the 1930s. Most of the drivers wore white coats and hats. Thurnams the Stationers is on the left alongside Stead and Simpson (boot and shoe shop) and on the other side of the street Binns.

Note the men sitting on the steps of the cross in the style of the old Rudd women.

A card posted in 1952 (the scene is actually the 1930s) looking along English Street towards the town hall, might be a saturday, it looks very busy.

Taylors chemist shop seems to have a great window display. Is that a clock on the top of building right centre, you would need binoculars to read it, unless it's for passing pilots.

1959 and colour, the island now has bus shelters and the Cumberland News works are on the right. Originally a black and white card, the town hall hasn't been touched.

Just away from the centre and Harraby Bridge

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A view along West Walls in this card, no date, possibly 1940s or earlier. The picture was taken from the steps at the end of the lane running from Abbey Street to West Walls.











Tullie House from Abbey Street in a card posted in 1905.
I wonder if the man at the gate is a curator or a security man?
Tullie House was built in 1689 on the site of a former building called Whitehall, the Tullies after whom it took its name were of German origin.
Before it was acquired in the 1890s for use a a museum it was lived in by members of the Dixon's mill family.


Again in a card of 1905, the park-keeper appears to be taking a break from sweeping leaves in this autumn scene. Notice the use of the traditional 'broom'.



From further along the Avenue, a view of the castle and the 'parkies' house. Judging from the previous picture this must have been a very nice house to live given some of the housing standards in the city at the time.



Harraby Hill House Boys Band around 1908.

Harraby Hill House ( see next picture ) began life as the St. Cuthberts Workhouse around 1809, when the adults were moved to the new purpose built workhouse on Fusehill St. ( now St. Martin's College ) in 1864 it continued in use for poor children.

Harraby Hill and Bridge in a card of 1917. Harraby Hill House is the tall building on the left, the houses are on Chertsey Hill.
Cattle being brought into the market at the city would be driven down the slope to drink in the river before being driven up the other side.
The bridge over the river at this point was known in 1361 as the Pontem de Peterel ( The Petteril Bridge, the name by which we know the bridge that crosses the river near Brunton Park nowadays ). Before the building of the stone bridge in 1830 ( improved in 1941 ), there was a wooden bridge here, often in a ruinous state.

Carlisle's earliest reservoir was on top of this hill ( 1848 ), water was pumped from Stoneyholme Pumping Station ( still remembered today in The Waterworks End at Brunton Park ) and fed to the city by gravitation. Part of the retaining walls were still in place some years ago behind the Hotel ( may still be there ).

General Town Hall Scenes.

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This first card is just an everyday scene at the Town Hall.




Judging by the clothing I would say this is the 1920s and appears to be a flag day of sorts. Possibly market day or a saturday as it appears to be busy.


Two lads are reading the notice plastered on the cross (blooming vandals), the shop having a sale under the town hall is R. Cummings, Fent Dealers (that's todays quiz question, what is a fent dealer?)

Thorpe's on the right were Warehousemen, the railings are around one of the underground toilets.

No motor traffic evident in this card and I think the little cart would have belonged to a shoe shop rather than be a mobile chemist :-).

A good dating for this card would be if anyone could tell me the date the underground toilets were built as they are not in this picture.

Another day of celebration but I have no idea what for, the Great Fair or a Coronation perhaps.



This card is dated 1954, Potter's the Tobacconist moved in in the 1920s, the property was known as The Hole in the Wall, it closed in the 1990s.

I think the shop under the Town Hall would be Grafton's the Costumiers. does anyone know the name of the tobacconist/sweet shop next to it (left on picture), I remember they used to do left luggage.

Just an afterthought, did you know that the town hall clock has only three faces, south, east and west, no clock face to the north. When I did guiding work in the city I used to tell visitors it was because the city fathers didn't even want to give the Scots the time of day. :-)