leefer
 Offline
Posts: 12851
|
 |
« on: Friday, February 3, 2012, 20:50:23 » |
|
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=66543Of Swindon,bit of a long read but some interesting facts never the less. Did you know that the Duke of Edinburgh pub was origanally called The Tabernacle,do you care  Just for you old Swindon history buffs.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
jayohaitchenn
Wielder of the BANHAMMER
Offline
Posts: 12832
|
|
« Reply #1 on: Friday, February 3, 2012, 21:02:57 » |
|
In the French parts of Canada, "Tabernac" is THE most offensive word you can say.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Ironside
Wir müssen die Liberalen ausrotten
Offline
Posts: 1475
|
|
« Reply #2 on: Friday, February 3, 2012, 21:35:52 » |
|
Shocking when you look at past and prsent photo's to see the amount of old buildings that were demolished post-war. Funnily enough, the council seem to be knock the buildings that replaced them down now.
Shame, from what I gather, Swindon was a very nice town with a great deal of character prior to 1960. Now it's just a shit-hole.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
Genius, Gentleman Explorer, French Cabaret Chantoose and Small Bets Placed and someone who knows who they are changed my signature but its only know that I can be arsed to change it....and I mean all the spelling mistakes.
Was it me? It can't have been an interesting enough event for me to remember - fB.
|
|
|
bigbobjoylove
Offline
Posts: 4198
|
|
« Reply #3 on: Friday, February 3, 2012, 21:38:44 » |
|
"As telling a reference as any to its lack of importance occurs in a newspaper of 1798, when the inhabitants of Wroughton referred to their village as 'near Marlborough'"
Wroughton scum!
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Batch
Not a Batch
Offline
Posts: 57753
|
|
« Reply #4 on: Friday, February 3, 2012, 21:40:47 » |
|
There are some pretty good photos of the not too distant past on Facebook too. Close to where I live it had a picture of the Moredon power station and the construction of Safeway (now Morrison). The latter must have been late 80s and there is a surprising amount of green land not just in the immediate surround but also in the background. I suppose this was just before the boom and tag of "fastest growing town in Europe".
I think one of the posters had it right " Say what you want about Swindon borough council, they sure know how to concrete things".
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Talk Talk
|
|
« Reply #5 on: Thursday, March 27, 2014, 20:54:24 » |
|
I usually walk to the match and like to take different routes, preferably down the old canal routes or disused railways. Before Christmas I was walking down the route of the North Wilts canal, now the footpath beween Hawksworth/Oasis that runs from just off Bruce Street bridges to just west of the railway station when I noticed these old ornate cast iron gates. They are behind the Doeflex Vinyl factory.    They are on what was the Clares side of the canal and looking at old maps there was a footbridge over the canal in the railway works days. However, it didn't seem right that an entrance to the carriage shops should be quite so elegant. I found an older map - before the GWR built on that land and it looks as though it was a public park. More likely I guess. Has any local history buff got any further info (Reg?), or has anybody noticed them before? |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Reg Smeeton
Walking Encyclopaedia
Offline
Posts: 34913
|
|
« Reply #6 on: Thursday, March 27, 2014, 21:10:26 » |
|
I know of these gates, and always assumed that they were an entrance to the works....but now you mention it, I've had a quick check of my 1925 map and it shows a Recreation Ground, just to the north of the sidings and sheds approximately there. I always thought they were a bit ornate, but GWR did always like to do things properly...but I'd lean to your park theory.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Samdy Gray
Dirty sneaky traitor weasel
Offline
Posts: 27180
|
|
« Reply #7 on: Thursday, March 27, 2014, 21:14:18 » |
|
But what was the cyclist doing?
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Talk Talk
|
|
« Reply #8 on: Thursday, March 27, 2014, 21:26:31 » |
|
I know of these gates, and always assumed that they were an entrance to the works....but now you mention it, I've had a quick check of my 1925 map and it shows a Recreation Ground, just to the north of the sidings and sheds approximately there. I always thought they were a bit ornate, but GWR did always like to do things properly...but I'd lean to your park theory. I suppose it is possible that there was a country house or estate there before it became a park and that was the canal entrance? Perhaps it was donated when the land was sold off for housing (I'm thinking of the Ferndale Road houses). Oh Sam - yes, it was a very surprised cyclist, I think he had been taking a leak in the bushes as he scurried off pronto  |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
4D
That was definately my last game, honest
Offline
Posts: 23506
I can't bear it 🙄
|
|
« Reply #9 on: Thursday, March 27, 2014, 21:33:13 » |
|
Those gates are beautifully decorated  |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Ginginho
Offline
Posts: 6969
|
|
« Reply #10 on: Thursday, March 27, 2014, 21:34:08 » |
|
They must be obscured from the main pathway as I used to cycle that way every day for years and never noticed them. I found this bit of info, however. http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/985737 |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Simon Pieman
Original Wanker
 Online
Posts: 36334
|
|
« Reply #11 on: Thursday, March 27, 2014, 21:40:32 » |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Reg Smeeton
Walking Encyclopaedia
Offline
Posts: 34913
|
|
« Reply #12 on: Thursday, March 27, 2014, 21:45:05 » |
|
Man with stick, takes me back to my long standing assumption they were gates to the Works...
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
ibelieveinmrreeves
Should've gone to Specsavers
Offline
Posts: 3857
|
|
« Reply #13 on: Thursday, March 27, 2014, 21:53:27 » |
|
The contrast between the two pictures is amazing. This is why I love history.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
Even men with steel hearts love to see a dog on the pitch.
|
|
|
|
|
|
