1928 Victoria Street, Blantyre

I was recently reminded of this old photograph by Moria Lees. It was captured from a less common postcard dating from around 1928 showing Victoria Street in Blantyre.

Looking South, the photo is taken from outside the Health Institute. The homes were fairly new and the county council established a popular playpark pictured here on the left. Children and prams play on the wide road, which looks like it had just been extensively upgraded. A traffic free scene, it looks eerily quiet by today’s standards.

Victoria Street was named shortly after 1901 following the death of Queen Victoria. In a decade of huge expansion in Blantyre, old roads were upgraded to create better and cleaner infrastructure. Formerly called the Clay Road, Victoria Street became a vital link between High and Low Blantyre and housed many of Blantyres public buildings, ranging from the Police Station, a School, a hospital and separate medical centre.

The same scene is pictured here recently in 2012. I have to admit, I know which picture I prefer.