Then & Now Page 3

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The Norfolk Broads - Then & Now

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Oulton Broad

The Yacht Station at Oulton Broad pictured on the left in the 1950s. The photograph on the right was taken in September 2008 and shows that this is as popular a mooring spot as ever! Much of the layout of the Yacht Station remains the same, although the large maltings buildings in the background have now been converted into apartments and virtually all of the many boatyards which once lined the banks of the Broad are, sadly, long gone.

A very familiar scene to those visiting the Yacht Station at Oulton Broad - the Wherry Hotel as viewed from Bridge Road. The postcard on the left dates from the 1920s and shows a very quiet Bridge Street winding it’s way past the Hotel. The photo on the right, taken in September 2008, shows that major changes have been made to what is now a very busy, main road, the course of which has been substantially altered since the 1920s. The building on the right in the foreground, now an Indian restaurant and cafe, is still there although it too has been heavily remodelled. The shop beyond it is now a two storey building but appears to sit in the footprint of the one seen in the 1920s postcard.

Another view of Bridge Road, this time looking up towards Outlon Broad North railway station. The shops and both rows of terraces still exist but, again, look very different to the scene in the postcard on the left which dates from around 1950. The shop itself is now in a very poor state compared to the elegant facade with it’s awning that we see on the left.

The postcard of Mutford Lock on the left dates from the 1920s whilst the photograph on the right was taken in May 2010. The first bridge was built here in 1554 and was replaced and rebuilt several times over the next 200 years. In the early 1800s Lake Lothing was opened to the sea when the new harbour was built and the first lock was installed at Mutford Bridge. Oulton Dyke was also widened and the Haddiscoe cut was dug to allow the passage commercial traffic through Lowestoft and up to the port of Norwich. A swing bridge replaced the fixed Mutford Bridge in 1894 - this itself was replaced by a new swing bridge in 1939. In 1992 the road layout was altered, the lock was rebuilt and a new foot bridge was installed.

The view from Oulton Broad Yacht Station, looking across to the old maltings - seen on the left in a photograph which dates from 1934 and on the right in May 2010. The 1930s scene shows an array of small motor launches, sailing and rowing boats lined up for hire whilst just a handful of dayboats can now be seen in the recent photograph.

Ludham

Pictured above is Yarmouth Road in Ludham, looking up towards the Kings Arms public house. The photograph on the left was taken in the 1940s and is part of the Ludham Community Archive collection, on the right of the picture you can see the Bakers Arms public house which was demolished in 1959. The photograph on the right shows the same scene in January 2008, the thatched cottages remain largely unchanged but the Kings Arms now has a large restaurant extension on the right hand side.

Another picture courtesy of the Ludham Community Archive Group. This thatched cottage was home to “Knacky” Knights saddlers shop, as shown on the picture on the left which dates from the 1960s. “Knacky” was well known to visitors in the 1950s and 1960s for his Tall tales of Norfolk! The building now houses the Alfresco Tearooms (pictured on the right in January 2008). The building itself, although renovated, has remained unchanged.

Ludham village pictured on the left in the late 1960s and on the right in February 2010. The paint colours of the buildings may have changed but the scene looks very much the same today, although the Post Office seen in the background on the right, and the shop in the foreground on the corner of Yarmouth Road are now private houses.

Carrow Bridge on the River Wensum in Norwich. The postcard on the left dates from 1925 and shows the new bridge which was built in 1923. The riverside in this part of the city was still very much an industrial area with many warehouses, factories and the Bullards brewery which stood a little further upstream. Much more of the remains of the two medieval boom towers can be seen in the 1920s photograph than survive today. The photograph on the right was taken in May 2009 and shows a very different backdrop to the bridge as modern, luxury flats have now replaced the industrial buildings. You can find out more about the history of Carrow Bridge in the Bridges Of The Wensum article within the Broadland Memories archive.

Norwich

Loddon

Potter Heigham

The famous medieval road bridge at Potter Heigham, pictured on the left in the early 1930s and taken by Ronald Winton. The Bridge Hotel can be seen in the background on the right with the motor cruiser “Pauline” moored in front, and George Applegates boatyard can be seen on the left hand side in front of the bridge. The picture on the right was taken in May 2008, the Bridge Hotel is now long gone having suffered major fire damage in 1990. The area where Pauline was moored is now the site of the Bridge Pilots office and Phoenix dayboat hire. Applegates yard is also long gone.

The junction of High Street, Bridge Street and George Lane at Loddon, pictured on the left c1910 and on the right in May 2010. The shop in the old photograph was J.B. Prykes grocers and drapery which is now the home of the Happy Buddah Chinese takeaway, with Lim’s fish and chip shop just round the corner. The building in the foreground on the right still stands and was, until recently, Roberts & Son printworks. The terraced building which stood between that and the King’s Head has gone - the empty building which now occupies the land was the former Midland Bank.

The postcard on the left dates from the 1950s and shows the view looking up the High Street with the Swan Hotel on the right and Church Plain to the left. The quirky building on the left which houses Barclays Bank still stands, although partially obscured by trees in the recent photograph. The building before it has gone and the area is now a large car park and market place. The small shop with the Wall’s ice cream sign just beyond the Swan is also now missing.