Dunstable Yesteryear: Tree-lined street
A row of trees once lined the southern side of West Street, Dunstable, as pictured in old postcard showing the view looking towards the town centre crossroads.
Most of the trees have now been cut down but a group of horse chestnuts still flourish between the town’s police station and Icknield Street.
There is no inscription or postmark on the card which would help to provide a date, but car experts might be able to identify the early vehicle seen near what would be the turning into Matthew Street. A man pushing a handcart has the rest of the road to himself.
The shop on the left, with a small boy looking longingly at the goods in the window, is just about recognisable as the business belonging to Charles Armiger. He was there, at numbers 34 and 36, from about 1908 until at least 1924. Famously, he was one of the town’s first camera salesmen but on this photo a poster can been seen advertising bicycles.
The shop, which stands today between a barbers and a “vaping not smoking” store, is currently empty. The postcard belongs to David Underwood, of Dunstable and District Local History Society.
Yesteryear is compiled by John Buckledee, chairman of the society.