This picture, taken from where the bus depot later stood and where Loveday Close now stands, shows how rural the centre of the village used to be. The new school site is just to the left of the picture. The white railings in front of the pond can just be seen. The height of the trees in front of Martenholme indicate that this was taken about the same time as the one with the ducks on the pond. Note the pile of stone for road mending.

But what I find most interesting here is that you can clearly see the post of one of the village lamps. The village lamps remain slightly mysterious. It seems they were probably there around the early part of the 20th century, so maybe 1900 to 1920 or 1930? As far as we know there were four of them: one outside the village hall (then the Chapel), one at Wire Farm, one on the green and one outside the Church door. Irene Cranwell has a note that Ralph Cranwell was responsible for lighting the lamps, and presumably putting them out again! But how they were fuelled I have no idea. Any further ideas about the lamps would be greatly appreciated.

Note from Mrs Cranwell

On describing the photograph above:

Centre of village.  Note lamp post on which was an oil lamp.  The beautiful old elm tree on right stood by a stile entrance to “Dyer’s” – an area used as part meadow part allotments for the houses in Church Road – and is now completely covered by Mr Funston’s Transport Depot.

The pond is barely discernable but the roadside railings confirm its existence.  Note the heap of stone for road mending.