On Market Street with just a century apart

Market Street has always been a busy place.

During the 19th and for most of the 20th centuries the crowds were confined to the pavements or risked taking their chances with congested traffic which edged its way up and down often at a snail’s pace.

And it is pretty much the same today.  True, the traffic has gone but you still have to keep a mindful eye on the junction with High Street and Fountain Street for trams.

So this was where I found myself last weekend waiting outside Debenhams across from Primark and the tram stop.

At the turn of the last century the spot contained fifteen different businesses, ranging from the London City and Midland Bank, the Angel Hotel, H Samuel watchmaker, tobacconists, a tourist agency and my own favourite Finningans Ltd, portmanteau manufactures.

Then like the crowd in our photograph I slowly made my way down towards the Arndale and just like then had to negotiate street sellers, and the wave of pedestrians.

Pictures: postcard from 1908 from the collection of Rita Bishop, remaining images from the collection of Andrew Simpson