James Gray: The character of this street has greatly changed during the present century. 50 years ago it was almost entirely residential but gradually all the houses on the west side were removed for the extension of the Electricity Works. The photograph was taken in 1937 and the houses shown were removed in 1945. jgc_25_125
James Gray: After the removal of the small cottages seen in the previous image, little remained in this street except the Church of St Mary Magdalene (centre). One of the least pretentious of the Wagner churches, it cost only £2500, and was opened on 13 October 1862. In the early 1950s it was closed and for the rest of its life was used as a store. Photographed November 1958. jgc_25_126
James Gray: Looking from Tichbourne Street, across cleared ground in Bread Street, to dilapidated buildings, 15/19 Church Street, leading up to King Street. All now demolished. Date of photograph: 10 June 1979. jgc_ 25_041
James Gray: The Star Foundry at 22/23 on the North side near the corner of North Road in 1897. Founded in 1875 it remained in use until the early 1900s when it was removed for an extension to the Electricity Works in North Road. jgc_25_130
2018: The original Bread Street ran between North Road and Church Street, but is now just a short stub of road giving access to a retirement housing development built in 1988 on part of the former Electricity Works site. The sheltered housing – Alfred Davey Court – is managed by a large national group, Stonewater, who also have Belbourne Court (1986) alongside. (Photographer: Alan Stratford)
James Gray: An indistinct photograph of a group of workmen outside the Star Foundry, in Bread Street, about 1890. Various features of these premises are seen in the photograph jgc_25_130 above. Abram Burstow, the proprietor of the firm, is the man in the ‘billycock’ hat. jgc_25_128
2018: The exact location of this image is not identifiable now as the foundry buildings in Bread Street were demolished in the early 1900s. It is probably near the current entrance road to the sheltered housing development, Alfred Davey Court, built in 1988. It is now managed by the national retirement housing provider Stonewater. Bread Street no longer runs from North Road to Church Street, but remains as a short access road into this housing development. (Photographer: Alan Stratford)
James Gray: A closer view of the demolition work of North Road chimney [the original electricity works chimney] as seen from Bread Street. jgc_25_023