James Gray: An odd mixture of houses and small business premises, this was built some 25 years later than Centurion Place. There is a strange story about how this was named. The three houses were built by Cornelius Shrivell who died in 1837. A devout man he read in the Bible, Acts, Chapter X of Cornelius, the centurion, and used this title for his houses. Centurion Road carried on the name, and at one time houses at the northern end were called Centurion Terrace. Additional Information: Mirfields, Builders. jgc_31_112
31-116
James Gray: With the building, in the mid-1960s, of the new St Pauls School, the clearance for this purpose removed about one half of the buildings in Centurion Road. All that were left were contained in the northern part of the road, and these are this shown in these two photographs of 8 July 1973. The low sunken building, used from 1948 to 1966 as Film Studios, was then thought likely to be removed but it lasted until 1979, when it was cleared and private houses may be built on the site. The large adjoining house was, for many years, the St Nicholas Parish Rooms and Sunday Schools. jgc_31_115
James Gray: More photographs showing preparation of the site for the new St Paul’s Church School, also taken on 17 October 1965. Above, looking up Centurion Road towards Church Street with one side cleared of buildings and those on the right soon to be removed. jgc_31_121
2018: While the 2019 image for jgc_31_112 above shows the solitary house in Centurion Road south of the school, this image shows the northern end of the road today, abruptly cut off by the school site. (Photographer: Frances Lindsay-Hills)
James Gray: Part of the cleared site, from New Dorset Street to Mount Zion Place, before building commenced. jgc_31_122
2018: The topography of this area was changed forever with the construction of St Paul’s School and no directly comparable image is possible. However, the trees in the 1965 image remain and the area immediately in front of them is now occupied by garages. (Photographer: Frances Lindsay-Hills)
James Gray: Compare these photographs [jgc_31_118 and 119] with those [jgc_31_115 and 116] on the penultimate page. The one at the top right [see jgc_31_119] shows the row of houses which replaced the building formerly used as Film Studios, demolished in 1979. Left is the building, St Nicholas Parish Rooms, used in more recent times as Auction Rooms. Both of these photographs were taken on 4 May 1992. jgc_31_118
James Gray: View from St Nicholas Road across a mixture of small commercial premises, houses in Centurion Road, a car park, New Dorset Street and the backs of the houses of Mount Zion Place. In the background, can be seen the Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital. jgc_31_129
James Gray: Looking from the top floors of houses in St Nicholas Road across the mass of houses and commercial buildings since removed and replaced by the new [St Paul’s] primary school. Date May 1963. jgc_31_131