Smithford Street (inc. Ram Bridge)

Great views, Neil - still no other signs of that strange tall object though!

Looking at Britain from above - there's a photo from 1935 of the city centre (epw047173) I think that's the Co-op (?) building. I'm sure there some better images somewhere but there's something tall on top of that at that time? Not sure if it entirely matches - flag-pole etc? Very intriguing?

Well spotted Neil. It looks as if the building is decorated. 1935 that would be King George V Silver Jubilee, wonder if that is anything to do with it. I have an old Co-op book. The picture in that shows a statue on top but not on a pole. I think it is the statue that was on the top of Britannia Vaults which later became the Co-op.

Perhaps this picture will correct any disputes about the alignment of Smithford Street. RIBA archive

Thanks! This picture is really great, I've never seen one just taken as an everyday picture (that's definitely not bomb damage context) from inside post war Smithford Street, and the City Arcade still there! So sad the council had to go and kill this nice and useful street.

Sorry NeilsYard but from a slightly different angle (EPW047168) it looks like an ordinary flagpole:

In this picture you can see the cobbles of the old Smithford Street and some old walls in the middle of the new development of the Precinct. I wonder if the cobbles are still underneath!

Going back to the old postcard, there is something to the left of the pole we are looking at, showing the other side of St John's Church. It looks like the dome structure on the Co-op but I can't work it out. On Osmiroid's picture on post 85 you can see the dome on the coop and several flag poles but it seems a very different angle to the original postcard.

I agree Anne, I think the dome is the Co-op. Whatever the strange object is, it's not far from the road into the market. About the location of the Lady Godiva pub?

I think what is misleading in the photo from post 85 is that it is from a much lower level than the postcard view. In the latter we are looking over the rooftops of the buildings to the right of Smithford Street.

Here's the pole again, I've attached the post mark but I can not decipher it.

I think it says 28th May 1936

Hi and thanks for that. Just a thought or an idea, do you think the large pole could have been the pub sign for the Leopard Inn. The location is correct I would guess. Heathite

I think not Heathite. The Leopard Inn was closer to the camera, on the east side of the street into the market. The mystery object is closer to the Lady Godiva/Lord Nelson. I suppose it could be a mock Nelson's column? I still think it's more likely to be a temporary structure like a crane.

Yes, the Leopard Inn was number 64, most of the other pubs listed are odd numbers on the other side. Part of my family ran the Leopard until the early 1900's. my 2x g grandmother was there at the end of her life. Pity I can't contact them "Is there anybody there "