One of our recent then-and-now features showed a corner of Newcastle that has changed beyond all recognition over the last 40 or 50 years.
It recalled Marlborough Crescent bus station, as it was in 1976, and the contrasting scene in 2022 where the Centre For Life dominates the location. Both images were captured by amateur photographer Trevor Ermel who has kindly shared much of his superb work with ChronicleLive in recent years.
The Marlborough Crescent/Centre For Life feature prompted Trevor to get in touch with another two photographs showing the western entrance to Newcastle city centre. "I have a pair of pictures looking in the other direction, on Westmorland Road," he says. "The first one was taken in 1977. The fencing in the left foreground would suggest rebuilding work was in progress on Marlborough Crescent bus station - this must be about the time the overall roof was removed. The lorry in the centre is turning right out of Waterloo Street. In the background we have a good view of the top of Blandford House, the Co-operative Wholesale Society Building."
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"The second photograph," adds Trevor, "was taken this year. The building on the right has seen extensive additions to the top floor and roof. The new building which dominates the scene beyond Waterloo Street now obscures most of Blandford House, which these days houses the Discovery Museum."
The shot of bustling Westmorland Road in 1977, with its snack bars and independent traders is a real throwback to the Newcastle of the times. The 2022 image with its convenience store and takeaway belongs to a much-changed city. The striking new building in the modern photograph is the City Quadrant, which was built in 2005 and is a high-end development providing space for retail, leisure and residential use.
Meanwhile, Blandford House, which is largely unseen in the 2022 image, was opened in 1899 as the headquarters of the North Eastern Co-operative Wholesale Society. The building had a central courtyard, warehouses, offices, a dining hall, and even its own bank. The Co-op moved out in 1977 - and since 1981, the building has been home to the Discovery Museum, which was in the news in October this year when we reported how there was some speculation the museum could be relocated.
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