Regent Place Swindon

David Peter Gleaves posted in the Facebook Group, Swindon Past & Present, a couple of rather nice images of the Red Cow at the top of Princes Street. With his permission I have put them together with some others.

I rather liked them for their simplicity as they are just two images of day to day life at the time. One of the members mentioned the building to the right and I wondered what it had been used for. I remembered that I had some images of Regent Place and its junction with Princes Street. One of which shows the building being used as a Radio Supplies Shop.

I remembered that I had some images of Regents place and its junction with Princes Street. One of which shows the building being used as a Radio Supplies Shop owned and run by a well know chap Jim Dagnell. When this area was redeveloped he moved to Beckhampton Street. The others look like they were taken at the same time probably standing in the same place, (as a photographer it is the sort of thing I do).

Three of the images were definitely taken at the same time as it is clear that there are vehicles parked in the same place and the fourth, of Cow Lane, I would say was also taken at the same time possible with the two girls that were in other images 'photo-bombing' to use a modern phrase.

A quick amalgamation in Paint Shop pro and we have a wider view of the location.

This image shows the telephone exchange in the background that still occupies the same spot today.

This image is taken later than the others as the demolition of Princes Street and Regent Place has started as there is a car park to the left where the houses one stood. Cow Lane is the entrance on the left.

The final image is of Cow Lane which is almost certainly the same photographer as the weather style and lighting are all identical. I also speculate that the girls in this image are the same girls as in the previous ones.