Northwood, Middlesex c1912

Northwood, Middlesex circa 1912. These houses would have been new when the photograph was taken. The railway bridge is not as aesthetically pleasing as the old one. Also see this post for a view of Northwood cinema around the same time. Postcard by W. H. Applebee of Ashford, Middlesex. Click the picture to enlarge.

View Larger Map

Farnborough, Hampshire, airships Beta and Gamma c1912

Farnborough, Hampshire, airships Beta and Gamma circa 1912. No 'now' pictures from Google Street View today, this is a post for Sepia Saturday's aircraft theme. I have copied the text below from the excellent 'British Airships: Past, Present and Future' by George Whale which is available on line from many sources including a scanned version at Archive.org and html, text and other versions at Project Gutenberg.

As always, click the pictures to enlarge. Postcards by W. H. Applebee, John Drew and Mays.


BETA

Beta was completed in May, 1910. The envelope was that of the Baby enlarged, and now had a volume of 35,000 cubic feet. The car was composed of a long frame, having a centre compartment for the crew and engines, which was the standard practice at that time for ships designed by the Astra Company. A 35 horse-power Green engine drove two wooden two-bladed propellers by chains. The ship was fitted with an unbalanced rudder, while the elevators were in the front of the frame. This ship was successful, and in June flew to London and back, and in September took part in the Army manoeuvres, on one occasion being in the air for 7 3/4 hours without landing, carrying a crew of three. Trouble was experienced in the steering, the elevators being situated too near the centre of the ship to be really efficient and were altogether too small.

In 1912, Beta, having been employed regularly during the previous year, was provided with a new car having a Clerget engine of 45 horse-power. In 1913 she was inflated for over three months and made innumerable flights, on one occasion carrying H.R.H. the Prince of Wales as passenger. She had at that time a maximum speed of 35 miles per hour, and could carry fuel for about eight hours with a crew of three.

GAMMA

In 1910 the Gamma was also completed. This was a much bigger ship with an envelope of 75,000 cubic feet capacity, which, though designed in England, had been built by the Astra Company in Paris. The car, as in Beta, was carried in a long framework suspended from the envelope. This portion of the ship was manufactured in England, together with the machinery. This consisted of an 80 horse-power Green engine driving swivelling propellers, the gears and shafts of which were made by Rolls Royce. The engine drove the propeller shafts direct, one from each end of the crankshaft.

Originally the envelope was fitted with inflated streamline stabilizers on either side, but at a later date these were replaced by fixed stabilizing planes. At the same time the Green engine was removed and two Iris engines of 45 horse-power were installed, each driving a single propeller. There were two pairs of elevators, each situated in the framework, one forward, the other aft. In 1912, having been rigged to a new envelope of 101,000 cubic feet capacity, the ship took part in the autumn manoeuvres, and considerable use was made of wireless telegraphy.

In a height reconnaissance the pilot lost his way, and running out of petrol drifted all night, but was safely landed. When returning to Farnborough the rudder controls were broken and the ship was ripped. In this operation the framework was considerably damaged. When repairs were being carried out the elevators were removed from the car framework and attached to the stabilizing fins in accordance with the method in use to-day.

East London, Leyton Town Hall c1913

East London, Leyton Town Hall circa 1913. In one of W. H. Applebee's rare East London postcards we can see Leyton Town Hall, a grade II listed building, now called Leyton Municipal Buildings. Click to enlarge.

View Larger Map

Surrey, Richmond, Hill Rise c1905 and c1913

Surrey, Richmond, Hill Rise circa 1905 and circa 1913. Here are a couple of postcards that show Hill Rise before all of the buildings on the left side of the street were demolished. It does make Hill Rise more open and airy, but it has lost some of its cluttered charm. Google Street View does not go up Hill Rise for some reason, so the 'now' pictures are ones I took a few days ago on my telephone as I was passing through. Postcards by LL  and W. H. Applebee. The LL postcard is a little earlier than the WHA and was taken a little further up the hill. Click the pictures to enlarge. For more old photographs please visit Sepia Saturday.

Guildford, Surrey, St Nicolas' Church c1910

Guildford, Surrey, St Nicolas' Church circa 1910. St Nicolas is at the lower end of the High Street. This church was built in 1876 on the site of an earlier building. I think the WHA postcard below called 'Lady's Chapel' may actually be 'Loseley Chapel'. Postcards by Young & Co of Teddington and WHA, click to enlarge.

View Larger Map

Slough, Berkshire, William Street c1913

Slough, Berkshire, William Street circa 1913. I'm not sure if the postcard photograph was taken a little further back, the area is so unrecognisable now. Postcard published by W. H. Applebee.

View Larger Map

High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, Frogmore Fountain c1912

High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, Frogmore Fountain circa 1912. This fountain was apparently scrapped to provide metal for the war effort in the 1940s. It's a shame because it was quite magnificent. The square looks very ordinary without it. This postcard was published by W. H Applebee.

View Larger Map

Here's an earlier view from a different angle on a postcard by Young & Co. For more old photographs please visit Sepia Saturday.

Chertsey, Surrey, The Vine Inn c1927

Chertsey, Surrey, The Vine Inn circa 1927. Sadly, this old pub has recently closed down and the lovely old cottage next door has been demolished. The remarkable thing about this picture is the squirrel carved from a log above the window. I wonder what happened to that? Postcard published by W. H. Applebee.

View Larger Map

Normandy, Surrey, Willey Green c1912

Normandy, Surrey, Willey Green circa 1912. Normandy is a small village in the west of Surrey. In this postcard by W. H. Applebee the publisher has written the caption as Willow Green. The correct name is Willey Green. In the distance we can see the Duke of Normandy pub and before that the store owned by Walter Rolph. On the extreme left is a shop run by Edwin Cranstone. Information for this post has been gathered from the Normandy Historians website. Click the picture to enlarge.

View Larger Map

Thursley, Surrey, The Post Office c1912

Thursley, Surrey, The Post Office circa 1912. Thursley is a small village in Surrey. The view has changed very little, although Thursley no longer has a post office. The post office was run by Henry Spernon Tozer, a very fine artist. He was also a photographer and postcard publisher, it is possible that he took this photograph and had it printed by W. H. Applebee. This card is clearly published by W. H. Applebee, but a printed version exists which states it was published by Tozer. Click to enlarge.

View Larger Map
Detail from postcard:

Cobham, Surrey, The Mill c1912

Cobham, Surrey, The Mill circa 1912. The main part of the mill on the left of the postcard was demolished in 1953. The remaining part is the last surviving working water mill in Surrey. It is owned by The Cobham Mill Preservation Trust. The house in the background is Leigh Place which you can see on this postcard. Postcard published by W. H. Applebee. Click to enlarge.

View Larger Map

East Ham, London, Central Hall c1914

East Ham, London, Central Hall circa 1914. This huge Methodist church was opened in 1906 and cost £25,000 to build. It could hold 2500 people. It was demolished in 1968, the dwindling congregation could no longer bear the cost of maintaining it. Postcard published by W. H. Applebee. Click to enlarge.

View Larger Map

Chavey Down, Berkshire, Church Road c1912

Chavey Down, Berkshire, Church Road c1912. Chavey Down is a hamlet in Berkshire, between Ascot and Bracknell. There is some information about Chavey Down on David Nash Ford's Royal Berkshire History Website. Postcard published by W. H. Applebee. Click to enlarge.

View Larger Map

Weybridge, Surrey, The Ship Hotel c1935 - Sepia Saturday

Weybridge, Surrey, The Ship Hotel circa 1935. Weybridge was the closest town to the Brooklands motor racing track and was a very popular destination for motoring types. There is quite a line up of motor cars outside The Ship Hotel, see detailed views below. One of the cars appears to be a road-going racer, complete with an 'on-tow' message on the back. It is not at all clear which vehicle towed it, my guess is that it got to the pub under its own steam. I hope none of the drivers of these cars drove their cars after drinking a few ales, but I think the concept of 'one for the road' was very prevalent in those days. If anyone can identify any of the cars or the motorbike I'd be very grateful. I would have loved to been at the bar when these fellows turned up, I imagine it was quite lively after a days racing at Brooklands. The Ship Hotel is still in business, but looking at the Google Street View it doesn't look quite as much fun today. This postcard was published in the mid 1930s, almost certainly by Charles Mitchell, step-brother of W. H. Applebee. Click on the images to enlarge.

Please visit Sepia Saturday for more old photographs.

View Larger Map

Windlesham, Surrey, Updown Hill Post Office c1910

Windlesham, Surrey, Updown Hill Post Office circa 1910. Windlesham is a village near Bagshot. In this view we can see the marvellously named Updown Hill and the village post office. It is very good to see the building is still a post office, that must be something of a rarity these days. It is largely unaltered since this picture was taken a hundred years ago except for the obvious side extension. The picture was printed from an older negative that was clearly a little 'tired'. If you look closely you can see an old-fashioned pram outside the post office. The sign on the side of the post office states 'Boots and clothing Estd  1859'. Postcard by W. H. Applebee, from an earlier negative by Young & Co. Click to enlarge.

View Larger Map

Leatherhead, Surrey, The Crescent c1913

Leatherhead, Surrey, The Crescent circa 1913. The unusual building on the right has survived, but the rest of the scene is not so pretty today. Note the milk cart and the stylish streetlamp. The back of the postcard describes the markings on the front. Postcard by W. H. Applebee. Click to enlarge.

View Larger Map

Fulmer, Buckinghamshire, c1912 - Sepia Saturday

Fulmer, Buckinghamshire, circa 1912. Fulmer is a village in South Buckinghamshire, close to Gerrards Cross. The buildings on the right have changed somewhat since the photograph was taken, but if you look carefully you can see some similarities - the little window at the pavement level and the gateway. I imagine that it's been a few years since anyone's driven their cattle along the Fulmer Road. Postcard by W. H. Applebee. Click to enlarge. Please visit Sepia Saturday for more old photos.

View Larger Map

Marlow Bridge, Buckinghamshire c1912

Marlow Bridge, Buckinghamshire circa 1912. Marlow Bridge is a road and pedestrian bridge over the Thames. It was opened in 1832 and is a Grade 1 listed monument. In the distance we can see All Saints Church. Postcard published by W. H. Applebee. Click to enlarge.

View Larger Map

Taplow Village, Buckinghamshire c1911

Taplow Village, Buckinghamshire circa 1911. Taplow is a village between Burnham and Maidenhead. Down the road we can see the marvellously named Oak and Saw pub, thankfully still there. One of those rare postcards where the modern view is just as pretty as it was a hundred years ago. The publisher is a little difficult to determine, the caption on the right saying 'Taplow Village' is classic Young & Co, but on the left there is faded text saying 'WHA 965', so this is likely a Young and Co republished by WHA.

View Larger Map

Brill, Buckinghamshire, The Square c1912

Brill, Buckinghamshire, The Square circa 1912. Brill is a small village in the west of Buckinghamshire. The war memorial you can see in the Google Street View obviously does not appear in the pre-WW1 postcard. The tall building just left of centre has been replaced at some point. This postcard was published by W. H. Applebee, and although it does not feature his usual WHA number on the front, WHA is printed on the back.

View Larger Map