The Baptist Tabernacle used to stand on the north side of the road. This gothic structure was designed by London architects Lander and Bedells, and the building was erected by Samuel Woods of Weybridge.. In 1873 some of the members of the Baptist congregation decided to form a new church, with communion open to all believers after the doctrine of the Metropolitan Tabernacle. Initially services were held in the old Town Hall, but on 1st January 1884 the Tabernacle was opened in Calverley Road. In 1928 a scheme of 're-electrification' made it "one of the brightest and best lighted of the many places of worship in the town." Ten years later the church relocated to Upper Grosvenor Road and the Tabernacle was demolished.
The next card, from c.1900, shows Calverley Road lined with stalls and busy with shoppers. The card is from the Valentines Series, No.49326. The upper façade of the south side of the road, built by Charles Adie in the 1870's, has remained virtually unchanged to this day. The former Baptist tabernacle is visible in the middle distance.
The card below is from the "National Series" and was posted in 1904. The view is in the opposite direction to the one above, and several of the buildings may be identified in both pictures. Notice the policeman watching the photographer.
This card from a slightly different location was posted in 1911. Publisher is unknown, but it is numbered 22751. The north side of Calverley Road, once known as Bankrupts Row was home to a market on Saturday afternoons and evenings during the early years of the 20th century. The regulations governing the market were strict; no stall holders were allowed in Calverly Road until 1 pm, when there was a scramble for the best pitches. The Grosvenor Tavern, on the extreme left and many of the shops beyond the gables have long gone.
Here is a view from precisely the same location, with rather more traffic. It is card No. 29 in a series published by LL. Notice the "Sale now proceeding" sign on Waymark's (the shop on the corner).
Scanned antique postcards
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