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Demolition 2009/11
in High Street South

From the High Causeway - getting ready for demolition of Townsend's in 2009

derelict buildings
The row of derelict properties had been empty for many years

Pair of houses built 1867 datestoneA pair of houses built in 1867 and after standing derelict for many years, about to be demolished.
Demolition began with scaffolding, for the careful removal of tiles and bricks suggests these materials will be resold for a rebuild or repairs to an older property. These two houses face Little Street.

Behind other properites fronting the street were the cottages and workshop/sculleries of Upton Place.

In December 2010 demolition began on derelict properties in High Street South, including Upton Place cottages, the old Auto Electrics and Central Electric Company buildings. The latter had been on fire and already badly damaged, and some cottages had been empty for over 40 years. This series of photographs was taken on 10th December 2010 by Richard Thacker, who used to work in the Central Electric Company building in the 1960s, and a very large skip was already inside the building when he took the photographs.
The properties being demolished
Cottage behing the roadside properties
This whole row is being demolished
A scullery & workshop belonging to one of the cottages
One of the Upton Place cottages
Upton Place scullery/workshop
One of the cottages in Upton Place in January 2011
and its scullery/workshop behind
Old workshops Old stone walls
These two pictures clearly show old stone walls with brick above showing that older properies had been demolished and
new brick cottages built on the same foundations. The stone wall at the back is clearly supporting soil in the gardens of
houses built behind, the fencing being the boundary for the properties in Wymington Park.
Stores Skip and office
This was known as Roy's stores - Roy Presland
The window (right) was in Jim Timpson's office
Stairs The roof of Central Electrics
Stairs to the upper floor
In the apex of the roof was Ray Allen's office - he was technical director and estimator for Central Electric

Chimney gone! Roof gone!
3rd day - scaffolded and chimney gone
4th day - roof gone

Reclaimed materials being stacked.
Pallets of bricks saved for re-use
1911 map
1911 Map with demolition area centre - P marks a pump and W a well.
The blue is the yard and the dot marking the pump for Upton Place.
Sculleries with workshops above, are in a row behind. The laundry was done on the ground floor and upstairs for shoework on the 'outdoor' system.
The path top right leads to the Old Baptist Church. South End School left of Wymington Road (pink) and left the smithy and yard (red) of Mr Lewis.

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