Local History Videos

Old Images of Dunstable, Bedfordshire

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Debbie Death
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Old photo postcard of the High Street at Dunstable, including the ABC Cinema

Enjoy a glimpse of history through old images of Dunstable, in Bedfordshire, England, UK.

Old Picture of Dunstable Priory

Old Picture of Dunstable Priory, published in 1804
Old Picture of Dunstable Priory, published in 1804

Old Photos of Dunstable

Old photo postcard of the Burning of the Weslyan Church, Dunstable, on 14th September, 1908
Old photo postcard of the Burning of the Weslyan Church, Dunstable, on 14th September, 1908
Old photo postcard of Dunstable Chalk Hills and Michelin Tyres
Old photo postcard of Dunstable Chalk Hills and Michelin Tyres
Old photo postcard of Watling Street, Dunstable, Bedfordshire
Old photo postcard of Watling Street, Dunstable, Bedfordshire. Image: Mark Crombie on Flikr.
Vintage postcard of the High Street at Dunstable, Bedfordshire, posted in 1946
Vintage postcard of the High Street at Dunstable, Bedfordshire, posted in 1946. Image: Mark Crombie on Flikr.
Closeup of a vintage postcard of the High Street, Dunstable, Bedfordshire
Closeup of a vintage postcard of the High Street, Dunstable, Bedfordshire
Closeup of a vintage postcard of Dunstable High Street, Bedfordshire
Closeup of a vintage postcard of Dunstable High Street, Bedfordshire
Closeup of a vintage postcard of Dunstable High Street, England
Closeup of a vintage postcard of Dunstable High Street, England
Old photo postcard of the High Street at Dunstable, including the ABC Cinema
Old photo postcard of the High Street at Dunstable, including the ABC Cinema. Image: Mark Crombie/Flikr.
Closeup of a vintage postcard of Dunstable's High Street North
Closeup of a vintage postcard of Dunstable’s High Street North
Closeup of a vintage postcard of Dunstable High Street North
Closeup of a vintage postcard of Dunstable High Street North
Old photo postcard of Dunstable Market in the early 1970s
Old photo postcard of Dunstable Market in the early 1970s
Closeup of a vintage photo postcard showing Dunstable Market in the early 1970s
Closeup of a vintage photo postcard showing Dunstable Market in the early 1970s
Old photo postcard of Dunstable in the early 1970s
Old photo postcard of Dunstable in the early 1970s
Closeup of an old photo postcard with local shops and pedestrians at Dunstable in the early 1970s
Closeup of an old photo postcard with local shops and pedestrians at Dunstable in the early 1970s
Vintage photo postcard of Dunstable in the early 1970s
Vintage photo postcard of Dunstable in the early 1970s
Closeup of a photo postcard of Dunstable shops in the early 1970s
Closeup of a photo postcard of Dunstable shops in the early 1970s
Closeup of an old photo postcard of Dunstable in the early 1970s
Closeup of an old photo postcard of Dunstable in the early 1970s

Dunstable’s Plans in 1965

A council planning movie from 1965 uncovers an extraordinary piece of history.

In demonstrating the problems the town was grappling with at the time, especially the exponential growth in traffic, the cameras capture what the streets, cars, people and businesses looked like at the time.

40,000 people lived in the town’s catchment area then, and planners were forecasting a doubling of that figure by 1981. Shopping moving between Watling Street, Church Street, and West Street had to content with very busy roads.

The pedestrianised shopping centre at Stevenage is shown as a potential solution for the redevelopment of Dunstable’s retail centre. But a consultation was to be done, to find out what people wanted for the town’s future.

Dunstable, 1965 and it’s plans up to the year 2000. – Dave Wood on YouTube

Local Child Workers in 1917

In Dunstable a short piece of footage recorded in 1917 shows some of the local children working in what seems to be a walled garden.

Even by the start of the twentieth century, Britain was heavily reliant on imports to feed the population. So the major interruptions to sea routes during the Great War, later known as World War I, had a very real impact on food supplies.

Perhaps these children are helping to grow food. Alternatively, they could be maintaining the walled garden, given that the country sent millions of younger men to war, and gardeners were not subject to the reserved occupation status that kept agricultural workers at home.

Even Children Help (1917) – British Pathé on YouTube

M1 Motorway Near Dunstable in 1958

In the later end of the 1950s, British planners set a target of 19 months to build the London to Birmingham motorway. It would become the M1.

In this footage, recorded in fields near Dunstable in 1958, the motorway concept is so new the narrator has to explain how it works.

Britain’s “Autobahn” (1958) – British Pathé on YouTube

Leaving Dunstable for 1959 Scooter Tour

In 1959, Noel Lempriere and Sydney Meddings set off from Dunstable for a tour around Europe on a scooter, towing a foldable foldable fibre glass caravan.

It’s worth watching this brief newsreel just to see the item they are towing, which looks like a giant suitcase. There’s a big dent on one side, where the structure has already been damaged before they’ve even got going.

The local mayor, Alderman Louie Palmer, was there to send them off.

Motor News – Dunstable (1959) – British Pathé on YouTube

Thermo Plastics Factory in 1960

A 1960 newsreel shows men and women working in one of Dunstable’s factories, making items from thermo plastics.

Thermo Plastics (1960) – British Pathé on YouTube

More about Bedfordshire

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