Hitchin

Demolition 1971

By Jol Pegrum

demolition 1971
H Pegrum
demolition 1971
H Pegrum

These are my fathers slides of some demolition work being carried out in Hitchin in 1971.

This page was added on 15/08/2011.

Add your comment about this page

Your email address will not be published.

  • St Marys had changed its name to St Andrews by the time I started there in 1955. I guess the former St Andrews had been closed (and demolished?) by then.

    By Bill Smith (11/10/2023)
  • The lower image is definitely that of the site of the old St. Andrews School shortly after its demolition. To the right can be seen some trees, which I believe border the churchyard of St Marys Church and looking directly ahead you can see the market square pretty much as it looks today.
    I was a pupil at the School and recall moving to the new building at Benslow Lane in 1970.

    By Andrew Vince (14/01/2021)
  • The first picture is St Andrews School in the churchyard. I went to St.Andrews until about 1959. I remember walking around it in 1970 – how I wish I had taken some photos of the inside. I wish it hadn’t been demolished – I think it could have been used for a new purpose and been an asset to the town.

    By Chris Redman (08/03/2020)
  • Definitely St Andrews School – recognised by the diaper brickwork bond, but it was built as St Marys National (CofE) School in 1854. Known as St Marys through WW2 but at some time between WW2 and demolition (which might be earlier than 1971) they changed the name. The original St Andrews School was at the junction of Hollow Lane and St Andrews Place, also built 1854. The current St Andrews is in Benslow Lane.

    By Terry Ransome (25/03/2014)
  • The lower photograph is of the area currently (2012) covered by the market: the Biggin is off the picture to the left and St Mary’s Square Car Park off to the right. We are looking towards where Churchgate now stands and the photograph was taken from where the public toilets would be built. The upper photograph appears to show demolition os structures of Biggin Lane: the church-like building was presumably part of St Andrew’s School. It shows a similar view to the lower photograph, but before the demolition was completed. You can see the bell-tower on the Corn Exchange in both photographs.

    By Keith Fitzpatrick-Matthews (18/12/2012)
  • The first picture may show the area behind the old Methodist Church on Brand Street. The second picture may be the area behind Brookers before the flats were built.

    By Viv Birch (03/07/2012)