Old Photographs of Derby by Les Sims

Old Derby Photographs by Les Sims
This page features old pictures that were supplied by
Derby resident Les Sims.
Visit the main Old Derby Photos page HERE.

If you would like to see modern photos of other Areas of Derby, Derbyshire and the Midlands then click on the main index button at the bottom of this page.
To view a large version of any of the photographs below, simply click on the thumbnail version and this will open a new full screen window into which the picture will load.

All of the images on this page have been scanned in from old photographs supplied to me by Les Sims.
I would like to thank him for supplying them to me so we can all share the old memories.

If you have some old photographs of Derby or the suburbs and would be willing to let me borrow them to scan in and put on this web site then let me know. They must be YOUR photographs and NOT copies from books or copyrighted productions.

All images © www.derbyphotos.co.uk
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Photo Description : Aerial view over Rolls-Royce 1950
Image Reference No. : DP-OLDLSCOL-06
Approx Date of photo : Mid 1960's
For a MODERN aerial photo with overlayed map click HERE
Other Information : This wonderful aerial view shows various parts of the Rolls-Royce factory in Sinfin, Derby.
This photo is a high resolution one and must be viewed at 1024x768 screen resolution or higher. Once loaded you can move the mouse over points of interest and it will show information in a poup window such as street names.

Photos featuring the demolition of Saint Alkmunds Church
There are only six churches in England dedicated to Saint Alkmund (Born in 774 in northern England as a British prince) The Church was rebuilt in 1843 by H.I. Stevens at a cost of £7,700 and was demolished in 1967 in order to build the ring road now called St Alkmund's Way. The church was located on Bridge Gate. St Alkmund's Church yard was Derby's only Georgian Square and it was destroyed to make way for the inner a ring road ! Joseph wright the famous Derby painter was buried at this church, His remains were moved to Nottingham Road cemetery and this tombstone placed outside Derby Cathedral in 1997. In 2002 it was brought inside the Cathedral and wall-mounted in a prominent place near to the well-visited memorial to Bess of Hardwick. Until Les sent me these images I was not quite sure where St Alkmund's was actually located, being born after the church was demolished I found it hard to imagine where it was. Now seeing these photos I can see precisely where it was located. Having now visited the former location I was also surprised to find a commemorative stone located on a bit of raised ground near the end of the footbridge over St Alkmund's way.I have never seen this before The stone reads "On this site stood Saint Alkmunds Church. Foundations of Successive buildings dating from the eighth century AD were discovered when the church was demolished in 1968." So next time you are driving through St Alkmunds way be aware that you are in fact driving right through the foundations of a church and graveyard ! For an exact Map Location of the former St Alkmund's church Click HERE
	Photo Description : Saint Alkmund's church 1 Image Reference No. : DP-OLDLSCOL-01 Approx Date of photo : 1968 Other Information : This unique image shows Saint Alkmunds church during it's demolition in 1967. Notice the three Nuns walking in front of the remains.
	Photo Description : Saint Alkmund's church 2 Image Reference No. : DP-OLDLSCOL-02 Approx Date of photo : 1968 Other Information : Another unique image showing Saint Alkmunds church during demolition. Here you can also see Saint Mary's Church to the left of whats left of St Alkmund's church.
	Photo Description : Saint Alkmund's church 3 Image Reference No. : DP-OLDLSCOL-03 Approx Date of photo : 1968 Other Information : This final unique image shows a close up view of the stone pillars of Saint Alkmunds church which is now in the advanced stage of demolition.

Photo Description : Bridge Gate
Image Reference No. : DP-OLDLSCOL-04
Approx Date of photo : 1967
Other Information : This is Bridge Gate, before the King Street underpass was built. The six year old boy on the right is Paul Sims (Son of Les). I wonder who the owner of this Morris Minor car was when this photo was taken.

Photo Description : King Street
Image Reference No. : DP-OLDLSCOL-05
Approx Date of photo : 1968
Other Information : This is King Street and it shows the shops and businesses which stood to the left of St. Helens Street (just out of shot to the right). On the left foreground is the site of the New Inn pub which stood on the town side corner of the junction of King Street and Bridge Gate. The pub was built in 1766 as a coaching Inn, it was demolished in 1968 to make way for the inner ring road.

	Photo Description : Derby Pathfinders Motor Cycle Club Image Reference No. : DP-OLDLSCOL-07 Approx Date of photo : 1932 Taken in 1932 at Coxbench at the first motorcycle scramble organised by the then new club. Riders are - front row (left to right), Alf Briggs, Charlie Waller, Bob Cox, John Marsh, Eric Sims (Les's uncle) No.46, Dan Murney, Joe Crowder, Ralph Nuttal, J. Beckworth, Jack Hazlewood, Henry Burrows (Optician with shop on Normanton Road), Alec Underwood. Back Row (left to right), Wightman (jnr), six unknowns, Joseph Burrows, A. Wightman (another optician). The motorcycles are (left to right) Triumph No. 47, B.S.A. No. 46 (RB 7121), Calthorpe CH 9366, New Imperial UT 6529, Levis No. 52 (RC 1039), Scott No. 50 (TO 9886), D.O.T., and Francis Barnett No. 54 (CH 9406).
	Photo Description : Last Trolley buses of Derby 1 Image Reference No. : DP-OLDLSCOL-08 Approx Date of photo : Autumn 1967
	Photo Description : Last Trolley buses of Derby 2 Image Reference No. : DP-OLDLSCOL-09 Approx Date of photo : Autumn 1967
	Photo Description : Last Trolley buses of Derby 3 Image Reference No. : DP-OLDLSCOL-10 Approx Date of photo : Autumn 1967
	Photo Description : Last Trolley buses of Derby 4 Image Reference No. : DP-OLDLSCOL-11 Approx Date of photo : Autumn 1967 The sign on the front of the bus reads "Osmaston Road, Shelton Lock"

	Photo Description : Rolls-Royce Memorial window unvieling. Image Reference No. : DP-OLDLSCOL-12 Date of photo : 11 January 1949. In the main hall of Rolls-Royce Main works (Nightingale road) features a memorial window which was unveiled by Marshal of the RAF Lord Tedder on 11 January 1949. Here we can see Elizabeth the 2nd and Prince Phillip. The window was designed by Hugh Easton.
	Photo Description : Manor Hospital, Uttoxeter Road, Mickleover Image Reference No. : DP-OLDLSCOL-13 Date of photo : February 1992 Manor hospital was first developed as The Uttoxeter Road Workhouse, It was built in 1876-8 by local architects William Giles and Robert and Thomas Brookhouse who specialised in public and church buildings. The workhouse later became known as the Boundary House Institution, then after 1948 as Manor Hospital. The hospital closed in 1988 and was demolished in 1992
	Photo Description : Manor Hospital 2 Image Reference No. : DP-OLDLSCOL-16 Date of photo : February 1992 Another view of the now demolished Manor Hospital.
	Photo Description : Derwent Dam Image Reference No. : DP-OLDLSCOL-14 Date of photo : 1909 This postcard shows Derwent dam during its construction in 1909.
	Photo Description : St Mary's Bridge Chapel Image Reference No. : DP-OLDLSCOL-15 Date of photo : February 1958 The formers Saint Alkmund's church can be seen in this glorious view of Mary's bridge chapel as viewed from across the river Derwent.

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