A Glimpse into London's Past: Unpacking a Postcard of Hyde Park Corner

There's something uniquely captivating about old postcards. More than just a simple message carrier, they offer a tangible link to the past, a snapshot of a moment in time, and often, a surprising amount of historical detail if you know where to look. Today, I want to share a recent discovery from my own collection: a postcard depicting Hyde Park Corner and Constitution Arch, with some fascinating insights printed on its reverse.

The front of the postcard features a painting titled "Hyde Park Corner & Constitution Arch, c. 1829–34, by James Holland." Even at first glance, the scene is bustling with activity. We see a wide, unpaved thoroughfare, suggesting a time before modern road surfacing. People mill about, and there's a sense of movement and daily life unfolding. The architecture is grand and imposing, particularly the prominent archway, which we learn is Constitution Arch. To the right, another substantial building stands, identified on the back as St. George's Hospital.

What makes this postcard particularly compelling are the details provided on the reverse. It tells us that the painting captures the view "facing the entrance screen to Hyde Park, before it was moved to the top of Constitution Hill in 1883." This immediately sparks curiosity. The idea that such a substantial structure as Constitution Arch was moved is quite remarkable! A quick bit of research reveals that the arch, originally designed by Decimus Burton, was indeed relocated to accommodate road widening schemes. It's a testament to the engineering feats of the time and the ever-evolving nature of urban landscapes.

The postcard also highlights the "rough nature of the road surface," which is indeed very evident in the painting. This detail grounds the image in its historical context, reminding us of a time before asphalt and smooth pavements were commonplace. Imagine the dust, the mud, the rumble of horse-drawn carriages – it paints a vivid picture of London in the early 19th century.

Furthermore, the inscription mentions St. George's Hospital, "built in 1828–9," as being to the right. This gives us a precise timeframe for the painting and reinforces its historical accuracy. It's a reminder that these landmarks were not just static structures but active parts of the city's fabric, serving the community.

The postcard itself is a piece of history, too. It bears the mark of the London Museum and a copyright date of 1971, printed in England by Staples Printers Ltd., Kettering, Northants. This tells us that even in the early 1970s, this historical image was being disseminated, likely to educate and inform visitors about London's heritage.

This postcard is more than just a pretty picture; it's a miniature time capsule. It invites us to delve into the history of London, to learn about its architectural transformations, and to appreciate the everyday realities of life almost two centuries ago. It serves as a fantastic starting point for exploring the fascinating story of Hyde Park Corner, Constitution Arch, and the changing face of one of the world's great cities.

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Shop My Zazzle Must Have

I took the plunge and opened my own Zazzle stores earlier this year, and I'm thrilled with how they've been doing so far. To give a taste of what I offer, I've curated a selection of 10 popular selling designs I have available on my stores. Let's dive in!

My first set of 3 designs is taken from my Calderdale Unframed Store, I offer various designs their with links to the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale, West Yorkshire.

Mug of the Piece Hall based on a photo I took shortly after the Hall re-opened.

Postcard of the Calder and Hebble Navigation.

Shopping Bag featuring an artwork of Sowerby Bridges main road, Wharf Street.

This is just 3 of the currently 355 products I have available on Calderdale Unframed. I tend to offer my designs on postcards, clocks and coffee mugs, occasionally extending it to others, but all my images can be transferred and edited to products of your choosing.

The next 4 products are some of my popular featured designs on Colin's Picture This store, my designs here tend to be on postcards, clocks and many other products, but like above can be transferred to a number of different products as per your requirements. The pictures are all taken outside the boundaries of Calderdale.

Ship Inn and Hunt's Cliff, Saltburn, available as a postcard.

Headingley Stadiums, Leeds, home of Yorkshire CCC and Leeds Rhinos RLFC. Available as a postcard and Mug.

Postcard of the Palace of Westminster, London.

Mug featuring an artwork of the Glenfinnan Viaduct, Scotland.

This is just a small selection of my designs on Colin's Picture This, currently their are 583 different offers available, all of which can be transferred to alternative products as required.

My final set of 3 images is taken from my Colin Green Photography Zazzle Store, I only offer my photo's as wall art on this store.

Allan Park Walkway. 

Brown Bank Bridge, Rochdale Canal at Smithy Bridge near Rochdale.

Oats Royd Mill, Booth

I currently have 414 products available on the Colin_Green_Photography Zazzle Store.

Clicking any image will open a link in another window to the respective store featured. All my designs on Zazzle can be transferred to alternative products and even changed black and white, sepia and a number of alternative filters. They can also be cropped differently as per requirements.

Thanks for taking the time to look, please take a moment to view my stores.

Love Railway Stations? Capture their grandeur with my unique collection of postcards on Zazzle!

My passion for photography recently led me to Zazzle, where I discovered a way to transform my photos into amazing products. Among my bestsellers are stunning images of railway stations. Inspired by this, I've curated a collection of postcards featuring these architectural gems.

Browse the first 5 designs below that I turned into postcards, or unleash your creativity on Zazzle and create something truly special on a number of products to suit.

Sandal and Agbrigg Railway Station is a railway station serving the suburbs of Wakefield, West Yorkshire. Opened in 1866 as Sandal this station was closed to all traffic in 1957. The current halt was opened in 1987 on the site of the original station.

Berry Brow is a stop a few miles south of Huddersfield on the Penistone Line. Originally a double platform layout the original station was open from 1850 until 1966. The current single platform stop is built a few hundred yards further along the line from the original and opened in 1989.

The picture above shows the original station buildings at Brockholes, these are now a private residence situated on the disused platform at the station. Brockholes Railway Station opened in 1850 and was for a number of years a junction stop with the branch line to Holmfirth terminating here. The station was reduced to single track in 1989.

Wakefield Kirkgate Railway Station was the first to serve the city, opening in 1840 some 27 years before the well known Wakefield Westgate. The building pictured was opened in 1854 and the station has listed status, although many of the buildings and canopies were removed in the mid 1970's.

Deighton is another Yorkshire station that opened, then closed and then re-opened at a later date. The original Deighton Station opened in 1871 on the Kirkburton Branch Line that went off to the left of the picture. This closed in 1930 and the branch line was removed completely by the 1970's. The replacement station opened in 1982 on the main line where the original branch line junction had been.

All these postcards can be purchased from Zazzle by clicking any of the pictures above (link will open in another window) and browse the collection. The images can also be transferred to a number of alternative products.

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All the images remain the copyright of Colin Green.

Sunday 21st July 2024 Update the following images have also been added to the collection today,

Bradford Interchange opened in 1973 to replace the nearby Bradford Exchange Station. The bus station was added in 1977 and the site is known as the main public transport hub for the area.

Brierfield Railway Station is a stop on the East Lancashire Line to the east of Burnley. The station was opened as a double track halt in February 1849 and remained that way until much of the line was singled in 1986.

Castleton Moor Railway Station was opened in April 1861 as a 2 platform stop on the North Yorkshire and Cleveland Railway. Much of the line was single track but a passing loop was installed here which was removed in the 1980's. The station is now part of the Esk Valley Line connecting Whitby with Middlesborough.

Burnley Barracks Railway Station opened in September 1848, closed a few months later and re-opened in 1851 taking the name Burnley barracks after the nearby military installations. The station is a request stop and is earmarked for closure if the line is reopened between Colne and Skipton.

Cottingley Railway Station is a stop in the suburbs of Leeds on the Huddersfield Line, a relative new station having opened in April 1988 it is earmarked for closure when the nearby delayed White Rose Station opens.

Huddersfield Railway Station was built 1846-50 and is a Grade I listed building. Probably one of the best looking stations in the United Kingdom, it also features a statue of former Prime Minister Harold Wilson outside it's main entrance in Saint George's Square.

These are a small selection of the postcards added to the collection, they are many others being added weekly that may be of interest that are not featured here.

Old and New - Photo's and Postcards of Brotton, Skipton and Walsden

 Put together using images I have collected or taken these are 3 recent videos - slideshows I have uploaded to YouTube.

Old Photo's of  Brotton.

Brotton is a village in the borough of Redcar and Cleveland in the North of England. Their has been a settlement here since before the Domesday Book was completed in 1086 and name Brotton means Brook Farm. The village has a population of approx. 5400 which is a largely down on it's peak which was when the area was given over to the mining of ironstone, this decreased in the early part of the 20th century and the last mine closed in 1954. The pictures are postcards I have collected or public domain .

Old Skipton in Picture Postcards.

Skipton is a market town in North Yorkshire, it has a population of approx. 14600 and is passed through by the River Aire, Leeds and Liverpool Canal, and the Airedale Railway Line. These pictures were again put together using postcards I have collected.

Walsden in Pictures.

Walsden is a village in the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale, West Yorkshire. It has a population of approx. 5200 and is passed through by Walsden Water which flows in to the River Calder, the Rochdale Canal, the A6033 Rochdale Road and the town has a Railway Station on the Caldervale Line. Although now part of West Yorkshire, Walsden was historically part of Lancashire and administered by Rochdale Corporation. All the pictures were taken by me in August 2017.

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Postcards from Kenya, Morocco, Singapore and the United States of America

The current Covid pandemic has made it hard to get out with my camera since the start of the first lockdown last March in the United Kingdom, so I am currently taking an opportunity to work my way through sets I have already taken over the last decade, some slides I have acquired and some postcards I own too.

Todays post features 5 postcards from around the world, 4 of which were posted and 2 are from the same resort.

Sandman Motel.

The Sandman Motel is roadside stop in the city of Santa Rosa, California, an area famous as wine country.

The card was sent to the management and staff of the Manor Hotel, Yeovil in August 1977 and the both hotels still trade now some 44 years later.

Turtle Beach Hotel, Watamu, Kenya

This card again features a hotel and was posted, sadly the date is hard to make out.

Tangier, Morocco

This card was never posted and has no writing to give any indication of date.

Turtle Beach Hotel, Watamu, Kenya (Again)

Part of a set I bought, both of these Kenyan cards above were included in the sale, this one appears to have been posted in February, but like the other the date is hard to make out completely. Though it has the same image as above I thought the text may be of interest so decided to share both.

Singapore

The final postcard for this post features a set of 3 images of Singapore.

Posted in January 1975.

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A set of British Postcards, Blackpool, Chorley and Compstall.

 I have recently been going through some of my postcard collection with the intention of selling a few off, and whilst in the process of sorting and listing I thought it might be of interest to feature some of the postcards on here. Todays selection is 2 from Lancashire and 1 from Cheshire, all counties in the north of England.

Blackpool.

The card although unwritten and undated was probably from the 1950's and was published by Sandman Brothers of Blackpool. The images features are of Blackpool Tower, a gondola, Starlight Parade and Gynn Gardens.

Chorley.

The Chorley Postcard was posted in 1986 and is a typical example of a 1980's quite boring postcard. The card features images of St Marys Church and Chorley Town Hall.

Compstall.

Compstall is a suburb of Stockport in Cheshire and although it has been written on, it appears to have never been posted. The images are names as the Watermeetings, and the Aquaduct and Viaduct.

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Southsea and Hayling Island, Hampshire. Postcards from the Past

 Part of my collection of postcards is this set of 3 featuring mixed images of Southsea and Hayling Island, both areas to the south east of Portsmouth, England. All 3 have been posted and still have the stamps attached.

Postcard 1 Southsea.

 
This card features a set of images including the Rock Gardens, Beech and Canoe Lake, HMS Victory moored at Portsmouth and South Parade Pier. It was posted on the 14th June 1967 to the Daily Mirror and includes the following intriguing text "Don't you trust my judgement then". I'm guessing it was something to do with tips for horse racing or greyhound racing.

Postcard 2 Hayling Island.

This card features 9 images of the area and was posted on the 24th June 1965 to Scotland. The scenes included are Sandy Point, Salterns Creek, the Beech, a general view of the island, the Boating Lake, Eastoke Bungalow Town, the Ferry and Manor Road.

Postcard 3 Southsea.

The final postcard is another from Southsea and features 7 images from the area. It was posted on the 22nd September 1960, sadly I can't make much of the writing out. The images show South Parade Pier, the Miniature Railway,  HMS Victory, the Rock Gardens, the Canoe Lake and the Hole in the Wall, Sallyport, Portsmouth.

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Buxton, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Oakham and March. Multiple Picture Postcards.

 Part of my collection of postcards this set of 4 is one I currently have for sale and feature various images from Buxton, Derbyshire, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire. Oakham, Rutland and March Cambridgeshire.

Buxton.

The card I have a Buxton actually features a fold away set of pictures that pull down to reveal another set of pictures from Buxton. I haven't scanned these yet but will do shortly. The main pictures are of Buxton from the Town Hall, The Pavilion Gardens, The Crescent and Serpentine walk at the Pavilion Gardens.

Ashby-de-la-Zouch.

The pictures featured in the Ashby-de-la-Zouch card number 5 and feature the castle ruins, Bath Street, Trinity Church, Elizabethan House and the Loudoun Memorial.

Oakham.

The 4 images shown here are All Saints Church, High Street, Market Place and the Castle.

March.

The final card featured in this post shows March, Cambridgeshire in a set of 3 pictures that include St Windreda's Church, River Nene and Broad Street.

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British Postcards, Hereford, Evesham, Stoneleigh, Blenheim Palace and Stratford-on -Avon

 Part of my collection of collectible postcards, these are part of a collection I am currently listing on Ebay. The all feature multiple pictures of the location featured and can be seen here and on Flickr.

Hereford.

There are 2 postcards featuring scenes from Hereford, card 1 features The Old House, Cathedral Tower and bridge across the River Wye.

Card 2 features images of the Cathedral, Wye Bridge and the Old House.

Evesham.

The images features in the Evesham card include the Hampston Ferry, Gaiety Boat, Bell Tower and Evesham Lock.

Stoneleigh.

Stoneleigh, Warwickshire features images of Park Avenue West, The Broadway, Stoneleigh Hotel, Ewell Court House.

Blenheim Palace.

This card contains images of Sir Winston Churchill, Blenheim Palace, The Great Hall, the room in which Sir Winston Churchill was born and the Lake.

Stratford-on-Avon.

The final card in this post features images from Stratford-on-Avon. The pictures include the River Avon and Clopton Bridge, Shakespeare's Birthplace, Ann Hathaways House, The Gower Monument and Basin and the Avon & Shakespeare Memorial Theatre.

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