Dursley News - January 2009
 

With the new year under way work has stepped up on the development of the site on Castle Street which will become the home of the town's new Sainsbury's supermarket. Temporary buildings for the main contractor, Bowmer & Kirkland, have been installed on the Rack Field car park which has now been closed. Demolition has begun in earnest and the Youth Club and the fire station practice tower have already gone. Both of these are relatively recent buildings but the next in line, the old Victoria Day School (also known as the Council School and latterly Dursley Education Centre) was opened in 1898 and is remembered fondly by many ex pupils. A final look at the old school buildings, both inside and out can be seen in the Victoria Day School slideshow. There is some good news though, as the 11 commemorative plaques which were built into the brickwork have already been recovered for reuse in the new store. That having been done, the month of February is likely to see the rest of the old school quickly swept away.

 
  Picture Gallery (Click on picture for larger view)
    Site of the new supermarket
A view of much of the Castle Street site which will become home to the new Sainsbury's supermarket. The Youth Club is now just a pile of rubble in the foreground and just beyond it the practice tower of the fire station has also gone. Views of the tower in the course of construction can be found on the fire station buildings page.
(January 31st 2009 - copyright Andrew Barton)
 
    The Victoria Day School - the last few days
A view of the old Victoria day School which would have been impossible just a week previously as it was blocked by the practice tower of the fire station which has just been taken down. It will shortly become impossible again when the school itself gets demolished in the very near future.
(January 31st 2009 - copyright Andrew Barton)
 
    Victoria Day School commemorative plaque
In 1897, during construction of the old school, 11 decorative plaques were installed in the brickwork of the school walls. The names on them commemorated those who donated funds to the cause. This particular plaque is to Robert Ashton Lister, who founded the town's major employer, R.A. Lister & Co.
(January 16th 2009 - copyright Andrew Barton)
 
    Removal of the plaques
This picture shows two of the contractors carefully removing one of the 11 commemorative plaques which will see its life extended when it's built into the new Sainsbury's supermarket.
(January 27th 2009 - copyright Sally Pinch)
 
    The Youth Club comes down
The Youth Club building adjacent to the swimming pool is torn down as one of the first steps in clearing the site in readiness for construction. This building was constructed in 1984 so it's a relative newcomer in the town's history.
(January 23rd 2009 - copyright Sally Pinch)
 
    Fire station progress
With work beginning on the site of the new supermarket in Castle Street, it's important that progress on the new fire station is rapid as the old one is soon due for demolition. This view of the rear of the new building shows that it is now substantially complete.
(January 11th 2009 - copyright Andrew Barton)
 
    Rednock School, the northern end of the building
Progress on the northern end of the new school, which has lagged behind the southern section, is catching up fast and most of the timber cladding has now been installed.
(January 10th 2009 - copyright Andrew Barton)
 
    Snow in The Slade
The town woke up to a light fall of snow in early January and this view looking down The Slade footpath towards "The Old Spot" shows the situation in the early morning. It didn't last though and by the end of the day most of it had gone.
(January 5th 2009 - copyright Andrew Barton)
 
    Chestal Terrace
Another snowy scene, this time of Chestal Terrace at the lower end of Long Street.
(January 5th 2009 - copyright Andrew Barton)
 
    Water Street snow
Yet more snow on the ground in this view taken next to the old Pin Mill building which was once used to build the town's famous Pedersen cycle.
(January 5th 2009 - copyright Andrew Barton)
 
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