Street Scenes from the Long Street Area of Dursley

Long Street is now a relative shadow of its former self, certainly in terms of the variety of shopping available. At one time it used to vie with Parsonage Street for the number of outlets available. Apart from the shops it also accommodated the works of R.A.Lister, Champions (the carpet manufacturer) and more latterly the Reliance Works of the Bailey Newspaper Group (the Gazette office) and Bymacks furniture factory. It was also the one time location for Dursley Library.

Some of the shops and businesses that could be found on Long Street at one time or another are listed below. (Click on links for company memorabilia).

	Picture Gallery (Click on picture for larger view)

			Long Street, Dursley Looking down Long Street, the old buildings of the Reliance works can be seen (centre). On the far left is the shop front of Wintle & Son, the grocers. (1959 - courtesy Cam & Dursley Camera Club)

			Long Street and the Market House Little traffic is visible in this long gone scene. Buildings visible include W.H.Smith, the Conservative Club, The Old Bell Hotel, Mrs Hancock (Hats) and R.P.Jones (TV and Radio) which was opened in October 1954. Notice the old "Murphy" sign over the R.P. Jones shop. (July 11th 1959 - courtesy Cam & Dursley Camera Club)

			The Old Bell Hotel, Long Street Also visible in this closer view of the Old Bell Hotel are Wilkes and Mrs Hancock's hat shop. Mrs Hancock actually left the shop in February 1955 four months after it was sold to Mr and Mrs Jones who opened R.P.Jones (TV and Radio). Mrs Jones continued to sell hats for a year before the whole building was used to sell electrical goods. A further view of the Old Bell hotel can be seen on the Pubs page. (c1955 - courtesy Cam & Dursley Camera Club)

			The Reliance Works, Long Street The wonderful old buildings of the Reliance Works, home of Champions, the carpet manufacturers is shown in this picture. The passage running under to the works, known as Long Street Court is also visible. Contrast this with the picture below. (1959 - courtesy Cam & Dursley Camera Club)

			The new Reliance Works (Gazette offices) Champions factory has been demolished to make way for the new offices of the Bailey Newspaper Group, which transferred from Kingshill Road. (1969 - courtesy Cam & Dursley Camera Club)

			Long Street Court Here undergoing demolition to make way for the newspaper works, this view shows the narrow Long Street Court which provided access under the old Reliance works. (c1960 - courtesy Cam & Dursley Camera Club)

			Sweeping the streets Visible to the right of the picture, Eddie Bowen the street cleaner can be seen here. Shops also shown included Bloodworths & Pepworths and W.H.Smith. (1965 - courtesy Cam & Dursley Camera Club)

			Lower end of Long Street Shown here on the right are the steps of the Priory. The building opposite has since been demolished and the area opened up with a large expanse of grass. (1957 - courtesy Cam & Dursley Camera Club)

			Raglan House, Long Street Raglan House, one time home of cycle inventor Mikael Pedersen can be seen on the left of this picture. Beyond this house, the sign on The Red Cross building, run by Mr. Brown at this time, can also be seen. (1959 - courtesy Cam & Dursley Camera Club)

			Long Street in the late 1950's Buildings visible here include The Dorothy Cafe (owned by Mr Savage), the Crown Inn and the R.A. Lister Club. (1959 - courtesy Cam & Dursley Camera Club)

			Approach to Chestal At the bottom of Long Street, next to the Priory is the approach to Chestal shown here in this early view. (c1918 - courtesy Colin Timbrell)