Rather than look at the immediate aftermath of the April 1942 blitz on Norwich, this video looks at buildings before they suffered damage, and how those locations look in 2022.
Absolutely love watching all you videos! I was born in Norwich at the old n&n as were my two eldest children. My love of old photos and stories came as a child I had the Bertie blitz magazine which was done by the evening news, to my surprise one of the bombed houses featured was my fathers grand house !
This video is beautifully done but is absolutely heartbreaking. The haunting music makes it even more so. To see how much beauty and history has been lost. Such a shame. In almost none of the examples you showed was "progress" an improvement over what was there in the past.
Thanks Ian, that's a very kind comment. Inclusion of music has, perhaps surprisingly, been controversial, with people saying it's a distraction, so I've largely stopped doing that now. Where it works, I think it can enhance, but getting volume right for everyone was a problem!
Hello John, when we returned to Norwich, we lodged with a very nice couple, one night we were woken with very load banging, it transpired the husband was a fireman and was urgently required, when we looked across to the city it was a mass of flames, luckily they missed the castle and cathedral, I’m 86 now, and it is a sight I will never forget
Thank you, really interesting to see how things have changed due to the Blitz. I too featured the crossroads on Dereham Road that was bombed in a video as did Dr Mark Felton. Thank you again.
John, Another video where i have watched and seen a couple of before photos that look nothing like they do now but I have guessed the now, but thanks for more history on our city, look forward to the next
Hello John, My wife and I are currently binge watching your videos on Lost Norwich etc. What great, informative content. I'm originally from Bedfordshire but have lived in Norfolk for the past 32 years, the last 12 of which have been in Norwich. I am very proud to live here and, though not a native, I'm fiercely protective of this "Fine" city and great county. Thank you for all the hard work you put into producing these videos. Please keep them coming, thanks again.
Thank you so much for getting in touch Andrew, that's a very kind comment. I think after 32 years in Norfolk and 12 in Norwich you have some standing in the city!
First to like and comment! Yay! This video was so interesting, and I really like the concept. It must have taken you a lot of time to research, photograph and compile. It's fascinating to see the before and after and to wonder which of these old buildings may have survived to this day.
Thank you. Congrats on being first. You're right - it's one thing to film a single location, but to cover so many areas of the city took a lot of walking!
Every time we drove past, my dad and grandad both used to say how the Old Palace Road crossroads buildings was not replaced after the war - they said it was a derelict site for many years before the site was cleared and the advertising boards went up. Nice to see what they were on about.
Fascinating as always John thanks for sharing the past and present comparisons. Visited the ruins of St Bartholomew and St Benedict Churches last year myself - really interesting and historic places 🙂
I believe that lots of John Lewis branches were older shops with older names. You might be interested in this video too for more on what was near Bonds.ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-XVNgg5paqJQ.html
The Monkey House at :38 appears to have inscribed on it "Removed from Whitingham and Rebuilt AD1900" (or something like that). I wonder what the story is with that. It's a shame is wasn't removed from that location and rebuilt before the dual carriage way took its place.
Some wonderful Before and After views and commentary, thank you. Just one question, please … at the start we see a stone for 1942 with the “Victory salute” - where is this, please, as I don’t think I’ve ever spotted it before?
In many parts of Norwich the historical interest is plain to see so it was fascinating to see a video where one has to "scratch the surface" a little bit. Has the current Norwich railway station always been the city's main station? I remember reading Coot Club by Arthur Ransome and reference is made to "Thorpe Station" on the very first page.
I think it has been the main station for longer journeys and was always called Thorpe Station go differentiate it from others. City Station was for more local rural services.
Correct. And on the other side of St. Benedict's Lane which ran beside the Omnibus Tavern was the Fountain Inn, with only the width of the lane separating the two - !
@@JohnAtkinsLostNorwich Indeed. The book 'Norwich Pubs and Breweries Past and Present' by Frances + Michael Holmes is an excellent read and a real eye opener - ! 😊
