An old view of Leigh Beck High Street

A trip back in time

By David Bullock

I recently bought this old Post Card as it is of an area close to my heart, Leigh Beck. The Photographer is standing in Canvey High Street between Baardwyk Avenue & St Annes Road (then called Norrbotten Avenue) looking east towards the Bus Terminus. The Photograph is from c1921.

Canvey High Street was then called London Road as was quite common at the time - all roads  eventually led to London! I have also seen a document held by Graham Stevens that calls this stretch of road Station Approach - perhaps a relic of Frederick Hester's Mono Rail which concluded in this area, or perhaps a reference to the Bus terminus at this end of Seaview Road next to where the Admiral Jellicoe now stands. Incidently, the Admiral Jellicoe replaced a building built by Clr Morris Hartfield called the Terminus Hotel. I understand the current Station Road next west from Seaview Road may have been a clinker path to the Mono Rail Station near Coxy's Hotel.

Looking left we see a building with a sign saying 'BAKERS'. This is Stevens the Bakers which was originally the Reliance Bakery. The main building stands today but behind the current shops that were built in front of the original buildings. The reason for this is that in this Photo the Road is still on the raised Sea Wall - it was lowered during 1927.

To the right we see a Market which I understand was between Gainsborough Avenue and St Annes Road. A close up view below shows a boy standing by the bridge crossing the dyke between the road and shop. Another shows a group of people, perhaps the shop owners, workers and customers all posing for the photograph. The third picture is a close up of a strange lady standing next to the St Annes Church notice board and sign pointing south towards the Church. The forth picture shows two vehicles, the closest probably between Station Road & Gafzelle, the furthest probably at Seaview Road.

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