HOW things have changed in Witton Street.

Firstly, a shop that has been selling footwear for over 100 years.

The name by the 1920s for this shop had become Wyle’s Brothers Ltd boot and shoe manufacturers.

Pictured here though at the turn of the last century it went by the name The Leeds & Leicester boot company. The shop had suffered from subsidence, and when photographed it was being jacked up.

As can be seen in the modern photograph, it did work as it still stands at 11 Witton Street and is still, a shoe shop, now called Top Brand Shoes.

A look now at Witton Street in 1912, not subsidence this time although the damage caused to the pipes etc below the road probably led to this work.

The picture was taken in July 1912 as workmen dig the street to replace the gas mains (a trailer has Northwich No1 Gas Company on it).

Bradley’s tailors have remained open, and the famous clock belonging to Elam’s clockmakers looks down upon the work. 

In the old photograph that was taken at the end of the 1800s, bunting flutters in the street, probably to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1898.

The Old Ship Hotel with its ship like clapboard cladding is on the left.

That was later demolished and rebuilt in various guises including as a branch of M&S and then Clinton’s Cards.