Description
Belgrave, Darwen, 1902
Step back to a town in celebration.
It is 1902, and Belgrave Square, an integral part of Darwen, is marking the coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. In this watercolour, I’ve captured the square at a moment of change.
In the foreground, the former tram shelters are still being built, one for men and one for women, both in the Edwardian Baroque style. Between them is an empty space where the bronze lion commemorating the 2nd Boer War has yet to be placed.
At the heart of the scene stands the Belgrave Chapel Meeting House, now converted to apartments. To its left sit the school and caretaker’s house, which no longer exist, so this painting preserves a view that can’t be seen today.
Rising behind it all is the C. & J. G. Potter Mill, the birthplace of commercial wallpaper manufacturing.
What you’ll love
- A rare glimpse of Darwen’s past, including buildings that have since disappeared
- The unfinished tram shelters in construction and the gap for the missing lion, which capture a moment in time
- Rich Edwardian architectural detail of the Baroque shelters
- A thoughtful gift for anyone with Darwen roots or a love of local history
- A print true to the colour and softness of the original watercolour
