IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Thames Street, STAINES-UPON-THAMES, TW18 4EA

A construction site in the town centre. I don't know what was here before but nearby buildings look to be from the 60s or 70s. 50 to 60 years seems to be the life span of a lot of stuff from that era.

The bridge spans the River Thames at Staines. There has been a bridge here since Roman times - initially a wooden bridge. This was replaced by a stone bridge in 1796. When this began to crack, it was replaced with an iron bridge, which was itself replaced in 1807. The current bridge was opened in 1832 by King William IV and Queen Adelaide. [ref: 'Thames Bridges, from Dartford to the Source': by Neil Davenport, Silver Link Publishing, 2006. SBN 1 85794 229 3.]

Sculpture of two men carrying a roll of lino. The Staines Lino Factory was the first factory in the world to manufacture linoleum, a type of floor covering, which was available to everyone. The factory was set up in 1864 and continued to make linoleum for over 100 years and made 'Staines Lino' a world-wide name. There is no trace of the factory now.

This replica of a reconstructed head of "The Shepperton Woman" sits at the entrance to Spelthorne Museum in Staines upon Thames. The card states. Also see https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6423559 "The Shepperton Woman 3640-3100Bc. This is a reconstruction of the earliest known inhabitant of Spelthorne. Analysis of her teeth suggests that she was born in an area containing high lead concentrations, such as the Mendips or Derbyshire. She was probably of some importance within the local community and this may explain why she was buried in such a prominent place - the Neolithic equivalent of burial in Westminster Abbey?" "Cast of the original reconstruction by Caroline Wilkinson University of Manchester" "By kind permission of The Museum of London and Surrey County Archaeological Unit"

W H Smith and Debenhams (formerly Kennards) are little changed externally from when I was a child growing up in Staines in the 60s and 70s, unlike many of the shops in this town.

by Antony and Simon Robinson

Spelthorne Museum is at the back of Staines upon Thames Library. The head in the middle of the entrance is a replica of reconstructed head of "Spelthorne Woman" (c3640 – 3100BC), sometimes referred to as the first lady of Britain. The well-preserved head was found in a gravel pit in Shepperton. Also see https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6423724