A century of change from spa resort days

They are taken from Royal Leamington Spa - A Century’s Growth and Development, a copy of which came to light recently in a batch of books brought to Old Town bookshop Garrett Books.

Published in 1947 by the Courier Press, the book is a collection of the Courier’s Week by Week history columns with engravings and photographs from the early 19th century to the 1940s.

One picture shows the Parade in 1820. Then named Union Parade, it shows the Regent Hotel as it was originally built, and the street before even gas lighting was installed. Also missing is the town hall and the terrace extending down to Portland Place, but railings are still present in front of many of the terraces.

Another shows Victoria Terrace with a rider leading his horse down to the water where today’s post office and sorting office now stands.

The last picture shows a town landmark still missed by many today - the original ‘covered in’ railway bridge in a view of the Crown Hotel from Bath Street, seen from the corner of Bath Place.