Stop eight · Along the left
The Market Town
Along the left-hand side of the well, behind control panel 1, is the market town: a stone market hall with a clock tower, a square full of striped stalls, a police station, and a terrace dated 1921.
The same townsfolk turn up again and again: the Hovis lorry, the coalman, the Grey-Green coach, a policeman on point duty and children playing below the wall.
Gold markers point out small details. Select one to read about it.
Deliveries for the marketA trader in a white cap and apron waves across the square as a delivery man wheels in another box on his red sack truck.1 of 3 details
Out with the pramA man in a red cap steers a big black pram across the cobbles, past a woman in yellow and two little ones walking hand in hand.2 of 3 details
Balloons by the big topBy the circus, a small child reaches up hopefully as the balloon seller holds up a bunch of red, yellow, blue and green balloons.3 of 3 details
Frozen mid-bounceTwo balls hang in mid-air against the wall, fixed there by Grandad to catch the instant a throw from the boy in blue bounces back.1 of 3 details
A game of catchFurther along the wall a game of catch is under way, the little one in red about to throw and the man in orange ready with his arms out.2 of 3 details
Bin troubleTwo men wrestle with a big black bin lying on its side by the stalls, as though it has just toppled over on market day.3 of 3 details
Ices on three wheelsThe ice-cream man pedals his tricycle along the pavement below the wall, cold box up front, ready to stop for anyone who waves him down.1 of 3 details
Signs of the timesEnamel signs for NESTLES MILK and chocolate on the railway wall: small period touches he added so the town feels of its time.2 of 3 details
A seat by the wallTaking the weight off their feet, a couple share a green bench below the wall, she with bright yellow hair, he in a grey suit and red tie.3 of 3 details
The market hall
The hall stands on open arches with its clock turret on the roof, while the traffic queues past the stalls and an ice-cream tricycle pedals along the pavement below.
Look closer
The ice-cream man pedals his tricycle along the pavement below the wall, cold box up front, ready to stop for anyone who waves him down.
A few minutes past fourBy the market hall clock it is a few minutes past four, and the square below is still busy with traders and shoppers.1 of 3 details
Bin dayThe dustmen are out: one lugs a bin while his mate waves, and on the corner a man in a white vest holds a paper up high.2 of 3 details
By the phone boxA red telephone box on the corner by the police station, and beside it two friends sit on the bench beneath the lamp, deep in conversation.3 of 3 details
Under the red creeperBeneath the red creeper he trained over the café, a couple sit close together on the bench, lost in each other while the market carries on.1 of 3 details
Work and restA trader in a red cap heaves boxes into place for market day, while on the bench behind him a man in a yellow coat simply sits and watches.2 of 3 details
The Co-op deliveryCrates of bottles stacked in the back, the Co-op’s little three-wheeler heads off along the street on its delivery round.3 of 3 details
Ices on three wheelsPedalling along below the wall, this ice-cream man has “EIS”, German for ice cream, on his cool box. A long way to come for market day.1 of 3 details
Hand in handTwo little ones hold hands tight by the striped stall, sticking close to the woman in orange while she does the shopping.2 of 3 details
Bound for TottenhamThe Grey-Green coach on route 76 edges past the Hovis lorry on market day, its blind set for Tottenham.3 of 3 details
Caught in mid-airHe fixed two balls in mid-air against the wall, freezing the moment a boy’s throw bounces back.1 of 3 details
The circus comes to townThe circus is coming: the Chipperfields van waits by the market, its poster promising “COMING SOON”, though elsewhere on his layout the big top is already up.2 of 3 details
Scooting alongA little one in blue scoots along the pavement on a red ride-on toy, keeping well clear of the ball game by the wall.3 of 3 details
Caught in mid-air
Down on the pavement below the road, children play against the stone wall, and two balls hang in the air where they bounced.
Look closer
He fixed two balls in mid-air against the wall, freezing the moment a boy’s throw bounces back.
Coal for the terraceThe coalman trudges from the J. D. Lown lorry with another sack on his back, the rest of the load still stacked high behind him.1 of 3 details
Collection timeThe postman has stopped at the pillar box with a letter in his hand and his red bag over his shoulder, ready for the next collection.2 of 3 details
Collecting the takingsA Securicor armoured van waits at the kerb, as though its crew have popped in to collect the takings from the market.3 of 3 details
On point dutyA policeman in white gloves stands on point duty at the junction, one arm up and one out, waving the traffic on past the police station.1 of 3 details
Wall’s on its roundsThe Wall’s ice-cream van cruises past the market with its striped canopy up, on the lookout for customers.2 of 3 details
Waiting by the stallTwo little fair-haired girls in matching blue dresses wait by the stall while a woman in red, handbag in hand, looks over the goods.3 of 3 details
Period enamel signsEnamel signs for “CAMP” coffee, “Stephens” ink and “NESTLES MILK” line the railway wall, the old advertising he chose to set the era.1 of 3 details
Point dutyWhite gloves raised, a constable directs the traffic outside the police station while the ice-cream van trundles by and two police Minis wait in the yard.2 of 3 details
Over the garden fenceThe pushchair is parked on the pavement while its owner reaches up over the garden fence to pass the time of day with the neighbour in red.3 of 3 details
Surveying the flower rowsHand on hip, the man in dungarees surveys his flower rows with quiet pride, four neat lines of red and white.1 of 2 details
The young gardenerIn the corner plot a little one in yellow gets busy with a green watering can, while the woman in the apron comes out with her pail.2 of 2 details
WalkiesA woman with a pink bag heads along the pavement in her yellow skirt, two golden dogs trotting faithfully behind her.1 of 3 details
A moment by the pramA mother stops beside the pram to settle her baby on her shoulder, while a neighbour in red looks on from her front garden.2 of 3 details
Timber for the buildersRidgeon’s lorry grinds up the ramp towards the bridge, loaded with timber for a building job somewhere across town.3 of 3 details
Taking it easyWhile a trader wheels a crate past on his sack truck, a man in a yellow jacket leans right back on the bench, legs out, taking it easy.1 of 3 details
Drumming up tradeChipperfields, rivals to Billy Smart’s, are drumming up trade in town: their red Land Rover waits by the market, its canvas tilt telling everyone to book now.2 of 3 details
At the estate agent’sA man with a bag strides out of Cockburn & Forster’s, the estate agents, as if he has just signed for a new house.3 of 3 details
Sweethearts on the balconyUp on the café balcony, among the red creeper and white flowers, a couple sit close together on the bench, lost in each other.1 of 3 details
Churns for the milk trainOn the station platform a porter wheels one more milk churn on his sack truck to join the row waiting beneath the footbridge.2 of 3 details
The milk floatThe Co-operative milk float hums past the market square, crates stacked in the back, on its way round the town.3 of 3 details
The ice-cream man’s roundsDown on the pavement the ice-cream man pedals his tricycle along below the wall, off to catch the market-day crowds.1 of 2 details
Parked by the marketA red and cream sports car, hardtop on, waits at the kerb by the market fence, as though its driver has nipped in for something from the stalls.2 of 2 details
Enamel signs on the wallAlong the platform wall he lined up old enamel signs for Mobiloil, Camp Coffee, Stephens’ Ink, Nestlé’s Milk and Fry’s Chocolate.1 of 3 details
Porters at workTwo porters hurry along the platform edge with boxes on their shoulders, while barrows piled with parcels wait further along.2 of 3 details
Keeping watchA little blue police Mini, lamp on the roof, waits on the corner by the terraces, keeping a quiet eye on the town.3 of 3 details
A proper hotel signThe blue hotel sign carries the THF, AA and RAC badges that a real hotel of the day would show, one of Grandad’s period touches.1 of 3 details
A case in each handA man in white hurries along the pavement with a case in each hand, as though he has a train to catch.2 of 3 details
A rest on the benchA woman takes a rest on the bench outside the hotel while a small boy in blue makes a dash for it along the pavement.3 of 3 details