Robert's putting the past in view

From the Swindon Advertiser, first published Saturday 1st Mar 2003.

OLD photographs of how Swindon used to be are being sought by a keen photographer.

Robert Slade, 33, who is a committee member of the Rodbourne Green Residents' Association, started collecting old pictures of the area to include on the community's website.

He asked residents to send in any photos, slides or images of the area from bygone days.

The 33-year-old software engineer has had such a good response that he now wants to extend the appeal to the rest of Swindon.

So far residents have sent in images showing St Mary's Church in Cheney Manor Road, the Boy's Brigade, a reel of film showing Acre's Way being built in the 1950s, and a photo of Moredon Power Station in 1977 before it was demolished.

Robert, who writes the newsletter for the Rodbourne area, is keen to share his interest in local history with others and thinks the internet is an ideal way to do this.

He said: "If there are enough people in this area who are interested enough to send their pictures, then there may be more people in the wider Swindon area who may do the same. I would like people to come forward with anything in the Swindon area if it shows something interesting historic-ally.

"Some areas have changed significantly since the 1960s and 1970s and it would be nice to see how they used to be.

"Also photographs that show something that is no longer there any more.

"I am very interested in photography anyway and I go around the area taking pictures.

"I'd like to put these pictures side by side with old pictures to see the changes.

"The ones I've got of this area are on the website and I hope to put the rest on the web."

If you have any old images of Swindon, you can contact Robert on robert@robslade.

demon.co.uk or call him on 07890 564889.

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