1800-1900 Main Street from Cocker Court House to High Sand Lane 02-42
1850-1900 Main Street Menu
Main Street 6 8 10 from Cocker Bridge On the right number 6 is now the Art and Craft shop, in this photo the shop seems to be selling clothing but later became John Allison grocer (not related to the Allison chemists).
Note the rounded pillars to the left of the shop, but today next to the Art & Craft shop is a plain door to an alley.
This photo was taken before 1887 because the trees were not planted until Queen Victoria’s Jubilee in 1887.
On the right next to the pillars is an alley and a building between the pillars and the awning. This building was the Horse and Harness Inn, you can see a sign above the door. The alley led to the constabulary station which was down this alley in a space behind the Court House and Savings Bank on the bank of the river Cocker.
Eventually in 1894 the Horse and Harness pub was demolished and the new Police Station built in its place.
One of the results of the new police station being recessed from the road was to expose the gable end of the building we see here with the white awning, and the gable end has “Fletchers Fearless Clothing” wall art advert. Photo taken c 1880
Main Street 1880 view from todays pedestrian crossing by Cocker bridge. On the right is 12 14 with awning, now a hairdresser.
Next on right is 20 which was a hotel. 22 has the lovely arched windows that at one time was the shop with the warehouse doors to the left (still there) of Joshia Hall the Quaker who eventually built the first footbridge over Cocker which is still called the Quaker bridge.
On the left of the photo is 13 the double fronted shop at today’s pedestrian crossing, now Heart of the Home.
The covered horse drawn carriage in the centre of the picture seems to be attracting stares. Note the horse exhaust on the road.
This photo was taken after 1875 when Mayo was erected but before 1887 when trees were planted for Queen Victoria’s Jubilee. c 1880
Main Street 12 Bailey 22 Bewsher grocer with the warehouse doors to the left of the arched windows. Photo taken after 1875 when Mayo was erected, but before 1887 when the trees were planted, looking west.
Early pedestrian pavement of cobbles in foreground. Note the road is not tarmac and is compressed stone, with the upkeep paid for by the toll cottages extracting fees on the entrance roads to Cockermouth.
The only sign of traffic is horse manure – cars were not invented until 1886, after this photo. c 1880
Main Street 12 Bailey printer shop on the right is now Tony Marks hairdresser. The clock tower was built 1895 demolished 1932.
The snow covers the road but only horse hooves leave their mark, mainly going to or from Station Street. Young trees planted in 1887 for Queen Victoria’s Jubilee. c 1899
Main Street clock tower built 1895 demolished 1932 Mayo statue well dressed lady and gents.
Note the carriages are all without their horses, where are they? Likely they may be either in the stables behind the hotels and shops where the owner has to pay for feed and livery, or may be free grazing on the land either at Fairfield which is now Sainsbury car park and Fairfield junior school, or elsewhere.
The clothing tells a story of status and wealth. The lady wears a long dress and a frilly collar and boater, likely the elegant fashion of those days.
The men in front of her seem clothed differently to the men in the centre of the photo one with a boater hat, no doubt fashionable, and the man on the left with a coat that seems to indicate being a gent – clothes give identity and make statements. c 1899
Main Street 18 Fidler shop was a printer but ceased in the late 1890s. The building became part of the Grasmoor Hotel and number 20 was the Derwent Hotel, note above the door is the name Eland.
In 1947 they were combined into a 26 bedroom Grasmoor Temperance Hotel and they also absorbed the shop across the passageway at number 16 that became the Grasmoor Tea Rooms. In 2024 the shop in the foreground with Fidler is now to the left of the archway that leads to the rear of Main Street properties that currently has a car valet service and parking. Horse and cart with young trees around . c 1899
Main Street 18 Fidler shop was a printer but ceased in the late 1890s. The building became part of the Grasmoor Hotel and number 20 was the Derwent Hotel, note above the door is the name Eland.
In 1947 they were combined into a 26 bedroom Grasmoor Temperance Hotel and they also absorbed the shop across the passageway at number 16 that became the Grasmoor Tea Rooms.
In 2024 the shop in the foreground with Fidler is now to the left of the archway that leads to the rear of Main Street properties that currently has a car valet service and parking. Horse and cart with young trees around . c 1899
Main Street 18 Fidler shop was a printer but ceased in the late 1890s. The building became part of the Grasmoor Hotel and number 20 was the Derwent Hotel. In 1947 they were combined into a 26 bedroom Grasmoor Temperance Hotel and they also absorbed the shop across the passageway at number 16 that became the Grasmoor Tea Rooms. Another copy of this photo is in its natural sepia monochrome and this photo has been hand tinted ie it is not a colour photo. c 1895
Main Street 22 Joshia Hall shop and warehouse on the right. The clock tower built 1895 demolished 1932 and Mayo erected August 1875.
Girls are in their white pinafores boys in plus fours.
The transport is either hand carts or horse powered with a pony and trap.
This photo was before colour photography and would be a monochrome then hand tinted by an artists. Trees planted 1887 so this fellsphoto photo 1890
Main Street 22 Joshia Hall three storey shop and warehaouse on the left. Cousin Charley carnival, a maypole on a wagon pulled by a horse processes down Main Street. 1899
Main Street 22 Joshia Hall three storey shop and warehaouse on the left. Cousin Charley carnival, a maypole on a wagon pulled by a horse processes down Main Street. 1899
Main Street 22 Joshia Hall shop on left Cousin Charley carnival girls escorted by gent. 1899
Main Street 40 unknown at this time but now Grizedale. A horse and trap with two passengers approaches the clock tower that was erected in 1895 but not demolished until 1932. A police sergeant on duty checks out the dog. c 1899
Main Street clock tower with unknown shops on right Main Street 42 44 at High Sand Lane entrance. Nor is it clear what the frontage is that became 46 National Provincial Bank, not the bank at this time.
The clock tower is the local feature with people posing for a long exposure glass plate photo. Mayo overlooks people wandering and dog lying in road when the only traffic was cyclists. Gas lamps are shown.
This is pre 1932 when the clock tower was demolished. The tree guards were built by Robinson of Fairfield iron works, Cockermouth’s foundry which still has the wide chimney (recently straightened) behind Goodfellows tyre services in Sainsbury car park. c 1899
Main Street 6 8 10 from Cocker Bridge On the right number 6 is now the Art and Craft shop, in this photo the shop seems clothing but later became John Allison grocer (not related to the Allison chemists).
Note the rounded pillars to the left of the shop, but today next to the Art & Craft shop is a plain door to an alley. At the time of this photo, likely pre 1887 (because the trees were not planted until Queen Victoria’s Jubilee in 1887).
The alley, prior to the demolition of the Horse and Harness Inn led to the constabulary station which was down this alley in a space behind the Court House and Savings Bank on the bank of the river Cocker.
Eventually in 1894 the Horse and Harness pub was demolished and the new Police Station built in its place. One of the results of the new police station being recessed from the road was to expose the gable end of the building we see here with the white awning, and the gable end has “Fletchers Fearless Clothing” wall art advert. c 1880
