Chequers in times gone by

WITH the Chequers pub-restaurant in Houghton Regis due to reopen today after that dramatic lorry crash which damaged the front of the building, now is an appropriate time for a Yesteryear photo showing how the area once looked.

It features the famous pond which was once an attractive feature of East End, opposite the Chequers.

The pond was filled in long ago, but water-loving willow trees still thrive on the spot.

The signpost indicates Sundon Road on the left and Park Road North on the right, heading towards Poynters Road.

There’s an extremely busy roundabout at the junction today, as can be seen in the colour picture, inset, taken last week.

The smart outfits of the children give a clue to the date of the old photo, which was probably taken in the early 1900s.

It was given to the Pat Lovering collection by Sarah Gelthorp and will be included in a new exhibition to be displayed at Houghton Regis Library throughout October.

> Yesteryear is compiled by John Buckledee, chairman of Dunstable and District Local History Society