Good morning Bath! Elsewhere on this page l featured a photograph – taken in Laura Place around 1910 – and featuring the taxis that were stationed there at that time.
Stretching away behind the vehicles and the fountain was a tree-lined Great Pulteney Street.
One of the responses to the story came from Bath Newseum follower Sally Helvey who asked when and why the trees were removed from the scene.
Well, Sally has done a bit of digging and has come back with – not only another fantastic postcard photo – but an explanation to the mystery of the disappearing foliage.
She says:
Kirsten Elliott – local author, historian and publisher said:
Dear Richard:
It appears it was always called Great Pulteney Street â the advertisements for builders in 1790 onwards call it that.
Of course, trees were never intended for the street at all. See attached picture.
Hope this helps.
I was also interested in the bit about it being Great Pulteney Street – I assume
that as William Johnstone Pulteney saw it as the grand entrance to Bath it
deserved to be called Great. He was not a shrinking violet.
Keep up the good work, Richard. In a mad world, the Bath Newseum is much appreciated.
For what its worth the dictionary says ‘Great’ means ‘impressive or grand; the larger part of a place; of quality or eminence and worthy of notice
Well done Sally! Its a lovely picture of what the fountain could still look like and I wish it did!
Michèle
Dear Richard:
It appears it was always called Great Pulteney Street â the advertisements for builders in 1790 onwards call it that.
Of course, trees were never intended for the street at all. See attached picture.
Hope this helps.
Keep up the good work, Richard. In a mad world, the Bath Newseum is much appreciated.
Kirsten
Something’s pranged the fountain recently, with blocks out of place. Maybe it should be rebuilt in a nice design.
Can’t remember where I heard it (expect Stuart Burroughs or Kirsten might know if it was true) but it was claimed that when work on GPS was suspended due to banks’ crash main cause of accidental death in Bath was people falling into the unprotected areas in front of the half-built terraces.