People Gallery

Manchester Central Public Library BWS01_01_39

Central Public Library, St Peter's Square, Manchester. A workman standing behind the steel frame of the upper dome ring during the construction of the Central Public Library.
The Central Public Library was designed by E Vincent Harris. The steel frames were manufactured by Banister, Walton and Co Ltd.
The image shows the upper dome, which was 42 feet in diameter and weighed 13 tons, which had been assembled on the ground, ready to be lifted into position.

© Historic England Archive

Celebrity opening JLP01_08_071863

Yate Shopping Centre, Yate, South Gloucestershire. A crowd walking along a precinct at Yate Shopping Centre for its official opening, showing actress Pat Phoenix and radio and TV personality Ted Ray amongst the group.
Yate shopping centre was designed by architects Stone, Toms and Partners and was constructed by Laing. It was built to serve a growing population and was a link between the old village and the new town with its modern houses. The shopping centre consisted of four wide shopping precincts linked by a centre court, housing four banks, a supermarket and a Woolworths store. There were also large car parks and a bus terminal. The official opening of Yate Shopping Centre took place on 25th September 1965 with Coronation Street actress, Pat Phoenix (Elsie Tanner), carrying out the ceremony watched by radio and TV personality, Ted Ray

© Historic England Archive

Workers celebration JLP01_08_085062

WESTWAY FLYOVER, A40, KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA, GREATER LONDON. A crowd of workers celebrating the opening of the Westway Flyover, seen from the high level section over the junction with the West Cross Route.
Work on site for the Western Avenue Extension began on 1st September 1966, and the Westway as it became known was officially opened on 28th July 1970. The elevated highway connecting the A40 at White City to Marylebone Road in Paddington, at around 2 ½ miles, was the longest in Europe. Consulting engineers G Maunsell & Partners designed the road project for the Greater London Council and John Laing & Son undertook the construction. It was organised into six sections. Sections 1, 4, 5 & 6 formed the main flyover into central London with Sections 2 & 3 being the West Cross Route, running south from the junction in Section 1 near Latimer Road to Shepherds Bush. The management offices for Sections 4 and 5 were located in Torquay Street. This photograph was taken at grid reference TQ2357681100. It appeared in the September 1970 issue of Team Spirit, the Laing company newsletter

© Historic England Archive