TAKEN from the crow’s nest at the top of Bolton town hall in 1947, this photograph offers a fascinating look at the post war town centre.

To the left Newport Street makes its way to Holy Trinity Church and Coronation Street joins Ashburner Street to Great Moor Street.

In the foreground are two large shelters on the site of the former wholesale market which had closed in 1932when the Ashburner Street market opened.

You can see the recently opened bus station on Howell Croft and (bottom right corner) Magee’s bonded warehouse (now the site of the Octagon Theatre).

Great Moore Street station can be seen towards the right of the picture with various railway lines heading to and from it and in the centre Soho Street and Dawes Street cut through an array of buildings.

Note too the number of mills complete with smoking chimneys close to the town centre.