No women were allowed in girls' loo
Women not allowed – but schoolgirls welcome.
Back in the 1960s Bishop's Castle had what were believed to be the only public toilets in Shropshire which discriminated between the ages of those seeking to spend a penny.
The lavatory was in Union Street and bore a notice which read: "School Girls Only." For those females no longer at school, which back in those days could have included 15-year-olds, there was a public toilet nearly a quarter of a mile away in Station Street.
The picture was taken in June 1965 and speaking at the time a former clerk of Bishop's Castle Borough Council, Frank Lavender, said the lavatory was built for schoolgirls who went to the nearby playing fields. But one was not built for schoolboys.
On who could use the lavatory, Mr Lavender said: "It's a question of fact whether she is a schoolgirl."
However, a woman who lived nearby said: "A lot of women don't take any notice of the sign. They often stop their cars, jump out, and pop in."
