Glimpses into the past from Frank's collection

They come from Shrewsbury historian and author David Trumper, but were not his to start with.

"They are from an album I had given to me by the relatives of the late Frank Reece after he died. I was given a big collection of photographs and other material that he collected over the years," said David.

So far, so good, but here comes the sad part. There were other photos, no doubt as fascinating, which were thrown away.

"As far as I know he was a Shrewsbury man who loved Shrewsbury history, and lived in the town in the Ditherington area.There are photographs that were taken, I think, from negatives from the old Shrewsbury Advertiser.

"Unfortunately at least another big boxful were thrown on a skip, which makes me cry every time I think about it."

The fact that some were saved has an indirect connection with David's school days at Frankwell.

"The relatives came up from Canterbury and they were clearing the house. The reason they survived was that Mrs Reece, the sister-in-law who came from Canterbury, had a friend over here who she went to see one evening. She was talking about all this Shrewsbury material and, as it happened, my infant teacher was there, Mrs Edwards, who taught me at St George's School many years ago. She said she knew someone who would be interested in these.

"Margaret Reece phoned me up and asked if I would like to go along and have a look. I was very interested. There was some wonderful material there."

David does not know how Frank came by the old Shrewsbury Advertiser photos in the first place.

"I think the newspaper closed in the 1960s. I used to like it because it had very good photographs."

Frank was born in Bishop's Castle in 1936 before moving to Pitchford with his parents in 1941, and then later moving to Shrewsbury. He built up a vast collection of local history material, but also had another passion - country and western music.

Let's now dip in to just a tiny selection of the photos from Frank Reece's collection...

One shows long-disappeared steps at the English Bridge.

"As you go over the bridge towards town it's on the left hand side. Marine Terrace is to the left. These steps are not here now. The picture would have been taken before 1927 when they widened the bridge."

Before the reconstruction, says David, there were steps on both sides, but during it one side of the steps disappeared.

Another photo shows a wooden cross which went up at the top of Pride Hill in 1903 for the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Shrewsbury.

"It was only there for a short time. There was a whole week of celebrations," said David.

Looking further down Castle Street there is a top hat sign.

"That's hanging outside Frank Newton's gentleman's outfitters. The hat was the size of two 6ft men standing shoulder to shoulder. It was made out of a sheet of metal. It disappeared during the Second World War when they took it away to melt it down for munitions."

Among other images is a Shrewsbury pub on which time was called many years ago - William Hill's Arms.

"The picture shows Mardol Quay, with Smithfield Road to the right. The 'slinky' is off the picture to the left. This is the old road opposite Mardol going down to the old St George's Bridge which would have come out by the theatre.

"The photo was taken in the late 19th century. William Hill's Arms was demolished around 1952 for road widening into Smithfield Road."