This week's pictures from the past

Diddlebury church is among the oldest churches in Britain, so you would not really have expected it to have changed much since this postcard view, which must date from about 100 years ago.

It is an old Wildings postcard, which is entitled "The Lych Gate, Diddlebury" and it was loaned to us by our regular contributor, postcard collector Ray Farlow, of Bridgnorth.

These fetching "ladies" were workers from Telford's old National Standard factory taking part in a comic football match. This picture was loaned to us by Mrs D Bailey, of Chillcott Drive, Madeley, who tells us that the match was in about 1978 and that most of these workers were redundant by June 1980.

This is Aber-Carriers (1954) Ltd of Severn Road, Welshpool, and the photo was loaned to us by Merv Watkin, who worked there for 13 years from about 1957.

Mr Watkin, of Welshpool, said it was a haulage and warehousing firm, adding: "This photograph was taken in about 1959 to 1960.They are Bedford TK lorries. I was a mechanic in the workshop. At the very end of the photograph there's a lorry poking its nose out of the doors. That's where the garage was. There's also a Castrol van in the picture, which was a contracted vehicle.

"I finished up as a foreman mechanic in the garage. In the heyday we had something like 42 vehicles. In the picture there are 18 to 19 trucks, about half the fleet."

The firm no longer exists, he added. Mr Watkin is keen to see any other old Aber-Carriers photographs. If anyone can help him, he is on (01938) 554483.

This picture is in an album in the ownership of Mrs Grace Edwards, of Wellington, and a written note by it says: "William Joseph at Yeaton Hall, 1908, his first job."

William Joseph was William Joseph Edwards, known as Bill Edwards, and the note was written by his late son, also Bill Edwards (who was Grace's husband). William Joseph Edwards was by November 1908 working and living-in at Yeaton Lodge, Bomere Heath.

"The lady who lived there was Mrs Greathead," says another note. He is on the left and appears to be doing gardening.

This old postcard picture is captioned simply: "Old house at Newtown, Much Wenlock."

It adds: "Printed and published by A.E. Trevor, Much Wenlock."

There is no date, but it will probably be from about 100 years ago.

Picture courtesy of Ray Farlow