Another group of photos from the early 70's showing the demolition around Victoria Road.
Top picture is of the upper area of the Vicky.
2nd image, from the edge of the crater, was taken in Charles Street off the Wellgate. The derelict building at the opposite end, was the Kings Road location.
The 3rd view is where the buildings I displayed on yesterdays post would have been positioned.
Lastly, a look back over from the other side - the photographer was standing in Kings Road at the time.
Photos from Gordon C.
Peter Ustinov said that much of Dundee looked like 'an old print' but that it was disappearing fast.
ReplyDeleteHere we see the preparations for the loveliness that is the Wellgate Centre and cheap nasty housing that continue to delight to this day.
The current abomination that is council HQ in Lindsay Street shows that nothing changes in terms of council planning stupidity.
Dundee always gets duds in charge, regardless of political allegiances.
Meanwhile in Perth, the idiots on the council there have voted to demolish the City Hall to replace it with a 'continental' square.
It seems they have finally caught up with Dundee as regards civic 'improvements'.
The artists impression of the square shows a lovely day with children playing, crowded market stalls and idyllic surroundings.
The truth will be more like a few St.Johnstone supporters trudging across it in the pishing rain after another hiding by Rangers.
Well done all concerned.
Jock F
Change is hard to take, but don't knock progress. If the old Wellgate existed today, it would be as run down as any other area of small shops. The retail sector has changed a lot.
ReplyDeleteWho would want to go back to living in some of those old tenements? My memories from childhood visits are of small, dark rooms. Slums can make interesting pictures, if you ignore the people.
And look at what Lindsay St is replacing.
Retro, the Courier is reporting that Dundee Civic Trust has just handed over to the Council its digitised collection of over 50,000 photos from the same period. [They had a Lottery grant!]
These might be available on the web by the time you call it a day.
Remember too that the city of mills and tenements it's so easy to be nostalgic about was itself put there by the biggest vandals of all. The Victorians destroyed more of the old medieval burgh than anyone before or since.
ReplyDeleteHarking back to Prof McKean, he's absolutely right when he says Dundee needs to recover its self-awareness as one of Europe's great ancient seaports and ditch the mythology that has grown up over the last 150 years.
(But Jock - I'm with you on Perth City Hall. Civic Square? Pah!)