We have delved into the archives for another look at some reader Geoffrey Pritchard's photo collection.

There is real local interest in these pictures and they may even bring back a few local memories for Weymouth residents.

Mr Pritchard tells us that the first photo is of a house called Springfield, sited in Rodwell Road, Weymouth.

This house was built in 1879 for the Devenish family. You may recognise this surname as belonging to a family of famous Weymouth brewers!

What is Brewers Quay in Weymouth today was once the Devenish brewery.

The last occupant was Major J. H.C. Devenish, who died in 1954.

It was occupied by the military during the Second World War, and suffered air raid damage and was subsequently unoccupied.

The site was sold in 1959 and Portwey Close was built there in 1964.

Springfield itself was demolished later: the intended conversion did not go ahead as the cost of conversion in its now dilapidated state was prohibitive.

The Devenish family were great supporters of Holy Trinity Church and at least two members of the family served as churchwardens.

Up to about 1958 the church's annual summer fete was held there.

This photo shows a large group of people and it looks as though this could be a parish function.

The people in the photo are smartly dressed with the men in suits and the women in hats.

The grounds, redeveloped from 1964, were used for a number of social events, Mr Pritchard said and the house itself was demolished from 1972.

Moving on, we have a photo showing a Weymouth Carnival procession in 1954.

Mr Pritchard has pointed out the photo is very interesting in the way the cars are so close to the pedestrians.

He said: "This is an interesting exercise in crowd control, before health and safety came on the scene, with the procession going southbound along the Esplanade and normal traffic (which would then have used both St Thomas Street and Westham Road) going northbound.

"The procession contained a large number of interesting entries, including one encouraging membership of a trade union.

"There is also a mixture of cars including a brand new Ford Anglia, and an elderly Morris."

The next photo shows Weymouth Harbour from the Town Bridge in 1959.

Mr Pritchard says: "This is a peaceful scene from 1959, with Commercial Road almost deserted.

"The gasworks prominent in the background with the recently constructed gasholder dominating Westwey Road.

"Much of the site would be demolished three years later. The large advertising hoardings contain a mixture of subjects- one advertising Bachelor tipped cigarettes, one supporting the fight against polio, one drawing attention to Muscular Dystrophy Research, a poster encouraging the purchase of eggs, and one which states that the Health Service is safe with the Labour Party - possibly the start of the campaign in connection with the General Election which was held in October that year."

The final photo was taken in 1971 on the roof of Weymouth and Portland Borough Council offices.

In it, the town clerk, E J Jones, surveys the scene from the municipal offices. The contractors are still busy constructing the site and Maiden Street Methodist Church can be seen in the background.

*Do you have any old photos which you think might be of interest for Looking Back readers? If so, get in touch using the details below.

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