The Bottom Of Commercial Street Around 1900

A very early postcard with a 1902 postmark. The photo was probably taken in 1899.

The old wooden signpost points the way to the Alexandra Dock, and behind it the dilapidated building (97 Commercial Street) is used to advertise events in the Lyceum. And we can see that the big news is that "THE POISONER OF MILAN IS HERE". On checking through old newspaper reports we found in the 18th July edition of the 'Evening Express', 1899:

"THE LYCEUM, NEWPORT"
"'The Poisoner of Milan', the play placed upon the stage of the Lyceum this week, is bold and daring in conception, and Mr Dempster's company give it a fitting interpretation..."

The building to the left of the Lyceum advert is Thomas Vacara's fish bar. To the right of the advert we see John Shepstone's shoe repair shop, then C Scaplehorn's saddler shop. Next is T Price the hatter.

The spire of St Paul's Church can clearly be seen and to the extreme right is the King William IV run by Mrs CM King. Next to that J Phillips and Son, pharmaceutical chemists.

Tram lines, empty street, and evidence that the trams were still being pulled by horses...

This card went to Amsterdam in 1902 and returned to the UK over a hundred years later!