Do you recognise this place? It is, of course, the centre of Radstock in the early 20th Century. Much of what you can see is recognisable today, but you might be interested to know that:

• On the left, you can see the level crossing gates of the GWR railway from Bristol to Frome, which ran across the road into the station on the land with the white picket fencing around it. This is the land currently being developed.

• The shop on the left, with the dark shop front is Casswells, (many will know of the Midsomer Norton branch of Casswells, which recently closed. Casswells stocked the carbide needed for the local coal miners’ carbide lamps. It also stocked explosives for the mines to blast away rock to reach the coal, though the explosives were not kept actually in the store!

• On the right, (just at the back of the horse and cart) the level crossing gates for the Somerset and Dorset railway can be made out. This railway ran from Bournemouth to Bath Green Park Station. The trains from the Bournemouth direction headed into Midsomer Norton South Station (which is restored and runs steam weekends) through the Somer Valley along what is currently a cycle path from Norton Hill, across Somervale Road, over a bridge which was demolished, but where the traffic lights are today, and along part of what is now The Greenway, through the Tom Huyton play park and into a station right in front of Radstock Museum. It then went on to Shoscombe, Wellow and on into Bath Green Park Station where Sainsbury’s is today.

• In the middle of the picture is the Bell Hotel and to the right of it, Combes and Co Brewery. Combes built the brewery and The Bell, and supplied many of the local pubs with beer.

• The building, which now houses Radstock Museum, was formerly the Market Hall and the bustling social centre of Radstock. It was the place to shop and catch up on the local gossip for decades. The architect who designed Radstock Market Hall was Thomas Martin: Combes and Co who raised the money for the build commissioned him.

On Saturday, 1st April, 12 noon until 3 p.m., Somerset Coalfield Life at Radstock Museum is hosting an event where the people of Midsomer Norton, Radstock and surrounding villages, can bring along photos, documents, objects and memories of your life in this area.

At the event, if you choose, you can add your written and oral memories, along with any photos, objects or documents to a database called ‘Know Your Place’ to build a colourful and informative history of our local communities. There will be activities for children, with copies of ordinance survey maps, magnifying glasses, puzzles and coloured pens. Children can find their home, school or other local landmarks on the maps, helping them to read and understand them. Alice from ‘Know Your Place’ will be running the event and the accompanying exhibition will show you ‘Then and Now’ photos from the local area.

Somerset Coalfield Life at Radstock Museum has thousands of old photographs of the area and the mines and miners in its collection, which are available for the public to see in our research room. Contact Anny at: [email protected]