Take a nostalgic journey through Market Drayton over the years with this fascinating collection of photographs from the Shropshire Star archives.
Spanning more than a century through to the 1990s, the images capture long-lost shopfronts, school days and familiar local scenes, including the removal of the cupola from the old town hall — likely bound for scrap.
Don’t forget to share your memories in the comments.
Missed our gallery of Telford in the late 1980s? Take a look here.
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5. Ye Olde Star Hotel, Market Drayton, c.1930s
A nostalgic postcard view of Ye Olde Star Hotel, Market Drayton, with “Proprietor P T Gregory” and “Photo A E Adams” noted on the image. The scene captures the hotel as it appeared in a bygone era, offering a glimpse of the town’s historic hospitality trade. The undated, unfranked postcard, likely from the 1930s, contains no message and was loaned by Bridgnorth postcard collector Ray Farlow. | Courtesy of Ray Farlow
6. Cheshire Street, Market Drayton, c.1920
A street scene showing the Market Drayton branch of the London County Westminster & Parr’s Bank Ltd, believed to date from around 1920 at 53 Cheshire Street. The image, held in the National Westminster Bank Archives, carries a handwritten note identifying it as the former Westminster branch. A dog can be seen by the gate in this early 20th-century town scene. | Picture: National Westminster Bank Archives
7. Market Drayton, 1935
A crowd gathers in Market Drayton on May 8, 1935, as Sir Oswald Mosley addresses the public during a visit to the town. | Picture: Shropshire Star archives
8. Market Drayton High Street, 1945
A joyful VE Day scene in Market Drayton, where celebrations spill out into the streets beneath the ivy-clad Corbet Arms on the left of the picture. The photograph was shared by Jackie Smith, who confirmed that the woman pictured dancing was her mother, Gertie Evans. The man dancing alongside her was known locally as William “Uncle Will” Brasenell. | Picture courtesy of Jackie Smith