Structurally, there is not much difference in this postcard by Weaver and Co, taken about 1910, and the same view today.
Down in the Angel Yard were the premises of Harry Page, the monumental mason, whose family business was based there from the 1870s onwards.
The board mounted on the wall to the left of the archway is an advertisement for the family business, which began with Thomas Page who once had premises in Bridge Street.
In the late 1960s, under another generation, the Angel Yard site was vacated because that site was required for the Chantry Way service yard – indeed the Angel itself was almost lost until a public outcry forced a change in plans - and the business moved to the top of Chantry Street, adjacent to the Page family house on the corner.
To the right is 84 High Street, then the premises of Sidney Rolls’ hardware shop on two floors.
The front of the shop states the range of goods available – china, glass, ironmongery, jewellery and plate.
I cannot find anyone of that name in Andover at any time, so Sidney Rolls must be a tradename that may refer to an earlier Rolls elsewhere.
The actual proprietor was George Henry Rolls who was 36 in 1911 and had been born in Croydon. The family moved to Christchurch, where George married in 1902.
Soon afterwards he and his wife arrived in Andover, running this hardware shop by 1903. Later, he opened a fruit and greengrocery shop further down the street at No 64, keeping both shops going in tandem; the family lived above the latter premises by 1911. This was the former Black Swan inn about which I wrote in the 31st December Advertiser.
By 1918 the shop on the corner was being run by 30-year-old Claude Oscar Rolls with George retaining No 64.
Soon afterwards, George swapped his role as shopkeeper to become a betting agent, operating from offices next to Lloyd’s bank and both retail shops were run by Claude.
It would be natural to assume that this was a father passing on the business to his son but there was only 16 years between them and actually they were brothers.
Claude did not stay very long and in 1926 he returned to Bournemouth to run a boarding house.
No 64 eventually became Freeman Hardy and Willis and 84 became Curry’s, both occupiers remaining in those premises for many years.
The final building in the picture is of course the Angel Inn.
It has such a long and interesting history that it would be wrong to try to condense its story to the end of this article and will consequently be the subject of a future piece.
However, suffice to record that the view shown here of the brick front is of a façade much later than the interior 15th century original.
It was almost certainly built in 1775 as an inscribed brick of that date remains in the wall of the northern cross-wing.
Having re-modelled the front, the structure to the left of the archway, previously part of the inn, became two separate tenancies with ground floor premises and private accommodation above.
To great regret, two impressive Tudor fireplaces were removed from this part of the inn during the 1960s and sold off.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here