The Now and Then photographs this week are of Newport Arcade.

Known to most Newportians as “Kimpton’s” Arcade because of the clothes shop at the High Street end. My late father, Ramon O’Brien (known in the Scouting world as Ober) was in the Newport Boy Scout Band.

My mother, brother and I would watch them parade down High Street and then we would run through the arcade to watch the band again as they paraded up Cambrian Road.

Jane O’Brien, Newport

Clearly, today’s pic is the Arcade which runs between High Street and Cambrian Road. It is one of the few places in the Town Centre which hasn’t changed much apart from the businesses operating there.

Jim Dyer Newport

The Now and Then picture is of Newport Arcade in High Street through to Cambrian Road. Opposite the arcade in High Street is the indoor market and just up the road in Market Street the South Wales Argus used to be printed. There used to be a pub called Simsons Bar in the area and Burtons the tailors.

Mrs M Reardon, Newport

The Then picture is of the once very busy Newport Arcade. During the fifties I worked across the road in Joyce’s stationers and bookshop, and I remember the arcade well. My friend worked in the bookshop in the forefront, Stanley Jones. Also in the arcade was Wagstaff’s later Winifred Bignall selling cosmetics and costume jewellery. At the High Street end was Crouch Jewellery and Stuart Kimptons, gentlemans outfitters on the other.

Mrs F Oakendon, Newport

And from last week...

South Wales Argus: NOW AND THEN: A scene from Newport

The photograph is of Rutland Place and not Daniel Street. We, together with our brother, were born in 1, Rutland Place during the late 1940’s/ early 1950’s.

That house is still there and is situated just out of shot on the left hand side of your picture.

It was our grandparent’s (Will and Rose Thomas) house and with our parents (Olive and Bert Playle) we lived there for a number of years until we were allocated a new house on the St Julian’s estate.

To the centre of the picture can be seen the house of Tommy Hills, the Builder, and to the extreme right is the house of Mrs Hennah and her family.

This house was demolished many years ago - today a church occupies the site.

Sue Humphreys (nee Playle), Portskewett