It is a scene which will be familiar to many Londoners: children and parents playing in the sun around Victoria Park’s majestic grade-II listed fountain.
And even though the image was captured a century ago, a modern picture shows how the setting has changed very little.
But the same cannot necessarily be said for all the scenes portrayed in a stunning collection of early 20th-century postcards which are available to view online.
That’s why Historic England is now inviting Britons to send in their modern photos, to see how some of the country’s most famous public areas have changed over the decades.
Users can check out a map which will show them the locations of all the postcard depictions, along with a link to see each individual card.
It is a scene which will be familiar to many Londoners: children and parents playing in the sun around Victoria Park’s majestic grade-II listed fountain. And even though the image was captured a century ago, a modern picture shows how the setting has changed very little
Another postcard shows Leeds’s Roundhay Park, which is one of the biggest city parks in Europe. A recent image taken close to the same spot shows how the mansion is still standing, although the ornate bandstand shown on the postcard is no longer there
They can then upload their modern pictures to the ‘Missing Pieces’ project website.
The original postcards were published between 1900 and 1930 and were once owned by Suffolk-born artist Nigel Temple, who died in 2003.
Also among them is a depiction of Clissold Park in Stoke Newington, north-east London. The postcard was published between 1901 and 1906.
The scene showing the tall trees, grass and lake has hardly changed in more than a century, besides the presence of a different fence surrounding the body of water and a new tarmacked path.
Another postcard shows Leeds’s Roundhay Park, which is one of the biggest city parks in Europe.
The depiction, which was published between 1900 and 1909, shows scores of Edwardian Britons sitting on the grass or enjoying a walk as the park’s magnificent 19th-century mansion looms in the background.
A recent image taken close to the same spot shows how the mansion is still standing, although the ornate bandstand shown on the postcard is no longer there.
Poole Park, in Dorset, is seen above in a postcard published between 1900 and 1920. A recent image shows how the park has changed in the last century
Another scene shows what appears to be a husband and wife with their children in Town Gardens, Swindon, in the early 20th century. A recent image taken close to the same spot shows how much the park has changed, with an updated path and bench visible, whilst a hut that once stood is no longer there
Another depiction of Town Gardens shows the park’s fountain in the early 20th cenutry, as a man dressed in a suit looks on
A depiction of Clissold Park in Stoke Newington, north-east London. The postcard was published between 1901 and 1906. The scene showing the tall trees, grass and lake has hardly changed in more than a century, besides the presence of a different fence surrounding the body of water and a new tarmacked path
Rowntree Memorial Park in York is seen being depicted on a postcard published between 1910 and 1930. A recent image shows how there has been significant change in the layout of the park since then, although the distinctive bridge providing a route across its canal is still there
Users can check out a map which will show them the locations of all the postcard depictions, along with a link to see each individual card
Another scene shows what appears to be a husband and wife with their children in Town Gardens, Swindon, in the early 20th century.
The smart father wears a suit and tie, whilst his wife stands next to him in a ankle-length dress. Surrounding them are eight youngsters.
A recent image taken close to the same spot shows how much the park has changed, with an updated path and bench visible, whilst a hut that once stood is no longer there.
Also seen in the collection is a postcard showing Rowntree Park in York back in the early 20th century. A modern photo reveals that the park has changed a lot.
Rachel Prothero, Historic England Head of Content, said: ‘The Nigel Temple Collection of postcards gives us a wonderful snapshot of a moment past in some of the beautiful parks and gardens to be found across the country.
‘We’d love for people to add their photographs of the same locations so we can see how these cherished landscapes look today and add to their story.’
Click here to look at the map, and then here to upload your own image to the Missing Pieces project
