These two photographs were taken by the Rev. Demaus, who was village curate at the turn of the century, and an enthusiastic glass plate photographer as these pictures demonstrate. They are used by the kind permission of his son. These scenes of life on the Eton Wick Road (taken near the Three Horseshoes, the upper one looking east and the lower photo west), can be compared with other photographs of the area in the book.Note the unmetalled and very dusty road, lack of pavements, the horse drawn traders' traffic and the style of dress. The upper photograph shows Lovell's shop and Post Office (Ada Cottage). Both photos show the great oak tree that once stood in front of the Three Horseshoes. The lower photo shows the bay window of the Horseshoes, much as it is today, and likewise the Palmer Place terrace. There is no shop at Wellmans Cottages (later to become Thames View Stores).
In these photographs c1900 there are no street lights. These were to come later, initially two when gas first came to the village and by the 1930s when there were 44 lights between the Slads and Dorney Common Gate. The elm trees in the background are lining Brown's lane (now part of Common Road).
This article was first published in A photographic history of Eton Wick & Eton.
