A glimpse of Newport High Street in 1857

Caroline Davies of Davies White & Perry has given permission for the History Society to photograph and publish another of her pictures. This one is a tinted engraving of the High Street in 1857. The occasion is  the celebrations at the time of the coming of age of Thomas Fletcher-Boughey on 25th April 1857.The painting was done by Henry Lark Pratt (1805–1873) who  who trained in the porcelain industry, but did many paintings chiefly of Staffordshire and Derbyshire landscapes and stately homes.  In the days when the town’s wealth was to a large extent created by the wealth of the local landed estates  – the Leekes, the Boroughs, the Leveson-Gowers, Bougheys and  the Coates families – Newport townspeople were obviously keen to show support of such celebrations and took part enthusiastically.

The buildings on the west side can be compared with today and are all still easily recognisable.