IT WAS a place where Southampton people could stroll and idle away a few minutes admiring the roses and the carefully manicured lawns that surrounded the fountain in front of the Civic Centre.
However, after half a century the gardens were swept away as part of a road-widening scheme to cope with the growing amount of city centre congestion.
In the 1930s, when the earlier photograph was taken, cars were few and far between, and the passing traffic seemed to be mainly bicycles.
This was when the Civic Centre was a new addition to Southampton. The labour exchange can be seen on the extreme left of the photo, along with Selby's garage, Webb's sweet shop and the old King Edward VI School.
Kingsbridge Lane - the cut leading to Central Station and the Empire Theatre - can also be seen.
The fountain now stands outside the Civic Centre art gallery but nothing remains of the rose gardens.
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