Amersham Then & Now

For many centuries, Amersham did not change a great deal. However, with the coming of the Metropolitan Railway in 1892, Amersham started to change with the creation of Amersham on the Hill, this has been described elsewhere on this site.. Over the recent years, there have also been changes. Much infilling has taken place. Below are some examples of how some of the area has changed. If anyone has any other old pictures which can be compared with today, we would be pleased to receive them, please email the web master

Left, Sycamore Road early 1960s. The Regent Cinema dominates, on the left trees in front of the ten Free Church. On the right, same location in 2006. The regent Cinema went in the 1960s and in the 1980s, the shops next to it were replaced with more modern buildings.

The Oakfield Corner end of Sycamore Road has not changed much over the years. The left picture is from the 1950s, the next 1960s and the third 1990s. With the exception of the road markings and shop fronts, the view is much the same.

The tree has gone, and there are now a few new shop fronts, but Hill Avenue looks very similar today (right) compared to the 1950s (left)

Sycamore Corner has changed quite a bit. The picture on the left is from the 1950s, on the right 2000. The parade of shops on the north west side remains, but a new 1970s block has been built on the right and on the other side of the road, the numerous small shops and houses have been replaced with a 1960s development of shops, offices and flats.

Left The Iron Horse, formerly the Station hotel. One of the first buildings to be built after the opening of the station in 1892, refurbished into the pub above, then all too quickly knocked down and replaced by the building on the right housing flats.

The top of Station Road has changed quite a lot. The 1890s picture on the left shows the original railway bridge with the Station hotel visible beyond. The hotel was renamed the iron Horse (itself now gone) and re styled. The picture on the right shows the new railway bridge built in 1960 which includes an extra track necessary when Amersham became the terminus of the Metropolitan Line.

Pictures Courtesy of Ken's Beijing Chinese Restaurant

Just below the railway bridge at the top of Station Road saw the first commercial development in Amersham on the Hill. Station Parade designed by London Architect John Kennard. The left hand picture is from 1905, the right hand picture from 2007. Although the modern shop fronts have spoiled the look of the building today, it can still be seen to be a handsome construction. The 1905 picture in many ways is very "London" in its look. The building used to contain Weatherall the Medical Eye Centre and a Swindles (news agents). Also, Pretty & Ellis now occupy part of the building with their auction rooms. The auction rooms are housed in an interesting building. Originally it was the Bijou Hall, then the Playbox cinema it was then converted to the Play House Theatre and opened in 1936, with seats for 240. The repertory company had moved from Chesham Bois (where they had used a barn on what is now the Beacon school site) and proved quite popular for a few years. Dirk Bogarde made his early appearances at the theatre, but after the war it could not compete with the changing tastes of the time (television?) and by 1956 the local estate agents had purchased the building.

Left, view of buildings towards the top of Station Road taken in the 1930s. Picture courtesy of the late Peggy Bonner nee Gilbert-Brown, who lived in "Woodcot" in the 1930s. Right, the same buildings in 2006

One of the biggest changes in Amersham happened in the 1930s in Old Amersham. As a slum clearance project, the row of cottages in Market Square and along Church Row were demolished. This created the wide road by the Market Hall. The picture on the left above shows the end of the cottages which were demolished. Also demolished in later years was the porch of The Crown.

Left, view from junction of Chiltern Avenue and King George V Road from late 1970s. Former open air car park in front of police station and by law courts. On the right, same location in early 2000s with the Chiltern District Council offices occupying the former car park site.

On the left, the view of the station from the 1970s. The remains of the goods yard are still visible along with the goods shed. The two right views from 2006 show how the trees have grown up to hide not only housing, but the multi story car park and the NHBC offices

Left, the goods shed in 1981 not long before demolition. The goods yard had closed in the 1960s, but the land around the shed became a coal yard and car park. On the right, this 2006 view of the same location shows the NHBC offices and multi story car park

Pictures courtesy of Malcolm Flack

For many years the site of H Flack and Son's garage on White Lion Road close to Black Horse Bridge was a familiar site. The cars and garage changed over the years as the pictures from 1934 (left) and 1972. For more details of how Flacks and other garages in Amersham, see Amersham Garages page

Pictures courtesy of Malcolm Flack

The same site now is home to Amersham Audi

Left the flats on the White Lion Road taken in the late 1970s. In the 1990s they were refurbished to give them a softer more human look, shown on the right.

Top left bus garage viewed in early 1960s and top right bus garage probably from the early 1970s. Below left the side of the garage from the mid 1980s. As can hopefully be seen, the bus garage and associated offices on the right hand side (facing) was quite a large building. It was a classic 1930s design. Below right, entrance to Tesco, the petrol station of which occupies the site of the former bus garage.

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