This photo of the Hoe Lodge Gardens in the 1930s is an old picture used by the Keystone Press Agency. A quick search on the internet shows that Keystone are still in business.
Looking at this photo, not a great deal has changed over the years and the only noticeable thing that is now missing is the old bandstand which was destroyed during enemy bombing in the 1940s.
This picture would have been featured in a newspaper or magazine at one time though it's impossible to discover what the story behind it was. This is possibly the only copy of this picture that survives. There is some information written on the back in pencil which reads, 'A pretty scene of the flower gardens on Plymouth Hoe. In the background can be seen Smeaton Lighthouse.'
It must be spring as one of the two girls in the picture is admiring the tulips while the other girl is holding an umbrella. In the background, Smeaton's Tower is painted as it is today though it's seen some variations over the years including being painted green and white during the 1960s.
Some think that this might have been in honour of Plymouth Argyle but it was probably because green and white are the colours of Devon. Also, in the background, can be seen the Victorian watchtower.
The garden had a small pond in the days before the Prejoma Clock. The clock was erected in April 1965 in memory of the parents of a Mr John Preston Ball.
It's amazing that this photo was taken approximately 70 years ago and how little has changed. Incidently, this photo was another 99p buy on Ebay. An absolute bargain, I think!
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