IN the centre of Richmond's wide cobbled market place, there used to be a dirty great building.
This was the tollbooth, which had originally housed the officials who oversaw the running of the market – there used to be a bell on the roof which was rung at the start and close of trading, and the town's official weights and measures had a room all of their own.
There probably was a tollbooth on this spot since the dawn of time, and this one was rebuilt in 1761 – very roughly rebuilt, by the looks of this picture.
It declined so that by the 20th Century it housed a collection of shops on the ground floor with poor quality living space above.
Dereliction meant it was demolished a few months after this photograph was taken in March 1947, although the buildings on either side – the town hall on the left and the Albany tea room on the right – still survive.
Perhaps we should offer a pat on the back to anyone who can identify the vehicle – CPY 391 – parked at a crazy angle on the left.
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