Alfred Watkins Tribute. Part Two "In Hereford".

"Vivid proof of two sighted tracks is to be found in the centre of old Hereford. Stand at a point in East Street, where it begins to bend to get around to St John Street, and look (westward) the whole length of the continuous East and West Streets. Here again traffic can be seen, passing in Victoria Street, which is 430 yards distant, although the streets narrow down to 12 feet wide in places." The Old Straight Track (The Classic Book On Ley Lines) by Alfred Wakins. 1925.

"Standing in the Cathedral Close (at the western iron post of a gate), and looking the whole length of the two lanes-Upper and Lower Church Street-traffic can be seen passing in the high-town 183 yards distant, although in some parts the lane is only 7 feet wide. In these cases narrow, straight sighted tracks are still preserved between the houses of these narrow lanes (not withstanding several obvious encroachments) for 430 yards and 183 yards respectively. The crossing point of these two tracks was the highest ground within the city." The Old Straight Track By Alfred Watkins. 1925.

The back of the Wakins & Son Brewery offices in Bewell Street

The Watkins & Son Brewery Offices front entrance on Eign Street. In an illustrated booklet "Hereford In 1892", the main office was described as having 'substantial mahogany fittings, and every convenience is provided for the transaction of business by the large staff of clerks and others engaged here...'

"Original sign for the Imperial on Widemarsh Street."

The birth place of Alfred Watkins, born on 27th January 1855. The frontispiece for the Watkins "Imperial" Hereford Brewery was always this pub. The Golden Lion and The Orange Tree in Hereford are the only other remaining pubs that were also owned by the "Imperial Brewery". There were five in Hay-On-Wye as well; The Kings Head, The Wheatsheaf, the Talbot, The Severn Stars and The Holly Bush.

The Watkins Brewery was demolished in the early 1960's and was a car park and a jam factory untill this Tesco was built in 1982.

Alfred Watkins was intimately connected to The Old House in High Town, now a museum providing visitors with an insight into seventeenth century life in Hereford.. he wrote the first guide for the building which was illustrated with ten of his photographs. He wrote of this old house 'The yearly orgy of May Fair gave a new aspect to this Old Housse, for all round were booths, stalls and roundabouts, whist Fossett's Photographic Studio long took up its position almost blocking the bank entrance.

Alfred Watkins was also the Chairman for the executive committee responsible  for the erection of the county and city War Memorial in St. Peter's Square

5 Harley Court, Alfred Watkins at the time 64 and his family moved here in 1919 and lived here untill his death in 1935