The streets were invariably quiet a hundred years ago and this tranquil scene in West Street shows two ladies enjoying an afternoon walk, one of them with a baby in a perambulator, while the only traffic to be seen is horse-drawn.

The Ostler memorial dominated the market place in past times, a striking stone edifice in the shape of a water fountain that worked only spasmodically and has now been removed to the town cemetery because of increasing traffic flows in what is now the town centre.

Eastgate, over 100 years ago, quiet and secluded with horses and carts as the only traffic and perhaps a cycle or two. The width of the Bourne Eau at this point is quite surprising with small bridges crossing to give access to riverside properties.

North Road, over 100 years ago, quiet and secluded with no sign of a motor car. Telegraph poles can be seen along the pavement on the right and the thatched roof on the extreme left is that of Cuckoo Bush Cottage, demolished in 1960.

This rare mediaeval mud and stud cottage at No 15 Bedehouse Bank was a Grade II listed building but was demolished with the approval of local councillors and so inspired the formation of the Civic Society in 1977 to protect our heritage in the future.

Heavy snow usually causes disruption to everyday life but during the late winter of 1916 conditions were so bad that most services were halted as the town was cut off for several days and this scene from West Street was typical of the entire district.

Although the distinctive house where the motor racing pioneer, Raymond Mays, once lived still dominates Eastgate most of the old cottages have been demolished to make way for new housing developments.

Housing began spreading outwards in Bourne a century ago and West Road became one of the most popular places to live although here only two or three new homes had been built in what was then little more than a country lane.

Modern traffic flows regularly choke South Street on the southern approach to the town but a century ago the road was usually deserted except for the occasional stray dog and a shop assistant hopefully awaiting customers.

One of the earliest views of the town centre shows a quaint shop on the spot now occupied by the Lloyds TSB bank and a coaching arch on the front of the Burghley Arms, then known as the Bull, all signs of the changing street scene.

Standing in the middle of the town centre today would be a foolhardy thing to do yet there were no dangers from passing traffic during the late 19th century when the market place, as it then was, reflected the unhurried pace of life.

One of the more secluded spots in Bourne is Church Walk, always a favourite with walkers, although the trees have been replaced over the years and iron railings now line the bank of the Bourne Eau.

Water mills were once an essential part of our commercial life and Notley's Mill in Victoria Place, which dated from the early 18th century, was an imposing building that survived until 1973 when it was closed and demolished.

One of the heaviest snowfalls of recent times occurred in January 1987 when the town was covered to a depth of 6-12 inches. The main A15 was blocked and bus services halted while the inevitable thaw brought flooding to several streets.

Flooding was a constant problem for Bourne in past times and in 1912, many places in and around the town were under water after a spell of continual rain such as the Spalding Road where one intrepid motorist refused to be deterred.

Assorted children flocked to be in this photograph taken outside two corner shops in the Austerby, one of them dealing in fancy goods and the other occupied the local plumber who also worked as a paper hanger, painter, decorator and glazier.

The cattle market in Bourne is remembered by older residents as a centre for livestock sales, a meeting place for old friends and a great deal of gossip. It closed in 1981 and the site was cleared to make way for the Burghley Arcade development.

The Bourne Eau was a much wider and deeper river in past times and from the bank of the so-called moat section in which is now the Wellhead Gardens the water tower from the railway sidings could be seen in the distance.

The increase in traffic flows around Bourne is best illustrated by old photographs which reflect a more leisurely pace of life such as here in West Road showing a deserted junction where the Stamford road meets what is now the A151.

The town centre has undergone dramatic changes in the past 100 years notably as a result of the increasing amount of traffic which has transformed North Street into a main through road where vehicle flows often cause lengthy delays.

There was once a level crossing and a signal box in South Street where the line crossed the main road but both were dismantled when the railway age for Bourne ended in 1965 after more that a century of brisk business.

A march through the streets headed by the town's brass band always marked the annual treat for children from the Congregational Church in Eastgate which ended with games and a picnic at the Park Field in the Austerby.

Sheep may safely graze has been a Christian observance for centuries and here they can be seen enjoying the grass outside the Abbey Church in a meadow that has been occupied since 1986 by the vicarage and its adjoining garden.

The railway was once an important link with Bourne and the station was situated at the Red Hall that has survived the vibrations from steam locomotives and rolling stock which ran past the building for almost 100 years.

The arrival of the motor car has transformed our roads which are now a mass of lines and signs but there was a time when even a solitary vehicle was a rare sight such as here in West Road before it became a residential area busy with traffic.