Footsteps in the Fog

Along with friends and family, Stephen Lowry attends the funeral of his wife. St. Mary's Parish church on Church Street in Slough, Berkshire.

Due to the encroachment of surrounding foliage, Antony Blair took this shot off angle.

Following the service, a carriage takes the household's servants back to their duties. A sequence of lightened captures start with this view of Chalvey Park in Slough. The scene is very different today.

The carriage draws up outside the Lowry's house. To the left stands Tower House on Chalvey Park. Tower House was demolished to be replaced by a tower block which wasn't named Tower House but Ashborne House . . . . Tower House was the name of the block next to it on The Crescent. Thankfully, both nondescript blocks are currently awaiting demolition. Our sleuth and contributor friend Di Davies tells us more regarding Ashbourne House "My mum lived in Ashbourne House, which was built over the Chalvey Park site used in the film.  She lived there on the 9th floor from the mid-70s until moving to Oxford in the mid-80s.  The block wasn't bad once you were inside. Hardly any crime, but maybe that was because the Police station was on the corner. The Granada cinema was on the opposite corner to the Police station and there were Hollywood-style slabs outside the entrance with some famous signatures of stars who had visited in the 30s and 40s.  I clearly remember seeing Bette Davis and Sabu's signatures in the concrete!  I wonder what happened to those when they demolished yet another part of Slough's history!" (RL)

The maid, Lily Watkins, follows Mrs. Park and Grimes through the gateway. The gates to Tower House on Chalvey Park, Slough.

Stephen follows, travelling in a carriage with David MacDonald, Elizabeth Travers and her father Alfred. The background building was number 20 Chalvey Park. Ann George recalls her Grandmother living in the house at the time of filming when it was called Tatoi, which translates to 'welcome'. Ann continues "My grandmother ran number 20 as a boarding house and my Mum got married from there in 1946 when she was photographed outside the left set of windows. I remember playing in the huge garden at the back of the property as a child, although I did find it quite creepy."

Learning to drive just half an hour previously, David MacDonald nears the home of Elizabeth Travers.

The camera follows the newfangled machine around the green. Elizabeth Moore identifies this as Richmond Green in Richmond-upon-Thames, Surrey, looking towards Old Palace Lane.

Elizabeth Moore returned to the location to capture the scene almost 70 years later.

David brings the Swift to a halt as Wells the coachman steadies his horses. The Old Court House on Old Palace Lane, Richmond-upon-Thames located by Elizabeth Moore who worked on the property a few years ago and recognised the building.

Taken from a similar position by Elizabeth.

David MacDonald (Bill Travers) greets Elizabeth Travers (Belinda Lee) while Wells (Mark Daly) continues to wait for her father. Found by Elizabeth Moore, this is the frontage of The Old Court House on Old Palace Lane in Richmond-upon-Thames, Surrey.

Elizabeth took a wider view of the Grade II* listed building.