Old pictures of Hexham streets and shops over the years

Derek Sim, from Hexham, runs his photography page Simpixels and said: "I am an amateur photographer, shooting wildlife mainly, but also some astrophotography and cityscapes, with a few other experiments thrown into the mix.

"I shoot primarily with a Panasonic Lumix G9,(Micro 4/3rds) and also a Lumix FZ300 (Bridge)."

He set up the Facebook page Hexham Remembered, where Derek shares collected photographs and memories of Hexham from over the years.

Eight years ago, Derek made a compilation video of photographs taken in Hexham over the years.

He shared the photographs with the Courant and the location details of where they were taken.

This shows the rear of Hexham bus station. 

The rear of Hexham bus station (Image: Derek Sim)

The Hexham Heads, found at Rede Avenue, which was reportedly a haunted property.

Derek said the ‘Hexham Heads’ were found in a garden at Rede Avenue, and the house was supposedly haunted, and that it was a huge story in the Hexham Courant back in the 1970s (Image: Derek Sim)

Boots' Chemist arrived in Hexham in 1932, in the building which was formerly Low and Hare's, latterly Robbs of Hexham.

Boots occupied this site at the south end of Fore Street for years, only moving when a larger store became available. It was in 1974 when they relocated nearer to the market square where it remains today.

Boots' Chemist on the South end of Fore Street. Formerly Low and Hare’s, latterly Robbs of Hexham (Image: Derek Sim)

Turnbull's Grocery Store, located at the bottom of Gilesgate Bank.

Turnbull’s Grocery Store, Holy Island, at the bottom of Gilesgate Bank (Image: Derek Sim)

Hexham market place.

Hexham market place (Image: Derek Sim)

The North Eastern Hotel, which was replaced by The Gem Cinema and then by The Forum Cinema.

The North Eastern Hotel, pulled down to be replaced by The Gem cinema, then changed to The Forum Cinema (Image: Derek Sim)

The Border Counties Railway crossing the river at Tyne Green.

The Border Counties Railway, which crossed the River Tyne at Tyne Green, just before Warden (Image: Derek Sim)

A 'Cold Storage' unit to store food, which was turned into a Nuclear Fallout Shelter.

Built as a 'Cold Storage' unit for preserving food for longer until the shops needed restocking. In the early 1980s, it was turned into a Nuclear Fallout Shelter for councillors and prominent officials (Image: Derek Sim)

The first building on the right of Market Street is a hairdresser. Further up on the right is the Turk's Head pub, which became The Heart of All England around 1973, and is now Heart of Northumberland.

Market Street (Image: Derek Sim)

The War Memorial Hospital at Eastgate was demolished in the 1990s and the site was converted to housing.

Eastgate War Memorial Hospital (Image: Derek Sim)