Hay and district
In Victorian times
  The brown bear and the Blue Boar  
 

This photograph was taken around 1900, near the end of Queen Victoria's life. This was taken in Oxford Road in Hay, close to the junction with Castle Street which is to the right, and with Church Street to the left.
This poor bear was pictured outside the Blue Boar Inn, which is just out of view on the right hand corner.

 
Oxford Road
Hay
around
1900
Performing bear in Hay,c1900
Photograph
with thanks to
Eric Lewis Pugh
of Hay
 

These animals were badly treated and were trained by very cruel Oxford Roadmethods. Performing bears and other animals are quite rightly now banned here, though sadly not yet in some other countries.

The recent photograph shown here was taken near the same place as the old one above.
The scene hasn't changed all that much, apart from the traffic and the yellow lines !
The brown bear has gone, but the Blue Boar is still there !

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