NOSTALGIA: Mammoth sewerage scheme comes to Boston street in 1962

All's well that ends smells - the work taking place in Irby Street, in 1962, which residents hoped would help with flooding and bad smells.

The road was closed to traffic as part of the West Side sewerage scheme, which had already visited King Street, Queen Street and other parts of the town.

Residents were unable to use their front doors and were also having to contend with mud in their homes and on their windows (‘caked like concrete’, as one put it) and a non-stop pumping engine that vibrated and shuddered nosily.

One homeowner – Nellie Pooles – also had a huge pile of earth in her garden to allow for pipes to be linked to Tower Street.

However, residents spoke positively about the work which they hoped would bring to an end two recurrent issues – flooding and smells.

Herbert Horton said: “It will be nice not to have the back yard flooded again and to think that terrible smell will disappear.”

Sylvia Butlers said the smells would keep her awake at night.

“When they have finished, there won’t be any stench again,” she said.