From the Archives: The history of parking in Norwich

How well do you know Norwich's car parks - old and new? Take our quiz to find out. (Image: Archant)

1. This aerial shot gives a bird's eye view of Bethel Street car park in late July 1964. Surface car parks in the city centre generally filled up very quickly, though the multi-storey St Stephen's was found to be almost empty on the same day and at the same time our picture was taken.

Norwich car parks. Pictured: Norwich Bethel st car park. Date: 31 may 1965. Picture: EDP Library (Image: Archant)

2. A new shoppers' car park opened on Bethel Street in late May 1965. One car (left) goes in while the driver of the car on the right waits for the attendant to give him his change before leaving.

Norwich car parks. Pictured: Norwich Boulton & Paul Car Park Carrow Bridge. Date: 5 jan 1972. Picture: EDP Library (Image: Archant)

3. Produce gave way to parking at Carrow Road, where an allotment strip was flattened for an extension to Boulton & Paul's car park alongside Carrow Bridge in January 1972. In exchange, Boulton & Paul offered the city corporation an additional 12ft strip of land along the river bank for a Riverside Walk.

Norwich car parks. Pictured: Norwich Calvert St car park. Date: 11 apr 1964. Picture: EDP Library (Image: Archant)

4. A cleared area in Calvert Street, formerly a free car park, was now, in April 1964, charging a shilling a day. Low kerbing was put round the sides to ensure that motorists got on to the site only by the proper entrances. One effect was to reduce considerably the number of cars using the car park – except in the evenings when there was no-one to take the money and it filled up again.

Norwich car parks. Pictured: Norwich Castle Meadow car park. Date: 9 apr 1975. Picture: EDP Library (Image: Archant)

5. Ten years later, it cost 50p (10 shillings) to park for the day at Castle Meadow. This car park was used mostly by shoppers and was still popular, but the commuters' car park on Rouen Road had many empty spaces, owing to 'consumer resistance' to a recent near doubling of car parking charges. Our picture was taken in April 1975.

Norwich car parks. Pictured: Norwich Monastery Car Park. Date: 22 jan 1965. Picture: EDP Library (Image: Archant)

6. At the Monastery car park there was a problem in early 1965 with motorists disregarding the white lines, with the result that other drivers were boxed in and unable to get out.

Norwich car parks. Pictured: Norwich Orford Hill car park. Date: 1950s. Picture: EDP Library (Image: Archant)

7. Another car parking headache was to be found at Orford Hill, home of Darlow & Co, gunsmiths and Charles Dennes, house furnishers. In our photo from the 1950s cars, vans and lorries are parked higgledy-piggledy in a tiny space, but a highly-prized one close to the city centre.

Norwich car parks. Pictured: Norwich Rose Lane car park. Date: 20 dec 1967. Picture: EDP Library (Image: Archant)

8. The recently much-enlarged Rose Lane car park was not being used to full capacity during the Christmas rush of 1967 because it was still not widely known.

Norwich car parks. Pictured: Norwich St Andrews Hall car park. Date: 11 jul 1964. Picture: EDP Library (Image: Archant)

9. In front of St Andrew's Hall was one of Norwich's smaller but always full car parks. Our picture dates from June 1964.

Norwich car parks. Pictured: Norwich St Andrews car park FE Bidwell attendant. Date: 20 jan 1965. Picture: EDP Library (Image: Archant)

10. Mr FE Bidwell, the attendant on duty at St Andrew's car park in January 1965, makes out a ticket to two customers. He remarked that nobody seemed to mind the charge going up to 1s 6d. The park was usually full by 9.30 every day.

?If you recognise anyone in the pictures or would like to tell us more about them, you can email rosemary.dixon@archant.co.uk

?To get a copy of one of our old photographs, visit www.edp24.co.uk/buyaphoto or telephone Diane Townsend Mon-fri on 01603 772449. the photos will be available on the website from Monday afternoon.