All Change: Chester in the 1960s & 70s - the New, the Lost & the Saved

Just over half a century ago (in 1975) Chester’s black & white half-timbered Rows buildings at the Cross had the honour of being on a Royal Mail 7p postage stamp to celebrate European Architectural Heritage Year. Yet these decades were a time that saw much change in Chester. In the early 1960s the city sought to modernise itself with big development projects but there was also growing awareness that its heritage was at serious risk, with historical buildings lost and the townscape substantially modified.
By the late 1960s it became clear that conservation had to become a priority – resulting in many at-risk buildings being saved in subsequent years.

This illustrated talk will navigate some of the key changes including examples of what was new, what was lost and what was saved; as well as how these decades have influenced how Chester looks and feels today.

The talk will take place in the spacious large Meeting Room of Chester’s Quaker Meeting House – a building dating from the mid-1970s. The former meeting house had been built in 1703 on a site that had already been used by the Quakers - thought to have been in something like an old farm building. The early 18th Century meeting house was modified over the next two centuries but infestation by death watch beetle and structural issues led to its demolition in 1973.

Timings

Saturday 19 September:

15:00 -16:15

Location & directions

Quaker Meeting House, Union Walk, off Frodsham Street, Chester, Cheshire, CH1 3LF

Directions:

What3Words location:///trio.tuned.offers – centre of the building

Booking information

Pre-booking requirement:

Pre-booking required

Booking conditions:

Booking will open on eventbrite on Monday 24 August at 12pm and close the evening before the event at 6.30pm

Booking website:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/all-change-chester-in-the-1960s-70s-tickets-1994022976400?aff=oddtdtcreator

Booking opens:

24 Aug 2026 12:00 PM

Booking closes:

18 Sep 2026 06:30 PM

Accessibility details

There is a lift at the venue to get to the first floor where the Meeting House is.

Additional information

The Quaker Meeting House will be open from 10am - 4.30pm on Saturday 19 September for people to visit the building and find out about the long history of the Quakers in Chester along with complimentary tea, coffee and cake. Refreshments will be available to be taken into the talk but please arrive well ahead of the talk start-time to obtain these.

Max number of people:

50

Estimated duration:

1 hour(s) 15 minute(s)

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