Last week’s Now and Then picture showed Clarence Place looking down Corporation Road.

On the right of the Then picture is the Coliseum Cinema. In the early days my future mother-in-law, then Winnie Stevens, later Winnie Pugh, played the piano for the silent films. She had a life-long interest in the cinema even though the “talkies” robbed her of a career.

She was a piano teacher who entertained in concert parties and for pensioner groups across Newport. She was later joined by a talented young soprano, her daughter Mary.

It was my good fortune to get to know Mary when we were teenagers at St Julian’s Methodist Church, where we were married 55 years ago.

David Hando, Newport

This is Corporation Road at the junction of Clarence Place. On the right is the Coliseum picture house. Just past this on the right is the entrance to Grafton Road.

In the far distance, also on the right, is faintly visible the chimney stack of Newport Power Station which shared the same site as the bus and tram depot.

Newport Corporation Electricity Department’s power station was Newport’s second station; the first was in Llanarth Street where reciprocating engines drove DC dynamos (this later became the SWEB depot).

Corporation Road Power Station was built in the 1920s and the first turbines were Swiss-made. The power station supplied electricity to the tram system. In Grafton Road is the entrance to the Newport Athletic Grounds.

Dave Woolven, Newport

This is town end of Corporation Road, leading to Clarence Place on right. Looks pretty much the same, though the businesses have gone, including the Coliseum Cinema on right. Turning to right leads to Rodney Parade and at left is the Cenotaph.

Jim Dyer, Newport

The Now and Then picture is of Corporation Road and on the left is the Coliseum picture house, which has now been demolished and flats built. On the corner of Grafton Road was a florist and opposite is Hicks funeral directors.

There used to be a Singer sewing machine shop in that area too as well as Barratts florists.

Going straight up Corporation Road are a row of houses and a large furniture shop which many years ago was a factory called Frank James. The factory used to send food orders out, and I used to work there putting up the orders.

Mrs M Reardon, Newport