THIS picture is more of a painting, I think. It is the east side of River Usk, down from Town Bridge.

Not sure what’s there now but somewhere by there once was the Harbour Commissioners pontoon where paddle steamers were used.

All has changed there now, with new houses, but one thing in the painting is a long time gone – blue river water!

Jim Dyer Stockton Road Newport

I LOVE the Now and Then picture of a sailing ship moored along the River Usk. The present town bridge was built between 1920 and 1927 and the previous bridge is shown in the picture. Behind it is the old railway bridge, the top arches are on the right hand side of the picture. The castle appears to be still in use as a brewery and I presume that the chimneys in the background belong to Cordes Dos nail works.

M Walker, Newport

THE Now and Then picture is of Newport Bridge and in it you can seen Newport castle. The Kings Head is not far away which has now closed. Also in the High Street was the old post office and the Royal Oak, the birthplace of John Frost. In the same area was the Corn Exchange, which was demolished in 1971.

Mrs M Reardon, Newport

THE pictures in this week’s Now and Then show Newport Bridge. In the background centre left is Newport castle. In the Then picture on the right is a mast of a sailing ship near where the Campbell’s paddle steamers used to embark passengers for trips to Weston super Mare etc.

In the background on the right of the same picture is the railway bridge. The road bridge over the river was rebuilt in the 1920s and that is why the shape of the bridge is different.

Brian J J Jelf, Newport

One memory from the previous week’s Now& Then: THE lawn club used to be known as the labour club, in Kensington Place and the Labour party used to hold their meetings there. In later years it was known for holding dances etc. My grandfatherTom Evans worked with the MP Peter Freeman.

Jeffrey Bradbury, Newport