The outbreak of World War Two wasn't far away but shortly before then a wine merchants had moved into a Watford town centre building that had belonged to a family business dating back at least 160 years.

The Watford Observer has again teamed up with Watford Museum and is delighted to showcase some pictures from its archive - this week looking back to what were the new premises of Findlaters.

The museum's volunteer archivist Christine Orchard said: "Number 61, was a prominent building that stood in the Market Place on the corner of Meeting Alley (roughly where Las Iguanas is today).

"The picture can be dated to just after 1938 as Findlaters, a wine merchant, had just acquired the building and, as the sign states, were in the process of making alterations. In the meantime they continued business across the road at number 58.

"Until the purchase, the building had been the premises of a long established electrical engineers and ironmongers, Rogers & Gowlett.

"The Rogers family had traded here since the 1770s, the first being James Rogers who began with a corn, timber and salt business."

Watford Museum has now reopened to the public. Admission is free but book first – call 01923 232297 or email info@watfordmuseum.org.uk. For more information, visit www.watfordmuseum.org.uk