
Images showing how Britain's most diverse street looked decades ago have surfaced, revealing just how much the area has changed over the years.

Narborough Road was dubbed the most multi-national road in Britain by academics this week, with business owners hailing from four continents including countries such as Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia as well as Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan.

There are also shopkeepers from eastern European countries, a fish and chip shop boss from Hong King and a book shop run by a Canadian couple.

Researchers have now officially named it the most diverse street in the UK after discovering the owners of its 222 shop units come from 23 different countries.

However its recent image is much at odds with old photos of the road, which show horse troughs in the middle of the street and tram lines running through the centre of the road.

Members of the Braunstone History Group spoke of how the area has changed over the years. Helen Caterwell said: 'Narborough has changed from being a residential area to lots of shops over the years. We've seen different communities come in from different nationalities and I think actually it’s quite an interesting area to be in because of the diversity of the people.

Group member Diane Forde added: 'I was actually born in a Western road which is parallel to Narborough Road and then moved into Braunstone estate when I was four so I’ve lived in the block for 57 years.

'Most people shopped on the road then going into town basically, it’s changed unbelievably. People treat it as more of an evening thing now because of the many bars and takeaways that the younger generation use as part of their social life. In the evenings it is very, very busy.'

Scroll down for video

The junction of Hinckley Road and Narborough Road pictured in the late 40s, complete with a horse trough and tram lines

Narborough Road pictured close to the junction of Westleigh Road in 1912. The road's Olympia Cinema can be seen in the centre

A photo of Narborough Road today, the street which has been dubbed the most multi-national road in Britain by academics this week

Fellow member Jacqueline Inglesant spoke about the road's close association with Richard III.

She said: 'Richard III came to Leicester in 1485 on the way to the Battle of Bosworth. He came across Bow Bridge, which is right at the bottom of Narborough Road, and on the way out he clipped a spur on the parapet of the bridge.

'There were lots coming to see him and cheer him off and an old crone in the crowd said that on his return he would strike his head on the bridge.

'Richard III did die in the battle and they put his naked body over a horse and brought it back into Leicester, back over the Bow Bridge, and rightly enough his head did strike the bridge on the way back into Leicester.'

Academics at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) admitted they were amazed at the number of nationalities when they visited the road in a suburb of south west Leicester.

Dr Suzanne Hall, lead researcher at the LSE's Super Diverse Streets projects, said: 'What we found in Narborough Road was staggering, really and we didn't interview every owner of every business.

'We spoke to about 70 per cent of the business owners. There are undoubtedly more out there, from more countries.

'What is interesting about Narborough Road is that it's not a Little Italy, it is not Chinatown.

'It is the world in microcosm, all these people, from all these different places, different cultures, living cheek by jowl, working with each other and living in harmony. It really is an incredible array of nationalities in one place.'

In February 1951, a woman is shown observing a meat shortage notice in the window of a butcher's shop in Narborough Road

Narborough road in the south-west of the city (pictured in the 1930s) was once the main route to Coventry

Business owners hail from four continents including countries such as Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia as well as Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan

A photo showing the road, and the book shop Tin Drum Books as it was in 2011. Researchers have now officially named it the most diverse street in the UK

Tajinder Reehal was born in Nairobi, Kenya, of Indian origin. She came to England when she was five

The road had a more residential feel to it in the mid-20th century, historians have said. Pictured is a southern part of the road in 1958

Cecilia Munikwa, from Zimbabwe, came to Leicester, back in 2002, aged 22. She runs Classique Styles clothes

A map of shops of the street shows just some of the 23 nationalities who own businesses along the road

Researchers believe the close proximity of Leicester's two universities helps to sustain the street and its many bars and restaurants.

Dr Hall, who said the area has survived without help from the Government or local council, added: 'Places like Narborough Road have struggled but they have survived.

'Narborough Road is a story of success, of people enduring through difficult times. But it is not a utopia. It is not without its problems.

'There has been no big Government or local authority investment; no widespread, robust regeneration. No big private firm that has swept in and transformed the place.

Aquarian Hairdressing owner Dipak Maru, 49, said: 'I was born in Nairobi in Kenya and came to England when I was 8 in 1975. I think the diversity is a good thing and had helped build up more business.

'It used to be trade only so there was no public but since the restaurants and other businesses have come it's developed.

'It was quite derelict but in the last ten years it's become lively and vibrant.'

Narborough Road in Leicester is the most multi-national street in Britain, with shopkeepers from 23 countries

Kerreene Nelson, 55, is from Jamaica and owns the soul food shop on Leicester's Narborough Road

Researchers have now officially named it the most diverse street in the UK after discovering the owners of its 222 shop units come from 23 different countries

Pole Michal Szudzik owns the Deliqia Polskie Delikatesy. He said: 'English people like Polish beer'

Razzaq Mohammad from Al Madina Halal Butchers is originally from Pakistan, but came to Britain via Italy

THE UNITED NATIONS OF LEICESTER: COUNTRIES REPRESENTED ON NARBOROUGH ROAD 'BRITAIN'S MOST DIVERSE STREET' Britain Zimbabwe Tanzania Turkey Zambia Thailand Uganda Somalia Poland Afghanistan Jamaica Sri Lanka Lithuania Iran India Kenya Kurdistan Malawi Canada China Cameroon Pakistan Iraq Advertisement

Trade: Researchers found shopkeepers on the street also trade skills with each other

Researchers believe the close proximity of Leicester's two universities helps to sustain the street and its many bars and restaurants

Aquarian Hairdressing owner Dipak Maru, 49, said: 'I was born in Nairobi in Kenya and came to England when I was 8 in 1975. I think the diversity is a good thing and had helped build up more business'

Restaurant owner Ufuk Gundogdu came to the UK from Istanbul to learn English before moving to Leicester