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Down The Street

Down The Street memories posted on Facebook.

Eleanor Williams remembers … in the early 1950s there was still rationing of food and clothes. The High Street was very busy and it was not unusual to stand in queues in a shop. We had a bakery selling freshly made bread at Kemps owned by two sisters who wore long white aprons. It was a pleasure walking in there; the smell of freshly made bread was amazing.

Next door was Mr and Mrs Hodgson’s. He was usually sat at a shoe last repairing shoes. All leather back then.

Then there was Florrie Derazzio’s who sold ice cream. I remember the sundae glasses on a glass shelf and the long handled spoons to scoop out the freshly made ice cream. This shop later became Swalwell’s fish shop. Next was the Victoria Pub run by Bobby and Hannah Eggleston, then Newman’s grocers, the Methodist Chapel, Martin’s Bank and finally in that block – The Coop. You could buy anything in here from groceries, to curtains even fish and chips at one time.

After the opening beside the Coop was Edward Hunt and his sister’s grocery shop. This was where as a child I used to go for a loaf of bread. This was put ‘on the bill’, which was paid at the end of the week. It was called a ‘running on week’.

Miss Hunt lived on the premises. Her husband lived at Cornforth Lane. Sometimes Edward Hunt delivered groceries on foot, which he carried in a large wicker basket. Other times he delivered then in his three wheeled car.

Bowman’s grocers were next, then Walton’s newsagents, Gill’s grocers and Miss May’s wallpaper, haberdashery and underwear shop. We spent some of our clothing coupons here. Next up was the Post Office run by Mr and Mrs Wilson for many years and later on by their son, Ian.

On the corner after the Post Office was Freddy Hebdon’s barbers. There seemed to be one style of hair cut; short back and sides. I occasionally went in to buy a white clay pipe to blow bubbles with, or a twist of Uncle Jeff tobacco for my uncle to take to chew to stop the coal dust settling in his throat at the pit.

Around the corner in Station Road was another grocery store; Dunns which later became Heron’s.

Across the main road on the opposite side to Hebdon’s was the chemist run by Mr and Mrs Stephenson. They never seemed to age and were always very polite. Next door was a grocery shop owned by Jack Atkinson and his wife. He was also a milk man. They were a lovely homely couple. When they retired Bella Jones bought it. Now my memory fails me either that shop or the next one along became Vasey’s fish shop and then Kitchen’s.

Next up on the corner Thompson’s Stamp Stores another grocery store. Stamps were given out depending on how much was spent. The stamps could be saved up to spend when you were hard up.

The lovely, well liked Connie Cole worked for Thompson’s. Connie used to visit folk, take their grocery orders and organise their delivery, Connie would rhyme off the goods items by heart to remind the customer what they wanted. Connie also served in the shop.

After Edward Hunt retired Thompson’s moved over the road into his shop.

Nevison’s pub and then the sweet shop owned by different people, Greetor’s. Stephenson’s and then Crawford’s.

Sweetings butchers became Peggy Sweeting’s pie shop. What is amazing is how much hard graft went on in such a small space. Every day here was an assortment of pies, scones and a favourite of mine; date squares. Then there were the moreish pork dips.

Peggy must have started baking before dawn. There was always a queue and it was always so hot just standing there. Imagine baking all day in the kitchen. All the ladies who worked there were always so friendly and certainly earned their wages.

Next was Peggy Ivison who sold fruit and veg. We didn’t go in there much as we grew our own veg.

I believe there was a barber at one time but I don’t remember him. I think that shop became a wool and baby linen shop for a while.

Walter Wilson’s was nextand set slightly back was Miss Eggleston’s. Now she was very smart; classically dressed usually in a twin set that she had probably crocheted herself. When she wasn’t busy she would sit in a chair in front of the window crocheting. If she saw me she would wave to me as I passed by on the way to school.

Next door wasn’t a shop but the house where Hanna McFadden (Mrs Stokoe) lived. Hannah was a very active lady, well worth a mention. Stalwart of the Women’s institute Hannah knew everyone and was into everything. Her husband ws the school caretaker.

We used to collect bags of rosehips, a valuable source of vitamin C, and take them to Hannah to be weighed. It took ages to collect a pound for which we would be paid 6d (2.5p). The rosehips were made into rosehip syrup.

On the next corner was The Commercial Pub (now the Flintlock), the landlord was Wilf Stainthorpe. Mrs Scott’s dress shop, which later became Vera’s was next door to the Commercial and Swallow’s Barbers was next to the dress shop. Margaret Swallow was in our class. It was a baker’s at one time too. The Good Intent Pub with landlord and landlady Andre’ and Mary Smart came next. This was followed by a cut through to Moor Street, then the Queen’s Head with the Rosethornes in charge and further up was the Kings Head run by Mr and Mrs Gibbons.

A drapers, Close’s Haberdashery, Wilson Bell’s greengrocers were next. Wilson Bell took over the draper’s and haberdashery trading from those premises as a general dealer and green grocer. Joy Sweeting opened a hairdresser next to Sweeting’s butchers. Cockerill’s butchers was on the other side of New Road Terrace known locally as Ormston’s Bank when the Ormston brothers had the two butchers’ shops either side of the road.

Over the road was the Balaclava public house run by Margaret Ware, Colwell’s fish and chip shop, the new Mahon’s Newsagent, a garage, the bus stop, the old Mahon’s Newsagent which was added to Bolton’s Ice Cream Parlour.

Next, the Market Place and opposite Bolton’s was Kemps.

Most shop keepers, publicans and their families lived above, behind or beside their business premises. Shops and public houses were interspersed with private houses.

Shopping was an expeditionusually undertaken by the woman of the house or daughters and sons ‘doing the messages’. There was a good choice of independent grocers and green grocers, cobblers, butchers, fish mongers, bakers, drapers, tailors, and shops selling house hold wares, wall paper and paint in West Cornforth. There were shops in different parts of the Doggie, just off the High Street, behind the High Street, on the Low Side, Slake Terrace, and the Green and, from the 1950s, The Oval.

Most goods were sold loose, weighed out from large vats and containers. Lard, butter and cheese were cut from big blocks as requested, weighed out and wrapped in grease proof paper. Branded margarine such as Blue Band and Stork were sold in packets. Sugar, flour, tea and coffee were weighed out into bags and sold in quantities of three and a half, seven and fourteen pounds.

I remember sugar being weighed into sturdy, dark blue paper bags…

Biscuits were stored in glass topped tins that were on tilted shelves so that customers could see the contents.

The shop assistant got everything for you and long queues used to form. ‘Self Service’ didn’t come in until the 1950s. Shop assistants usually provided a personal service in Doggie.

Women usually had a shopping basket or shopping bag that they used to carry the things they had bought home in. If they didn’t have a bag then their purchases were wrapped up in brown paper with a string handle.

People had ‘running on weeks’ with bills paid at the end of the week.

We had an account at Bennetts. After my man died I did all the grocery shopping. The account was settled on a Friday, They also had a delivery van and seven travelling shops. My uncle used to drive one. .They garaged them in the High Street next to Pat Mahon’s paper shop.

I remember shopping when nothing was prepacked, All customers served across the counter. Everything weighed or cut to order then wrapped or put into paper bags. Self-service like flat fronted buses was yet to come.

Sugar weighed into dark blue bags, butter cut and paddled into shape before being wrapped in grease proof paper, cheese being cut from a big block with wire.

Shops, shopkeepers and shopping

There were fish and chip shops, a cobbler, hairdressers, barbers and formidable landladies who kept order in the many pubs throughout the village and ‘the club’.

The Coop

Most people called it ‘the store’.

Just remember going to the coop and my grans and mams divi numbers.

Am I correct in remembering that the main Coop shop had a separate cash office, all money tendered and transaction details were put in a container and sent by a pneumatic system and receipts and change were returned the same way?

I can remember Nesbitt Storey who worked at the Coop he sold the cigarettes. I used to go with a note from my mam so he would let me get them. He was a real gentleman.

I also remember Mr Greater who had the sweet shop. My grandfather used to tell me when I asked for jelly babies to ask for boys because you got more. Those were the good old days.

In many ways. We have lost a lot though my grandad used to say ‘don’t talk to me about the good old days, I can remember when baccy was a ha’penny and ounce and I couldn’t afford it.

Mrs Scott’s, Vera’s and Ann’s

Mrs Scott had a dress and fashion shop opposite Bolton’s

Then Vera Dunn’s

My mother, gran and great aunts shopped there

I remember Vera’s clothes shop and Ann’s she sells a bit of everything.

It’s been there for years and years, I used to get my bleached jeans from there.

Bolton’s Ice Cream Parlour

Joyce Geldard worked in the café when I used to go there.

Margaret McKenzie worked behind the counter

Proper ice cream too. Not the creamy whipped stuff.

Ice Cream Sandwiches with chocolate wafers and a flake.

Taking the basin out to the van and getting it filled with blood over it.

I used to go in with my nana while we waited for Blenkie’s (bus) to go up the bank.

Used to sit in on Sunday afternoons having an iced drink.

In the winter liked a cup of Oxo and cream cracker it was lovely.

I loved those bollies on a cold day.

Yes, I remember dancing in Bolton’s and getting told off for dancing on a Sunday afternoon.

As Mary Hopkins said ‘those were the days my friend.

Threepence a record

We have been married 59 years but the only time we split up was over a record on the juke box …. no 69 ‘What Do You Wanna Make Those Eyes At Me For?’

Cathy’s Clown – The Everly Brothers.

We used to meet there every weekend bopping to the records; oh happy memories

I remember Bolton’s used to get bags of Carlins for Carlin Sunday I think it was the only place you could get them in Doggie

Who worked where?

My mam Sylvia Sunderland worked in Winter’s shop when I was a bairn.

My auntie Freda Crewe worked in Winter’s.

Was that up the Oval?

Yes it was the Oval and Alfie Willoughby had the shop next door but I think it was his sister that ran it. I live up top end, born at Lichfield Road, and still do.

I worked with Alfie at Bennetts’ he was such a character. I was his van lad on a Friday delivering groceries round Doggie, good times. He worked for Bennett’s and opened a shop in the Oval. He bought one of the mobile shops when Bennetts’ closed.

Yes big green mobile shop.

Alfie. My mam worked for him and his sisters Betty and Nellie.

I think Nellie was his sister in law.

I (Neil Hodgson) worked for Alfie Willoughby, his sister was called Betty.

I lived up Salisbury; used to go round to Alfie’s for bits of shopping and to Winter’s.

Only two shops now (in The Oval) sign of the times used to be thriving, there were six shops.

I (Joyce Dee) worked in Bennett’s when I was 15 but can’t remember the boss’s name.

Spent many happy hours in Peggy’s shop as I played with Jane, happy memories.

Hair Dressers

Joy Sweeting used to do the hairdressing for mam and sisters

I got my education there.

She was a great lady. Had fabulous times in her shop.

Have bubble car will travel.

The Fish and Chip Shops

Did fish and chips taste better in newspaper?

Always.

Yes – even better if you took piles of newspapers in and got a free bag of chips for your trouble.

Yes – and the papers got a second use.

Anything to do with the beef dripping they were fried in?

Mary Swalwell’s were legendary … I remember a folding door that linked the frying and serving area to their lounge…talk about living above the shop.

I thought Mary and her mam were like the Beverley sisters.

Mary and Joe were definitely the best. I remember the queue being out of the door every Saturday morning.

Swallies.

Yes Defo …you were lucky if you got an untouched crossword.

Definitely did eaten with your fingers.

Did they have fish in a tank or am I thinking of somewhere else?

That was Kitchen’s what is pizza shop now.

Yes definitely.

Most definitely.

My dad had Kitching’s fish shop in Cornforth and he had a fish tank with piranhas in it. (Norma Hodgson)

Hi Norma I can remember working there; lovely people (Beryl Walker)

Hi Beryl. Happy Days weren’t they?

The pubs

I have a feeling that women were forceful characters in the licensed trade. Pat Beattie in the Slake Terrace was someone I remember. I think she may have been of Irish descent.

Mary Smart , Margaret Ware, Hannah Eggleston (forever Hannah Banks to my dad) Mrs Rosethorne, Mrs Nevison, Mrs Gibbons, and Mrs Stephenson at the club all commanded great respect.

Elsie Kirtley had Carr’s Hotel for a long time.