PLYMOUTH |
The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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Messrs BOOLDS The Plymouth business house of Messrs Boolds, drapers, were located at 77 Cobourg Street, Plymouth, both before and after the Second World War. In 1931 Mrs Amelia Boolds and her 14-years-old daughter Miss Millicent Joyce Boolds opened a drapers shop at number 77 Cobourg Street, Plymouth. She was the daughter of Mr Edwin Alfred Boolds and his wife, the former Miss Fanny Proctor, and wife of Mr James Edwin Cornelius Boolds, whom she had married at Stoke Damerel Parish Church on September 14th 1910 [1]. The first named was the brother and partner of Miss Harriett Jane Boolds, founder of Messrs H J & E A Boolds Ltd, the haberdashers, in Devonport. Mr James Edwin Cornelius Boolds died on Friday February 28th 1947 at the age of 73. His widow evidently moved in with their daughter at 77 Cobourg Street, where she died on December 11th 1947 at the age of 62 years. [2] Miss Millicent Joyce Boolds married Mr Arthur Littleton Hancock at St Luke's Church on February 21st 1948 [1]. Her small shop in Plymouth continued to keep the name of Boolds on the Plymouth map and as the reconstruction proceeded so the trade increased. In 1958 it was turned into a millinery shop. A decade later, though, the premises were required to be demolished to make way for the North Cross Roundabout and the business was transferred to number 56 Royal Parade. Mrs Millicent Joyce Hancock died suddenly on November 23rd 1970 [3]. Mrs Lilian Mercer took over running the shop on a temporary basis under Mr Hancock's continued ownership. However, she stayed on, making gallant efforts to give their customers a personal service in what was described as a 'hostile trading environment'. With the rent going up from £7,500 to £12,500 per year, it was decided to close the business on Saturday August 10th 1985. Thus after 147 years the name of Boolds disappeared from the Plymouth retailing scene. Principal Source:
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