SOUTH SIDE |
NORTH SIDE |
|
Here is
Tamar Avenue |
| 1 - The first
property on the south side was a shop but it was empty in the 1950s and 1960s, having
presumably stopped trading after Station Road ceased to be a through road into Goschen
Street. |
2 - The first
property on the north side was a house. |
| 13 - This was
one of Solomon Stephens' bakeries but was taken on by Alfred J Jewell by 1955. In
the 1960s it was the GUPA-P tyre shop, although I think it was a store rather than a
retail shop. It looked very strange seeing the tyres stacked on shelves like any
other commodity. |
12 - Number 12
was first occupied by Reginald W Helliwell, draper. This was one of two in
the Road and sold all the usual wools, ribbons and cotton on wooden spools, ideal for use
on Dinky Toy lorries. |
| Here is Warleigh Avenue |
Warleigh Avenue |
| 15 - Reginald
F Gordon was described as a decorator but we would call it a Do it Yourself shop these
days. He sold paint and tools and I particularly remember his wallpaper pattern
books, which he let you take home to look at. |
14 - Jack
Edward Holman's general store at the bottom of our road was a particular favourite because
he owned a bus which he used as a mobile shop. Painted cream and brown, it was an
old Bedford WTB. |
| 27 - I do not
remember this shop at all in use as a fruiterers by Thomas Birchall. The premises
were empty in the 1960s. |
26 - Thomas A
Wilson was a proper grocer. He sold cold meats and had a meat slicer on the
counter. |
| Here is Beatrice Avenue |
Beatrice Avenue |
| 41 - Montague
Clark, boot & shoe repairer, which I largely remember for the smell of the leather and
polish and the luggage labels he used to put on the shoes taken in for repair. |
28 - This shop
must have been empty for much of the fifties but was occupied by Eric Maunder Rundle
in the 1960s as an electrical shop. Here you could buy radios, torches and
batteries, for example. |
|
40 - One of my
favourite shops belonged to R C & J Stephens, newsagents, although I am conscious that
I never explored all its dark corners. Comics were the thing here and Cowboy
stories. |
| Here is Barton Avenue |
Barton Avenue |
| 43 - G
Kenshole, ladies' hairdresser. I had no experience of this shop as Mother never
used them. |
42/44 - Keyham
Barton Conservative Club. It never struck me at the time, being too young for
politics, but what was the Conservative Club doing in such a Dockyard, working men's
neighbourhood? The entrance was in Barton Avenue. |
|
46 - I am sure
this shop was empty in the 1960s but had been a second-hand clothes shop in 1952/53
belonging to a Mrs M A Underhill. |
|
48 - This
general store belonged to Sarah Coombes in the early 1950s and to John White in
1955. This was one of our regular shops, "Mrs White's", and most of
our vegetables came from here. |
|
50 - First Mrs
G E Morshead's and then Mrs G A Jones's, another general store. I do not recall
going in here at all. |
|
52 - Hicks
& Congdon, confectioners, known as the Red Circle. A misleading shop because
alongside the sweets and chocolate it also sold interesting things like Matchbox toys and
what later went on to become N gauge model railways. A fascinating window for a
little boy with very little pocket money! It also had a circulating library in the
back room, where upon payment of a subscription you could borrow a book. Owned
previously by a Mrs L N Neal. |
| 55 - Yes,
Keyham really did have a Mr Bean. Mr E J Bean, toy dealer. A lovely old man,
the sort you imagine running a toy shop. Many of my Dinky Toys came from here and
probably quite a bit of the old 3-rail model railway, too. There was lots on display
in glass cabinets, including fireworks during October, but you had to ask to handle the
goods, as was common in those days. He later moved premises to Number 79. |
54 - J E
McClewer, shopkeeper. Another general store that I mostly remember for its display
of fruit and vegetables along the left-hand wall. Not much used by the Moseley
family. |
| Here is Townshend Avenue |
Townshend Avenue |
| 57 - A W Ware,
ironmonger. Full to the brim with all things hardware. |
56 - This was
the grocery department of the Plymouth Co-operative Society. Two long counters up
each side of the shop from front to back. Chairs to sit on and assistants in the
uniform of brown lightweight coat. Remember the little tickets you were given when
quoting your Co-op divvy number? We never lost them, though. |
| 65 - Doctor's surgery. |
|
| 67 - T B
Harvey Ltd, chemists. Next door to the Doctor's (J B Stauffer), Mr Thomas Boon
Harvey was the poshest person in the road: he wore a bow-tie. He was a local
Councillor, that's why! |
66 - The
butchery department of the Plymouth Co-operative Society was located here but I have no
clear recollections of the inside. |
| Here is Cotehele Avenue |
Cotehele Avenue |
| 69 - I have
never understood the difference between a shopkeeper, grocer and provision merchant, but
Frederick M Potter's was definitely listed as the last-named. Previously owned by G
V Williamson. The request bus stop outside on the lamp-standard was referred to by
us boys as Potters Bar. |
68 - Henry
Thomas Whitbread, Keyham Barton Post Office and stationery store. Mind you there
wasn't much stationery to keep in a shop like this in those days, just basic Basildon Bond
No. 2 writing pads and envelopes, manila envelopes, rulers and pencils. The
postmaster and his daughter, Ena, arrived for work on a huge motorcycle. The rather
utilitarian interior contained the original telephone call office from before the advent
of call-boxes. Ena retired on January 28th 2004 at the age of 78 and the post office
is now closed. The Whitbread's had run it for 55 years. |
|
68A -
Peter Thomas McArthur, watch repairer. A very small shop adjoining the post office
where you could buy a watch as well as having one repaired. |
| 79 - Eric
Maunder Rundle, shopkeeper. I don't know what Mr Rundle stocked while he was here
as the premises were taken over by Mr Bean, the toy dealer, and Mr Rundle moved down to
Number 28, where he stocked electrical goods. See the reference to Mr Bean at Number
55 above. This is the shop I most remember and most visited. Chris Bollard
recalls the chewing gum slot machine by the end of the left-hand window: the screw holes
are still there. Paul Hobbs recalls the fireworks displayed in a glass display
cabinet and that Mr & Mrs Bean lived at 3 Epworth Terrace, just over the railway
bridge at the top of Moor View. |
78 - Miss L Moist, draper, the second shop in Station Road for wools, ribbons,
cotton and knitting-needles.
|
| Here is Maristow Avenue |
Maristow Avenue |
| 81 - William J
J Clemow, hairdresser. When hairdressing was a "short back and sides"
instead of by numbers. There was a small sort of lobby where he sold hair cream,
etc., and the barbers was inside another door. You sat with your back to the window
and facing a mirror so I could always see when the bus went by. |
80 - Eastmans
Ltd, butchers. Part of the national chain of butchers. |
|
92 - Frederick
John Cater, fried fish dealer. This meant he sold fish and chips and a cod and two
pennyworth were very much enjoyed, wrapped in the ubiquitous newspaper, of course He
sold fresh fish, too, I seem to remember. |
|
Here is Moor View |
