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Nip Walters’ Nostalgia Trippers Diary
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Many Finedon residents will know Gordon (Nip) Walters. Nip began writing some reminiscences of what Finedon was like in his younger days on the FaceBook page known as ‘Memories of Old Finedon, a particularly well supported page that now boasts close to three thousand subscribers. So popular were Nip’s posts that he was urged to write many more, in a travelogue style titled Nostalgia Trippers. As you will see, as the entries continue, the content gets increasingly fascinating. The diary is a journey from the Church to the end of the High St, via Church St.
With Nip’s permission, together with that of the Memories of Old Finedon FB page, we have proudly gathered all of his reminiscences into one diary-style account, with, where possible, the dates that he first published them onto the Memories of Old Finedon pages.
To all ‘Finedonians’ with treasured memories of the good old Parish. Wouldn’t it be nice if between us we were all to take a nostalgic Facebook trip, shop by shop, business by business, pubs, clubs etc, along Church St. and High St? This route was perhaps the commercial nerve-centre of Finedon back in the day. The object being to fill in the gaps that we all have in our memories, and perhaps also to discover some facts that we are hitherto unaware of. Starting from the church end of Church St, I would like to start things off by looking at Mrs. Goodman’s wonderful little sweet shop, which was located roughly opposite the old Junior Girls school. My earliest, reasonably clear memories, date back to about 1949/50 and I can recall this lovely little ‘Dickensian’ type shop with its pleasant, bespectacled, white-haired, softly spoken lady behind the counter, who I always assumed was Mrs. Goodman. I mainly remember buying those triangular shaped bags of sherbet with liquorice dip sticks. My ‘died and gone to heaven’ treat, when affordable, was buying those little cream coloured flat tins of Horlicks tablets which were sealed with red or blue sticky tape, oh! and not to forget the aniseed balls. Who can remember the shop entrance door, off the entry to the Box Edge Row labyrinth (another study perhaps). Are there any pic’s out there? Any knowledge of descendants still alive? Is there any connection with the Goodman’s shop that Susan Watters has recently highlighted?
Hi Nostalgia Tourists, I think I might be guilty of a massive oversight, in that concentrating on shops on our tour, I’ve forgotten to include institutions such as our old schools, two of which we will encounter along our tour. So, before we tackle the last few shops in Church St, please permit me to rewind and take a look at Finedon Junior Girl’s School. Being a boy, l have scant memories of the school layout. To understand the location of the school, look at the first huge house on the left traveling away from the church along Church St. This was the home of Bert Ozier and his family and in more recent times the late Dr Spencer Snr. The famous Dutch Doll also resided here at some point, I believe this house was the original girls school. On the right of this house there is still a wrought iron gate beneath an archway. This was the access to the new Junior Girl’s School and my favourite place for P. E, that lovely old Gymnasium with its wall bars, super wooden floor, gas lighting and useless showers. For those of you who are puzzled by this, all the Finedon Schools used this Gym, which after passing through the iron gate and turning a corner, was located on the left. The school was on the right.
Teachers names that I can remember were, Mr and Mrs Jeffries, Miss Warren and Mrs Bollard. Talking to some of the girls who were at the school, I don’t know which made them shudder the most, the mentioning of Mrs Bollard or the Dutch Doll. All in all, it seemed to be a good school with a decent eleven- plus pass rate. I will gladly stand corrected on any of this, after all these are just my memories. Did anyone else think the big old house was spooky when all the shrubbery was there, and also it’s connection with the Dutch Doll. On one occasion after dark I was walking by the front door steps and Bert was standing there smoking a cigarette. He scared the **** out of me. Someone posted a photo of the school a few weeks ago, an aerial shot I think. I would like to see it again please, along with any other pic’s anyone might have.
(26/3/20). Following on from my article about a nostalgic trip along Church St. And High St. not much has been posted regarding Smith’s Printers, so the next shop to look at is the Co-op grocery shop which was situated in Church St, on the left traveling away from the church and opposite the Pychley Row cottages. There are flats on the site now but my memories of this shop are as follows. It was a rather large double fronted shop with a central access door. A mysterious tunnel on the right led to a stairway up to the office where people queued to collect their long awaited divi’, (a big moment for a lot of families including mine). On the right of the tunnel was the bakehouse where apart from baking bread, it’s said that people used to take their Xmas fowl and/or Sunday joint to be cooked (more evidence of this please).
A couple of the employees I remember were a lovely lady by the name of Bertha Poyner, and to me, a rather intimidating man called Stan Odell (l’m sure he was a nice bloke). Does anyone know if Stan was the manager? Was this site the HQ for all of the Finedon’s Co-ops and what was the area beyond the tunnel used for? I have just remembered two more people who worked there, Mrs Lind (or Lynd) in the office, and I think another lady called Kath (was it Danns?) who eventually moved up to the Cromer Rd. then Milner Rd depts.
(2/4/20). Remember when Corona had a very much more pleasant meaning than in today’s context? When a street game might be interrupted by a cry ‘ere’s the sproose lorry’ and people scrambled to place their empties in position for the weekly exchange. Why did we call fizzy drinks ‘spruce’ and was it a Finedon only expression? As I recall there were three soft drinks street delivery companies, Corona, She Drinks, and Cooke’s Mineral Waters. Which one did your family use? I think perhaps although slightly more expensive, Corona was narrowly at the top of the pile with their sophisticated bottle stopper opening system.
Do you remember the opening technique? Let’s reflect on it again remembering the anxiety and tension we experienced when carrying out this simple operation. Intermeshing our fingers around the back of the neck of the bottle, with both thumbs, we then applied increasing pressure on the two strategic points of the heavy gauge steel wire mechanism, feeling for when we passed the high point of the toggle action.
At this point our facial expressions would change from a grimace to a gurn and our chins would be pressed into our chests because at any time the bottle pressure would take over. Having witnessed this operation many times before, the cat might be cringing in the room somewhere, winding itself up for a blinding speed dash to the hopefully open back door when the imminent explosion occurred. Then it happened! The porcelain-type stopper, with its orange-coloured gasket/washer flew off with a noise like a bursting car tyre. The permanently attached stopper with its steel wire linkage vibrated to a halt. Now the experienced bottle opener would look for a tell-tale wisp of smoke like gas coming out of the bottle which meant he had micro-seconds to pour before there would be ‘cherryade’ everywhere. The less experienced opener would suffer abuse from mother because her clean table cloth had turned red in an instant and dad’s Daily Sketch looked like a sheet of over-used blotting-paper. Oh, and in either case the cat might not be seen for about six hours. My favourite was Cream Soda. What was yours? Are there any delivery lorry pictures out there? Happy days ‘aye?
(6/4/20). Hello again Nostalgia Trippers. Continuing our journey, as usual traveling away from the church along Church St, the next shop to look at is the Co-op Butchers on the right, now Jane Efford’s health & beauty salon. A lovely looking shop, double-fronted, with white tiles beneath both front windows. Some of the tiles bore images of cattle heads. The windows nearly always displayed appetizing cuts of meat and sausages etc. On the left of the shop there was a wide vehicle access that separated the butchers from the Co-op Drapery, which we will look at soon. I understand this access led to a livestock slaughtering facility.
I had conscience issues over these places, being a lover of meat and animals l tried to pretend such places didn’t exist. However, does anyone know when this gruesome activity ceased and who did the slaughtering? My memories of this shop were having to visit there every Saturday morning to get the weekend joint, that is if mum hadn’t exceeded her allocated ration during the week. I remember the sawdust on the floor, and the butcher a Mr Harvey (Charlie I think) and his collection of menacing looking tools, him wielding a vicious looking chopper to separate chops, me thinking a finger or hand is about to be lost here.
How many of us can remember the knife-sharpening action, which looked as though his left-arm was sword fighting his right arm. He was a kindly man who used to give me sixpence to deliver meat to The Grove, where I once lived. I also remember Madge Poole, (Ian’s mum), working in the pay box. One of our posters mentioned collecting faggots in a bowl which reminded me of when Mr Harvey used to fetch a large bowl of steaming chitterlings from somewhere out in the back of the shop and place them on the counter. The sight of these made me recoil. To me, they looked like crinkly albino eels that gave off a strange smell and I wondered how people could possibly eat them. Some years passed and Mr. Harvey was replaced by another butcher called Ron Sharpe and Madge left (to get married to Bill Poole?) and was replaced by a rather short dark-haired lady whose name escapes me. Can any of you trippers relate to this and are there any pictures out there?
(9/4/20). In the 50s, a familiar sight mainly on Saturdays was the real Romany contingent of street traders. I would love to glimpse, just one more time, the traditionally dressed gypsy lady going from door-to-door peddling her wares, such as clothes pegs, lace and lucky charms; often trying to force a sale with the threat of a curse. Or, once again to see the man with the knife and scissors sharpening contraption that magically transformed from a push bike into a pedal driven grindstone.
Most of all I would like to see the Steptoe and Son of the day, the ‘rag & bone’ man. I can still picture a shabbily dressed man wearing a cap and a knotted neckerchief round his neck which along with his face had a leathery weathered look. Walking and leading his sturdy-legged horse and flat backed cart loaded with all kinds of junk. To this day I am not sure what the words he used to chant were. They sounded to me like ‘any ol iron, ur rabbit skins ur ring bone’. Does anyone have a different interpretation, and as kids, how many of us used to run indoors and hide on seeing any of these people?
(15/4/20). Hello again Nostalgia Trippers. Moving on from the Co-op butchers, I think the next and last shop to examine in Church St is what was Davis’s little ‘off licence’. This shop was located on the church side corner of Church St and Berry Green Rd. It was a handy little shop which was on route to school for most of the pupils attending both the junior girls and junior boys’ schools and as such was a favourite stop-off for sweets and ice creams etc. I remember the shop selling a brand of ice cream and ice lollies called ‘Meadowcreme’. At one point this brand operated what today might be regarded as a scam, whereby if you collected and sent them an amount (lots) of their lolly wrappers you could become a member of the Archie Andrews lolly club and all you received for that was a lapel badge with Archie’s face on it.
Peter Brough and Archie Andrews were a popular ventriloquist act of the day. As a kid, sporting as many different lapel badges as you could was quite something then. Mrs Davis seemed to me to be a stern no nonsense type of lady, which caused me to feel a little uneasy each time I went into the shop. I am certainly not suggesting that Mrs Davis was not a nice person but she did worry me.
I would like to share an experience I once had in there which is perhaps the basis of my assessment. I once called in to buy one or two ‘gobstoppers’ (remember them?) to take with me to the cinema, only to find Mrs Davis in a blinding rage over some domestic issue, the details of which she was divulging to an adult customer who’s only reason for being in the shop seemed to be to listen. In trying to extract gobstoppers from the sweet jar her lack of concentration, due to her ever-increasing rage, caused the entire contents of the jar to spill out all over the counter. At this point I’m thinking, do I run for it? However, although the counter now looked like the first frame-breaking shot in a snooker match and Mrs. Davis had become an erupting volcano, she managed to capture a huge handful of the sweets and stuffed them into a large bag and thrust them at me for the price of the two or three I had requested. Needless to say, I made good my escape on trembling rubbery legs. What a result!
Sadly, nothing remains of this shop now. Mr and Mrs Davis’s late son Terry became the owner of Obermans Domestic Appliance shop in Higham Ferrers and renamed the business TKM.
(22/4/20). Hello Nostalgia Trippers. Since we examined Davis’s off-licence, I have learned that contrary to my belief that this shop was the last or first one in Church St, in fact, the Co-op Drapery holds this distinction, verified by its address of 1 Church St and it is the subject of our next study.
Spanning the junction of Church St, Berry Green and High St, in terms of retail floor area, I think this shop must have been the largest of all the Finedon Industrial Co-operative Society’s premises. A classy shop that met dual requirements for its customers by selling clothes in one half and furnishings in the other. Most people will remember the clothes section for its charismatic manager Mr Cyril Wilson. A lovely very well-spoken man with a lovely temperament and impeccable manners. On entering his section, Cyril would always ask how you were and after confirming your well-being he would always reply, ‘That’s the style’. I understand he was a much travelled and very knowledgeable man. If anyone were to compile a list of Finedon’s rich collection of characters, surely Cyril would be right up there with the best.
The other half of the shop was managed by an equally pleasant man Mr Peter Hearn, a member of the well -known Hearn family of Finedon. As the years have gone by I have wondered how this shop survived with its big competitors just three miles away in Wellingborough; but survive, it did for many years! Something I have been told is that the Co-ops offered a certain flexibility, whereby you might see an item of furniture that you wanted to purchase in say Skegness Co-op, and Finedon Co-op would be able to obtain it for you. This building still stands and is currently Margaret Rose’s funeral directors.
Did your family use this shop, and could ladies’ clothes be bought there?
(28/4/20). Hello Nostalgia Trippers. On leaving the Co-op Drapery and crossing the road, we find ourselves at the start of High St and the first shop which was Mr Cole’s haberdashery, situated on the left immediately after turning the corner from Berry Green into the High St. The shop is currently occupied by Jool’s Wools, where similar merchandise can still be purchased, as when Mr. Cole was the proprietor. To me, this shop carried an air of sophistication about it with its distinctive smell of cotton-based materials. I remember on the occasions my mother took me in there usually to buy wool and knitting patterns, how everything looked neat and orderly.
Mr Cole always appeared very smartly dressed with his tape measure draped round his neck at the ready. He was always softly-spoken and very pleasant. There was an elevated area toward the back of the shop where the late May Warner, latterly Mrs Parker, was always being industrious with a sowing machine. I remember being fascinated by all the flattened-out rolls of materials and the nice smell they seemed to give off when pulled off their racks. Other memorable sights were the large amounts of knitting wools, and reels of ‘Three Shells’ brand of cottons. Outside there was a showcase built into the wall to the left of the left-hand window. I imagine most Finedon women used this lovely shop at some point. Does anyone know the history of this shop prior to Mr Cole’s ownership?
(5/5/20). Hello Nostalgia Trippers. Leaving Mr. Cole’s haberdashery and continuing just a few yards on the same side of the road away from the church, we arrive at the first of a terrace of shops. This first shop must surely be somewhere near the top of the list for hosting, over time, the largest variety of businesses in Finedon. Situated right on the junction of Affleck Bridge and High St. it is currently a hairstylist called Diamond Cutz.
My earliest memory of this shop was it being a radio and electrical store where we exchanged our accumulators, which were rechargeable wet batteries for powering wirelesses/radios. I remember my family referring to it as the ‘wireless shop’. Prior to this, I understand it had been Williams’s butchers’ shop. Other businesses that resided there were Reg and (I think his wife’s name was Olive) Fenton’s Cafe. B O Sturgis hardware, Peter Munton Hairdresser’s, Madge Lindley’s clothes, A Unisex Hairstylist and Jool’s Wools.
Many people remember this shop mainly for its time as Fenton’s Cafe. This was the only such place in Finedon and probably the first since Herbert Benson’s or the Star Café, although perhaps the Cresta Service Station cafe was in business at the same time. Naturally it attracted the town’s youth and particularly the motor bike fraternity. Biking groups would gather on the car park opposite the Wesleyan Chapel and drift into the cafe for coffee and toast or even a fried meal before they sped off to wherever, perhaps returning later.
Names like Ron Brudenell, Maurice ‘Mudge’ ? , Cliff Cannel, Roy Bryan, Derek Minter and Bob Dunnet were all synonymous with motor bikes and the cafe. Reg Fenton was a charismatic northerner who kept everything in check and I can’t recall there being much trouble there.
(13/5/20). Hello again Nostalgia Trippers. Moving on from the shop, now called Diamond Cutz, the next four shops in this small terrace all still have shop-separating columns, constructed with brown glazed faced bricks which suggests that they were all constructed at the same time. In the 1950s, these four were occupied by Henry Walker shoemaker and shoe repairer, The National Provincial Bank, and Knights fish and chips on one side of the alley and Knights General Store on the other.
On the occasions that I was sent to collect repaired shoes from Henry Walker’s shop I remember being fascinated by all the machinery which seemed to fill the shop. Henry was a pleasant obliging man. Sometimes, if he hadn’t started the repairs at the time of calling for them, he would mend them while I waited. I believe Henry eventually moved to premises on Affleck Bridge, or was it the other way around?
Anyway, Mr Rice the painter and decorator took over the shop for several years.
The next shop was the National Provincial Bank (later to become the Nat West). This bank operated on a part time basis doing substantial business with the shoe factories on Fridays, facilitating pay day.
Many people will remember the next two shops with a degree of affection, not least because one half of this double-fronted shop was the ‘bottom-enders chippy’ owned by Mrs Knight
The other half of the frontage was a general store also owned by Mrs Knight. Apart from the usual sale of fish & chips, bags of batter bits could also be purchased, much to the delight of many kids. Sheila Chambers (nee Coles) informed me that the chippy used to be owned by Blissetts. Another general store was run for several years where the Knight’s one was by Arthur John Bedford. Currently all four shops are antiques shops. Can anyone remember any other businesses in these premises?
(19/5/20). Nostalgia Trippers, before we look at the last shop in the terrace of six and in order to maintain the position in order of shops as we progress along the High St, I think we should cross the road to examine what was surely one of the most famous shops in Finedon. A shop that stayed the same through at least two generations and proprietors. I first new this shop as Lowe’s or more affectionately as ‘ doc halfpenny Lowe’s’. Presumably, this title was earned because Mr Lowe used to knock half pennies off the price of certain items.
I think it was essentially a newsagent’s shop that sold cigarettes and tobacco and many other household items. I personally only have vague memories of the Lowe proprietor. Sometime in the early 1950s, Mr O J Swann (Ollie and his wife Vera) moved from his fruit and veg business in Regent St/Dolben Sq, sold the mobile part of it to his brother-in-law Albert, who continued the round under the same O J Swann name. Ollie then took over the retiring Mr Lowe’s newsagents’ business, the second of several shops in Finedon that Ollie would eventually acquire.
This shop was located roughly opposite Mrs Knight’s stores. I thought of it as a cosy yet bustling little shop with a nice friendly atmosphere. More often than not there would be a small queue sometimes including two or three women discussing the local gossip. Mr Swann always seemed to be a pleasant patient man. A notable couple of facts were that single cigarettes could be purchased there, and often naughty underage smokers could be seen persuading adults to buy the cigarettes for them. The other distinction Gordon Swann informed me of is that the shop was the first in the county to sell canned Coca- Cola. Many will remember doing paper rounds for Ollie Swann and the frantic Saturday evenings, when collecting your consignment of Evening Telegraphs, clashed with the arrival of the Pink ‘Un and Green ‘Un.
I would like to share a story of an unfortunate incident involving me, the Swanns and a firework. One Saturday afternoon during the lead up to Nov. 5th. I purchased a single firework from Ollie’s shop with the intention of letting it off in the car park adjacent to the shop. The firework was called a ‘flyer’ which was like a small stick-less rocket that when let off had a completely random and unpredictable flight path. A firework that along with the ‘jumping jack’ was guaranteed to get people panicking and screaming.
So, I placed the firework on one of the concrete pillars that skirted the car park lit it and stepped away. The firework took off and flew crazily around the car park for a few moments, then to my horror decided to shoot over the fence into Mrs Swann’s line of washing. I froze as I watched the unspent firework get captured by a lovely white vest, which almost instantly developed a huge smouldering hole. I was torn between going back into the shop to confess or bolting home. Then I saw who I thought was Maureen Swann (Ollie and Vera’s first-born) rush down the path and rip what was left of the garment off the line. I went home with my whole life flashing in front of me. The next time I had to go into the shop, I braced myself for the worst but strangely nothing was ever said.
Coming back to the shop history, Ollie and Vera’s younger son Gordon and his wife Ann eventually took over the shop and then in 1968 moved across the road into the empty former Bert Britchford’s shop. Gordon perhaps became more famous than any of his predecessors due to his very individual way of operating. Sadly, closure came in 2002, thus ending many years of Swann’s shops in Finedon. There is no trace of the original shop left as houses now occupy the site.
I have recently read one of dear Ann Swann’s poems and found the last two verses to be very poignant. So much so that I feel the need to finish this particular part of our journey with Anne’s words.
So now we are a family with little ones three
Nick and Ian our sons and daughter Libby,
Our little shop prospered and the 70s were good
And my beloved worked hard as I knew he would
Then came the 80s and I’m 40 oh my
A milestone that came like a smack in the eye,
But my beloved still loved me and he gave to me
A dozen red roses and our babe Anna Marie
So, into the 90s and our family has grown
They are all loved by us in our little home,
I knew that the time would come to find their own way
And my beloved’s getting grumpier every day,
These years were a worry with the shop failing fast
We did what we could but we knew it couldn’t last,
And people being people now all seem to go
For their fags, sweets and papers to the local Tesco.
(27/5/20). Nostalgia Trippers, having studied the original Lowe/Swann shop, we now cross back over the road to the left-hand side of High St, with the church still behind us, to examine the last shop in the terrace of six. This shop was the largest of all the shops in the terrace in that it had three display windows. During the 1940s and 1950s, the proprietor of this shop was Bert Britchford, who ran it as a fruit and veg’ shop and general store. It was a popular shop that seemed to enjoy solid patronage particularly by the ‘bottom enders’. I never ventured into this shop many times as my mum’s first choice greengrocer was Reg Collis on Wellingborough Rd, but we were happy to join Bert’s queue whenever he had a consignment of bananas or sweets in store during the post rationing shortages of the early 1950s. On the few occasions that I had to go in there I remember feeling a little uncomfortable when Bert looked at me over the top of his half-lens glasses as if to say “I’ve got my eye on you”. I think Bert had the shop right through to the 1960s and eventually retired with heart problems. As we discussed in our last study, Gordon and Ann Swann moved their business into the vacant premises in 1968 to 2002. Since then, a series of wedding attire businesses have occupied the premises, the first of which was Louise’s, an up-market wedding dress business that attracted show biz personalities such as the late Lena Zavaroni who bought her wedding dress from there so I’ve been told. A beautician, Escape Beauty & Wellbeing, is currently occupying the shop.
(2/6/20). So, hello again Nostalgia trippers. Leaving Bert Britchford and Gordon Swann’s shop, which was and still is the last of the terrace of six shops and staying on the left-hand side of High St, the church still behind us, after crossing the separating yard, next up is a detached-premises which for many years was one of Finedon’s key shops, Mr. Joshua George Clarke’s Chemist. Mr. Clarke was Finedon’s Chemist for as long as I can remember. I believe he arrived in Finedon from the North East.
My school-kid perception of this shop was that it was a serious and important place. Each time I entered it there was a certain smell much like a hospital and it seemed as though whenever anyone crossed the shop’s threshold they were required to act furtively. Muffled conversions might be heard between Mr Clarke and his customers, presumably in an effort to maintain a measure of privacy whilst discussing prescriptions. I felt that I should be quiet and very well behaved. Mr Clarke’s fixed expression and rather deep but soft voice added to the atmosphere. It would seem that people waiting in the queue would try to deduce the nature of other peoples’ health issues by seeing what they had purchased or had been prescribed.
Something that fascinated me was the large array of lettered drawers behind the counter, which suggested to me that everything was in its proper order and Mr Clarke knew exactly where everything was. One item that always seemed to be on prominent display and always made me shudder at the sight of it was ‘Thermogene Wool’. My mum swore by this evil stuff as a cure for my chesty coughs, making me wear layers of it under my vest causing irritation so I would then get my hands contaminated
with whatever chemical was in it, then unwittingly rub my eyes, OMG.
Some of Mr Clarke’s shop assistants that I can remember were Mollie Warner, Rose Richardson, Diane Cooper, and Betty Chambers. I can still see Mr Clarke walking home from his Chemist shop with his distinctive walk and curly pipe. He relocated his business to Wellingborough Rd. around 1964/5.
I think next, the shop became a Nationwide Building Society branch. Above the shop was a flat which the late Roger Richardson converted into a cafe. Many will remember this as the Cafe 2000, which Roger ran for several years. After the Nationwide gave up the premises, a succession of people has tried to run it as a convenient store which is what it is at present.
(4/6/20). Here we again Nostalgia trippers. Just a follow on from my post on the Josh Clarke Chemist shop. Isn’t it amazing how one memory jogs another, like when l mentioned ‘Thermogene’, some of you girls remembered issues with ‘liberty bodices’, I found your posts on this garment very amusing. To be truthful I never really knew exactly what they were until now and still don’t know whether they were loved or hated. What your comments have done is set me thinking about school days dress crazes. Who remembers those vivid coloured girls’ ankle socks that today might be described as ‘ high viz’? Brilliant pink, dazzling lime green, yellow, blue, or turquoise, they could be seen from great distances. About the same time there was a boys’ craze for wearing what we called ‘Skunk Jumpers’. These were black v- necked jumpers with a bold white stripe down the outside of each sleeve, two white rings around each cuff, a white stripe around the V-neck and a double white stripe round the waistband. We thought we looked great when we wore these, much to the disapproval of George Jackson our headmaster at the Mulso school who made us wear a coat over them or leave them at home.
(17/7/20). Nostalgia trippers, the last premises we examined on our journey was George (‘Josh‘) Clarke’s chemist shop. So now if we cross the road once again, with the church behind us, on the right-hand side once stood Charlie Warner’s Grocery shop and Bakery. This particular grocery shop was a major player in the town’s numerous grocery and provisions pool. I believe it attracted a large share of customers, particularly from the ’bottom enders.’. I used to regard it as one of those pantry filling shops because of the wide range of food items that could be purchased there. I remember it being a rather large shop with a nice atmosphere and when the bread was being baked, lovely appetizing smells drifted through the connecting doorway from the bakery. Friendly service could be taken for granted. Among the assistants that I can remember were Ruby Williams, Betty Chambers and Charlie himself, who nearly always dressed in a white overall, seemed to oscillate between the bakery and the shop. I’m sure someone else used to help Charlie in the bakehouse. Could it have been Charlie’s son John or Vinnie Warner who along with Roy Cooper used to deliver the bread? I’m not sure, also I feel that there may have been one other lady serving in the shop.
Bread consumption in Finedon must have been mighty, in order to keep the four bakehouses busy and Charlie must have worked very hard to keep his share of customers particularly as there was a hugely popular rival almost opposite. I understand that this was another bakehouse that facilitated the cooking of customers’ weekend meat joints and Christmas fowl.
Patsy Coles has informed me that Ivy Warner (Charlie‘s Wife) also worked in the shop, so she may have been the other lady that I was referring to. Patsy also told me about how she, herself used to sneak out of her house via her bedroom window in order to go and help her dad Roy with the bread round. It would seem that Patsy’s mum Margaret disapproved of Patsy helping her dad on the round, or was it a case of Patsy trying to escape from other duties? (how many times did you get grounded for doing this Patsy?).
Along with all the other buildings on this side of High St, between the Affleck Bridge junction and the Conservative Club, nothing remains of Charlie Warner’s shop, as all of them were demolished to make way for the existing housing.
(28/7/20). Nostalgia trippers, leaving the site of Charlie Warner’s grocery shop and bakehouse, taking a few steps to the opposite side of High St, there are now new dwellings that have been converted from shop premises that used to host one of Finedon’s most well-known and popular enterprises. This of course was Mona Yeats’s bread and cake shop with the bakehouse at the rear.
Many will remember this shop with affection, not least because of the friendly and polite service the customers were bound to receive from Mona herself or the pleasant Mrs. Violet Wills, added to which, the legendary bread that was baked and sold there and of course those wonderful cakes. I believe most customers, on entering the shop developed a feelgood factor knowing that whatever they purchased was going to taste good. I remember the window displays that would destroy any observer who happened to be suffering with the slightest hunger pangs.
I cannot ever remember being the only person in the shop, there was always at least one other customer in there. Both Violet and Mona seemed to have the knack of holding a ‘what’s going-on in Finedon’ type of conversation with many of their customers irrespective of any queue that may have formed. The shop itself, on the customer side of the counter never seemed to be big enough to accommodate the amount of people that always seemed to be in there. Do I remember a large cabinet full of shallow drawers containing dozens of cakes, and the cabinet occupying some of the customer area?
What was it about Mona’s incredible bread? When eaten on the day of baking, spread generously with ‘mum’s best butter’, nothing could match it. Our Niece and Nephew, brother and sister Russ Walters and Elaine Hulse (nee Walters) as kids, used to cycle from the Queensway area of Wellingborough to our Finedon home on Friday evenings and stop overnight mainly to enjoy Mona’s toasted bread and Marmite for breakfast. They now have grown up children and grandchildren but still have fond memories of those weekends and that special treat.
Once a month I used to see David Hornsey who I believe was Mona’s nephew. David used to deliver the bread in a Bedford ‘Doormobile’ van. David also worked with his uncle, Dick Warner, in the bakehouse making the bread. In a conversation I had with him some time ago, we were talking about the shop and bakehouse. David left me with the impression that their formula or recipe for the bread making still remains a secret.
To the right of the shop window, there was another deep window that suggested there may have been another shop at some point. In more recent years I believe it had been a Ladies hairdressing salon. Mona Yeats’s shop certainly added to the collective character of Finedon’s High St, and remains at the forefront of the memories of many of the more senior of Finedon’s people.
(17/8/20). Nostalgia Trippers. Logically, having talked about Mona Yeats’s cake and bread shop, most of us might think the next premises to examine would be the immediate next door which of course under its old name was, ‘The Gate Inn‘, however, somewhere very near to this point but on the opposite side of High St, was another business which was a barber and sweet shop called Padgington’s. I am unable to pinpoint the exact site of this shop and I have little knowledge of it, other than to say that to access this shop, downward steps had to be negotiated. Also, one of my favourite sweets could be purchased from there, that was a Lyon’s chocolate bar, a longish slender bar of delicious milk chocolate loaded with hazel nuts and in a silver and cerise wrapper. Although this little shop and the Gate Inn were two very different enterprises, in order to create enough subject matter, I am going to examine them both together with a heavy reliance on info’, comments, anecdotes, and experiences connected to either business being posted by others.
Apart from having been a favourite ’watering hole’ for many Finedon fellows (and some ladies), The Gate Inn was also well known for its cedar tree out the front. My memory of this tree was a large diameter trunk that seemed to soar skyward forever, completely devoid of any limbs or branches until it reached its maximum height where the branches that it did have spread out in a flat formation making it look like a giant flat umbrella in shape. Obviously, a haven for birds judging by the amount of bird droppings on the pavement below and no doubt on some people’s clothes.
I believe the Landlord was a Mr Austin and his wife Lizzie and I think they had a son called Don who married Evelyn Knight of the fish and chip shop family.
Years ago, when I worked an allotment on Wellingborough Rd. I was lucky enough to have neighbouring plot holders such as the late Mick White, Jack Cowley, Wilf Clayton, Laurie Dunkley, and Arthur Chapman, to name but a few. Between them they always had tales to tell about old Finedon and Finedon folk. One such tale they told me involved one of their contemporaries who’s name I can’t recall. Anyway, one day this chap made the dangerous decision to ’go on the beer’. Today we would call it ’going on a bender’, but for this chap it was a several-day experience. Eventually, his very angry wife tracked him down to The Gate Inn, where she discovered him cringing under a table in the bar. I can’t remember what fate met the poor fellow, but in my mind, it conjures up images Nora and Wally Batty.
There’s another amusing tale that my piano lesson teacher Reginald Underwood told me concerning the Gate Inn. It’s a tale that I have told before, but I think it’s worth mentioning again. Reg’s brother-in-law was a well-known ‘Finedonian’ called Ernie Berwick who at the time was Finedon’s correspondent in the Evening Telegraph and Wellingborough News, and his columnist name was ‘Mulso’. As such he was onto anything remotely newsworthy that happened in Finedon. Sadly, perhaps without any notification, someone felled the iconic Cedar tree at the front of the Tudor Gate. On learning this, Ernie went knocking on Reg’s door to suggest that a petition be got up, obviously oblivious of the futility of such an action. Poor Ernie was not Reg’s favourite relation, and I can still see the irritated expression on his face when he told me the tale.
In more recent years under the proprietary of Mr Stuart Andrews, the Tudor Gate as it was re-named became a popular, good quality, eating-out venue with boarding facilities and developed a good reputation, as well as providing part time and full-time employment for a considerable number of people over the years. Many of which still have fond memories of their time there. I remember attending events there on several occasions and being impressed by its grandeur, particularly how the grand piano was elevated onto its own plinth. At some point a part of the building on the opposite side of the car park service road was acquired and converted into a very nice function room called ‘The Orchard Suite’.
After Mr Andrews relinquished the business, there were a succession of owners who in turn seemed to fail with the business until sadly it closed completely and the building fell into a state of dereliction right up until along with Mona Yeates’s premises, it was bought and with the addition of new builds out the back received a complete re-development, converting everything into a complex of very nice dwellings as can be seen now.
(23/9/20). ‘Nostalgia trippers. Proceeding along High St from what was the Tudor Gate, by crossing the road that is now the access to the new builds at the rear, we now come to a row of premises I believe was once owned by George Leach, known locally as Georgie Leach. The first of these was a food and general supplies shop known as The International Store, then later Burton’s Store. I am not sure whether these two names were under the same ownership or whether they were two different businesses. The second shop immediately next door was Harry Brudenell’s shoe shop, followed by two dwellings (which housed members of the Leach family} then terminating the row was Georgie Leach’s own shop.
The more senior of Finedon’s people might remember Burton’s store being managed by Mr. Tommy Gore Snr, and it could be that he managed the store under the earlier International Store title. I am not sure as to what extent food shopping could be carried out in either of these two stores, but I don’t think a full weekly grocery shop could be carried out there. I seem to remember a similarity with Saxby’s of Wellingborough regarding the items on sale. I think I only ever went into the shop on one occasion and I’m sure I can remember large containers of loose biscuits somewhere in the shop.
After Burtons Store closed, the shop stood empty for several years until Dick Bellham moved in and used the shop as an outlet to compliment his market trading business. I don’t recall any other business operating from these premises.
Next door Harry Brudenell’s shoe shop was a popular well-patronized business, with particular regard to Harry’s shoe repairing skills. I can remember having several pairs of shoes repaired there. The steps leading up to the shop seemed a little steep and awkward with what to me seemed to be a high counter inside.
Like the Burton’s Store next door, this shop remained empty for several years. One short term occupant of this shop in the late 1950s or early 1960s was my engineering apprenticeship boss Bernard O. Sturgis who along with his engineering business, operated an ironmongers’ shop in Orchard Rd and decided to try a small expansion into the High St, selling household goods. I think there may have been other businesses that occupied this shop, but none of them long term.
Moving along from these two shops and past the two adjoining dwellings both of which housed members of the Leach family, we now come to the landlord Georgie Leach’s own little shop which sold mainly fruit and veg. To me, this little shop seemed to be continually over stocked to the point where some of the merchandise had to be displayed outside the door. My friend Joe Chamberlain of Hillside Nurseries told me that Georgie Leach who was his Grandfather, had sold fish and chips from this shop in the past. After Georgie closed the business down, I think several little businesses operated out of this shop including an optician, but none of them seemed to last very long. All three of these shops have been empty and unused for several years now, and I believe the Leach connection with all of these premises has ended.
(31/10/20). Nostalgia trippers. The last premises we examined were those making up Georgie Leach’s row terminating with his own Greengrocery shop. Continuing along High St. with the church behind us, on the left we pass ’Oldways,’ a large ironstone house formerly the home of the Bailey family. The next building, although now a dwelling, is still recognisable as a one-time Public House which was called The Mason Arms, locally known as ‘Tuppnies’. I can only vaguely remember it being operated as a pub from when in 1949/50 I became a Wolf Cub and used the adjacent pub yard to access the Scout room in Orchard Rd.
I know very little about this pub and so once again find myself relying on our senior group friends such as Gerald Needle and Sheila Chambers, or anyone else with memories of it, to post their recollections. I have wondered why it ceased operations during a time when pubs were in vogue, and given its central position in the High St. My friend Harry Nicholls has informed me that two of the Landlords were a Mr Underwood and Mr Albert Ayres. Sadly, it seems that Mr. Ayres took his own life in Harrowden Lane. I have no dates relating to any of these tenancies, but I would guess that the pub closed in the early 1950s.
If I may, I refer back to the dubiously named ‘Shitten Alley’. Where this alley exited out into High St. which was opposite and back toward the church a little from where we are now. Imagine exiting this alley and turning right into High St. The first house on the right supported an unusually large window which suggested to me that the house had been a shop at some point. I mentioned this to Harry Nicholls and remarkably, he informed me that, yes, it had been a shop and that it was owned by his Grandfather Nicholls who sold game etc and from there he displayed much of his wares outside hanging up on pegs. I believe the last occupant of this house up to demolition, was Mrs Violet Wills who worked many years in Mona Yeates’s shop.
(28/11/20) Moving on from examining our last premises which was the Mason’s Arms. Just a few more yards heading toward the A6 on the same left-hand side of High St, there is now a dwelling with a shallow bay window which has been fitted in a rather lower than normal position, together with small square window panes giving it a lovely Dickensian appearance. In the 1950s I remember this as a cake and pastry shop owned by a Mrs Skinner. I seem to remember very appetizing window displays of cakes and pastries but only ever remember using the shop once. I think I am right in saying that Mrs. Skinner was a relative of my old school classmate Janice Pinnock (nee Skinner). In later years, shoe shop owner Harry Brudenell moved his business from the Georgie Leach row into these premises. It would be interesting to hear about any other occupants.
On the opposite side of the road to this location was a row of houses leading up to the Conservative Club. Somewhere in amongst these houses was a hairdressing business called Pamela’s operated by Pamela and Cliff Whitney. Recently Carolyn Smith posted a picture of a part of High St. which I think depicted both the cake shop and the hairdressers.
After passing my driving test, a regular Saturday morning duty for me during my apprenticeship at Bernard Sturgis Engineers was to ferry Bernard’s wife Mrs Grace Sturgis to and from Pamela’s to have her hair styled. I found this a little puzzling as the firm’s van that I used to take her in was to say the least, a bit scruffy and sometimes. had to be started with the starting handle. Plus, usually by the Saturday of each week, my boiler suit was filthy. Grace Sturgis was a very smartly dressed woman.
I don’t know if Pamela’s shop was used by anyone else either before or after her occupancy. Nothing exists of it now, but I’m sure Pamela’s hairdresser’s moved to above Reg Goodman’s newsagent’s in Obelisk Rd. (eventually Shirley’s), or along Oxford St.
(14/1/21). Continuing our journey east along High St, our last subject was Mrs. Skinner’s little cakes and pastries shop, which later became Harry Brudenell’s shoe shop. Somewhere opposite and close to the present-day Conservative Club was a Gent’s Hairdresser by the name of Gaunt. Only the name rings a bell in my head. I have no memory of the shop, was it the same shop that in the 50s/60s became Pamela’s Ladies hairstylist?
Switching back across the road to immediately next to what was formerly the cake and then shoe shop, there is a large dwelling which has an interesting history in that recorded on the eves just below the guttering is information about what must have been the great fire of Finedon. It states that the fire stopped at this point after having burnt all in its path from its starting point some 217 yds away. There is a date added which requires better eye sight than I have to read. This begs the questions, did Oldways escape the blaze? Who decided to record it in this way and when? How has the recording been preserved? Why wasn’t the starting point of the fire similarly marked.?
This building has enjoyed life as Finedon’s Post Office. I have no dates, but it is still referred to as The Old Post Office, and correct me if I am wrong, but was it once the Conservative Club? I do know that fellow Buff Jeff Dowling operated his printing business from there. A lovely old building that has retained its character through the years and gives us a glimpse of what our High St. used to look like. Long may it last.
(7/2/21). Progressing along High Street, and as usual with the church behind us. On the left we leave the Old Post Office and cross over to the right-hand side of the road, where almost immediately we arrive at the Finedon Conservative Club or locally referred to as the ‘Cons‘. This building is one of only two, the other being the infant school, that throughout our entire journey along Church St and High St, still serve the purpose for which they were originally intended at their inceptions, or at least for all of my lifetime. I will stand corrected, but I believe the Cons’ premises to have been purpose built to facilitate a move from where the club was previously housed, which was in the building (now two dwellings, next to the Tudor Gate site) that has hosted a string of businesses such as Burton’s Stores, Len Wills’s radio & TV shop, and Dick Bellam’s.
I can count on one hand the amount of times I have been inside the Con’s, but have enjoyed hearing several tales of occurrences that have taken place within. I know of two stewards that have served lengthy times there, namely Maurice Pettit and one of my old school classmates Mick Walker. Also, another school classmate, my very good friend and best man at my wedding, the late Tony Warner, followed at a later date by good friend and fellow ‘Buff’ Andrew Hawkes, both have done stints as secretaries there.
For many years, the Cons’ enjoyed a reputation for having the cheapest booze in the area, and I suspect this was one of the reasons it enjoyed such a good membership (not all members being Tory voters I am told). Many times, I have heard hardened drinkers say that after doing their rounds of Finedon’s watering holes, they had finished up having one in the Cons’ (ONE!!? REALLY?) as though it was a nightcap.
An interesting snippet of information is that the mainly subterranean brook that runs through Finedon can be seen in the beer cellar. Also, I seem to remember someone telling me that there is, or was, a snooker table or tables upstairs.
The footprint of the Cons’ extends around the corner onto Waterlow Bridge, which as the name suggests, was a proper bridge that spanned the brook when it was an open waterway. At this point, High St and Well St are at their closest, thus the linking road which has retained the Waterlow Bridge title is what I believe to be one of, if not the shortest vehicle accessible road (incl: Walker’s Way?) in Finedon.
Leaving the Con’s, and crossing over Waterlow Bridge to the opposite corner, which is now the start of the Green. There once stood Giffin’s butchers’ shop. This was one off six or seven butchers operating in Finedon. The others being the Co-op (2), Shelton Bros (2), Frank Cooper and Williams‘s. I’m not sure that Giffin and Williams weren’t successive proprietors of the same business but I do know that Williams butchers once operated in the premises that is now Diamond Cutz hair stylist, and perhaps better remembered as Reg Fenton’s café.
I remember Mr. Arthur Coles father of Enid Pickering (nee Coles) and her brother, another old school chum, the late Maurice (Snowy) Coles, being the butcher at Giffin’s. I can still picture him sporting a dark blue & white pin-striped apron and wearing a cap. The shop door was at an angle right on the High St. Waterlow Bridge corner, facing half-way between High St and Orchard Rd I seem to recall it being a stable type door.
If I may? I would like to tell you a slightly connected story. In 2008 Brian Foster and I, as an 80th birthday surprise for our old Mulso School sports and maths teacher, the late Derrick Pearce, decided to organized a coach load of former Mulso School pupils to make a visit to the Houses of Parliament to see fellow pupil the late Brian Binley former MP for Northampton South, who had laid on a tour and dinner in the Asquith Suite there. The parliament caterers required that we all selected the same meal from a comprehensive menu. It had fallen to my lot to organise this. As you might imagine, arriving at a common choice was quite a headache. After what seemed like a million phone calls, I thought I had ‘cracked’ it with a Lamb dish. I was down to the last few people I needed to agree to this selection. One of the few was Maurice Coles who when asked, came back at me with an emphatic NO!! In an apologetic tone, poor Maurice went on to explain to me that as a kid, he regularly helped his dad to slaughter lambs at the butchers, something he clearly did not like doing and he remembered a certain smell which was evident during this horrible process and ever since was reminded of it every time he was near cooking or cooked lamb. As a result of this, he could not abide even the thought of eating it. So, I had to start the whole selection process over again.
Since Maurice made this disclosure, I have often wondered where the slaughtering took place. Does anyone know where it could have happened in the vicinity of this butcher’s shop?
If we briefly drift off course from our tour by completely crossing Waterlow Bridge, then turning left into Well St. Still travelling in the direction of our tour, almost immediately on the left, there used to be a yard where a bakery known as Drage’s operated from. I don’t know if there was a rear access to the butcher’s from within this yard or even if some sort of slaughtering facility existed there. The only other thing I know about this yard is that two sisters, Mollie and Valerie Blackwell lived somewhere in there. (I remember one year, Mollie, or was it Valerie? won selection as our very worthy Carnival Queen).
(22/3/21). Moving on from Giffin’s butchers’ shop, still travelling along High St. with the church behind us. By crossing to the left side of the road we come to a terrace of what was once five or six shops, each with an interesting chequered history of different traders.
Most of us will remember the first of these shops as Herbert and Amy Underwood’s fruit, veg and hardware shop. Another ’major player’ among Finedon’s several fruit and veg’ vendors.
Herbert, affectionately known as ’Dingy’ I believe because his father once held the position of Town Crier, was my earliest memory of the proprietor of this shop. This was a relatively large double-fronted shop which I believe Herbert and Amy ran until they retired.
My wife who as a child, lived directly opposite this shop tells me that Herbert and Amy were a lovely couple. I can just remember Herbert being a softly spoken bespectacled elderly gentleman who often wore a sleeveless pullover. Interestingly, Herbert was brother to Sid Underwood who ran the Co-op Fish & Chip shop on Rose Hill. Christine Felce (nee Underwood), kindly informed me that originally, one of her grandfather Herbert’s other brothers ran the shop, but struggled to make a go of it, which resulted in Herbert taking over the business and succeeding with it. Even more surprising was learning from Chris that there had been a fish shop at the rear.
Herbert’s shop has since housed a number of different businesses, which included John Roe Antiques and another interestingly named Antiques called Clingkerdagger, Bickerstaff, & Peck, or Pett? A name that I believe had its origins in the USA where it was given to a similar business because out there, it was thought to have sounded typically English, (really?).
After housing the various Antique businesses, this shop has seen a complete transformation, becoming a venue for a series of eating out ventures, which has included Lovejoy’s Cuisine, then a short-lived set up called David Teal’s Turkish Restaurant, followed by the current one known as Salvatorie’s Italian restaurant. I think some of these, if not all, have utilised the upstairs as a dining area.
Does anyone remember when the upstairs was a flat and Mr and Mrs Ernie Belsham and their daughter Barbara lived there? I was told that Mrs Belsham and Jack Wells the Junior Boy’s School Head were brother and sister?
The adjoining shop was also double-fronted, and perhaps was originally two shops. I don’t know who or what business operated from here but I do remember Pope’s, (under the ownership of Mr Maurice Jose) ladies and gents outfitters moving from the corner of Cromer Rd and Wellingborough Rd to this shop in the early 1950s. These two shops between them have since seen life as Korky’s Cabs, Dick Simmons’s Ceramics, Olive Roberts’s hairdressers and at present a Book and Antique shop. There may be others that I have overlooked, in which case I’m sure, like me, readers would like to hear about.
The next two shops have in recent years been converted into a single dwelling, as yet unoccupied. The first of these last two as I remember was a plumbers’ shop, trading under the name of Briggs and Sharpe. Among others were a Shoe trader called Mr Sharp, and an Electrician and electrical accessories operated by a Mr Rice.
The next and last shop was very well-known as a sweet shop, run by Mrs. Adams, followed by Mrs Maggie Chapman which finally became Cross & Elderton’s fruit & veg’ shop. There was an entry separating these last two shops which provided access to several houses at the rear. I believe evidence of this has been incorporated as a feature in the design of the frontage of the new dwelling. The group of houses that the entry served I believe was known as Johnson’s Yard which somehow, extended on to Orchard Rd.
(20/6/21). Nostalgia trippers, we’re nearing the end of our journey along Church St. and High St. visiting premises that over the years have housed a wide variety of businesses and special usages. We last visited Cross and Elderton’s fruit & veg’ shop with its Johnson’s Yard connection. On the same side of the road, as usual with the church behind us, we next arrive at a dwelling which itself has supported an interesting diversity of usage. Not too many people are aware that these premises used to be a Pub called ‘The Royal Oak’.
There is scant external evidence of this other than a fading area of white on the ironstone construction at the front of the building which Stuart Hendry, the current owner of these premises, which is now a dwelling, tells me is all that remains of the ‘Royal Oak’ sign. However, Stuart went on to tell me that internally, much of the layout of the pub is or was traceable. I have no dates or landlords’ names connected with this pub so if anyone knows of any, please comment.
Many will remember the premises as Jim Bowles’s cycle shop, with a prominent ‘Hercules Cycles’ advertisement which was also positioned somewhere on the front of the building.
I believe that Jim also owned or rented the area of land between his shop and Cross and Elderton’s shop, which at some time may have belonged to firstly Mrs Adams, then Maggie Chapman. The land extended right through to Orchard Rd. I’m not sure whether this area incorporated Johnson’s Yard or if all of it fell under the same address. Anyway, in recent years the ownership of the land seems to have been divided up between Stuart & Mary Hendry and the Infant’s School. Incidentally, Stuart & Mary are the current owners of what was Cross & Elderton’s shop and have converted it into a dwelling.
During Jim Bowles’s ownership or tenancy, I believe he also operated a firewood business from this strip of land. Certainly, former policeman Les Darby, the next occupier of the site operated a firewood business from there, but I think the cycle business had ceased by this time.
The cycle shop was very handy in the town in a time when bicycles were a popular mode of transport. I believe it to be the only dedicated cycle shop in Finedon, although some cycle related components such as puncture repair outfits, bicycle lamps, batteries and bulbs etc, could be obtained from a few other shops, plus from Ted Amey’s Garage.
Jim could often be seen riding his own bicycle carrying his faithful little dog in the breast pocket of his ’Bib & Brace’ overalls, or driving his truck with his equally faithful employee, the late Rodney Hughes.
During the early 1960s, it was the only local shop where I could purchase canisters of gas for my ‘Camping Gaz’ type of picnic stove. Usually, Mrs Bowles served in the shop, allowing Jim to pursue his other interests. I seem to remember Mrs Bowles being a pleasant lady, but with a serious facial expression and few words. I think Jim and his wife had a daughter called Cynthia who became a police officer.
I don’t know when the cycle business ceased, perhaps in the late 1960’s early to mid 1970’s.
As a Christmas present, my first brand new ‘kiddies’ bicycle was a gearless ‘Triumph’ in a lovely shade of green with cream fluted mudguards, and I have often wondered if it was purchased from Jim Bowles’s shop. It was sad that the shop disappeared, and I’m sure Jim would appear on any list of Finedon’s characters.
(15/8/21). Nostalgia trippers. Moving ever closer to the end of our journey along Church Street, and High Street, and having last visited what was Jim Bowles’s Cycle shop, immediately next door still stands the Quaker House or ‘The Friends Meeting House’.
As a child, I, along with many of my contemporaries regarded this as a very mysterious and ‘spooky’ building which with its gravestones at the front, tended to trigger an acceleration of walking or running pace when passing.
I have no idea when the last Quaker meeting took place there, but it seemed to stand unused for much of my youth. In more recent years, it has served as a ‘Chapel of Rest’ for two funeral directors, John Drage and George Robinson. Then, I believe in no small way, the late Jim Gibbard was instrumental in acquiring the building for the Finedon Local History Society who have staged some splendid exhibitions there over the years of their occupation. Also, courtesy of the FLHS, Finedon Dolben Lodge ‘Buffs’ have been allowed to use it to create a splendid ’Santa’s Grotto’ during their annual Christmas Fairs which have been held on the adjacent Green. Sadly, the FLHS have been forced to vacate the premises because of the building taking on new ownership. Since this latest procurement, there has been little or no sign of any development, but hopefully, the building will be allowed to remain in its present form, at least externally.
(27/8/21). Nostalgia trippers. Following on from the last building we examined which was the ‘Quaker’ or ‘Friends Meeting House’, a little uncertainty exists in examining the next and penultimate premises on our journey, in that I’m not sure whether the Finedon County Infants School’s address is officially High Street, or Orchard Road, it being situated on a sort of ‘peninsular’ formed by the coming together of the two roads. Either way, I feel that this building is such a ‘Gem’ in the memories of old Finedon and being the very next building to the ‘Friends Meeting House’ it must be included as a part of our journey.
A part that will evoke so many lovely memories among those of us who attended it. I do believe this building to be one of the few still being used for the exact purpose for which it was built. Many of us met our friends for the first time there, and by doing so, started to form bonds which remain precious and unbroken to this day.
On starting our education there, some struggled with the realization that Mum was not going to be at hand ‘twenty-four/seven’ anymore and the brighter ones started to become aware that life might be a bit more serious than first thought.
For me, the sight of the school viewed from the front was, and still is, imposing, with its end to end veranda, pillars, and the abundance of glass used in its construction for that period of time, making it take on a ‘college’ like appearance.
Moving inside, glimpsing the long corridor with all the classrooms spurred off to the playground side, and the headmistress’s office, and large hall on the opposite side is a sight never to be forgotten, along with the small cloakrooms, and toilets with ‘tiny’ toilet and wash basin furniture at each end.
The hall holds special memories, especially at Christmas when those lovely coloured folding bells and globes were suspended from the ceiling, giving me the sense that Christmas had arrived. Also, learning Christmas carols like ‘Away in a manger’, ‘Once in Royal David’s city’, and the like. I remember too, those musical instruments we played. I never got to play anything more exciting than the Triangle.
Perhaps my potential had already been assessed when in an early ‘sums’ lesson some problems were written down on the black board for us to solve and copy into our books. I rattled through them, and thrust my hand up in the air to signify that I had finished. Our teacher approached me starting to praise me for being for being so quick but on closer examination, saw that I had simply copied what she had written on the board without working out the answers, for which the praise swiftly turned to chastisement. I remember desperately asking one of my classmates, “what does she mean by answers” Clearly, I had not been listening to any of her teachings perhaps for days. This probably spoke volumes about my academic future.
Who remembers the ‘Beacon’ reading books, numbered one, two, three, and so on, with those early texts that we were required to read such as “The cat sat on the mat” which were accompanied by illustrations. Also, in the afternoon, the nap, that beginners were required to take on those fold away canvas beds.
Among our teachers at the time were Misses Drew (headmistress), Howard, Mates, Crisp, and Johnson.
During my time spent there, around 1946/1949, there were air-raid shelters on the High Street edge of the playground which backed onto the graveyard of the Quaker House creating an eerie area.
A terrifying myth had been started that a large Wolf dwelt behind these shelters, and was happy to devour any child that dared to venture there. Needless to say, I was one of the gullible fools that believed this and so gave the place a wide berth.
Another memory I have is being one of only two children who took sandwiches for dinner, perhaps because I lived in the Grove and along with the other child, a girl called Dorothy Tuttle or Tuttin, who lived in Sidegate Lane, were deemed to live too far away to be collected and returned during the dinner break.
Anyway, I remember trying to choke down dreadful corned beef sandwiches. The post war corned beef seemed to be 90% yellowish fat, ugh!! I have often wondered what happened to Dorothy. She seemed to vanish at some point either during the days at the infant’s or when we moved up to the Junior schools.
Another child I made friends with and sat next to in class was a boy called Anthony Northern, whose father at the time was a teacher at the Mulso Secondary Modern School and His mother, (Anthony’s grandmother) lived at and sadly lost her life in the collapse of the Volta Tower a few years later. Once again, Anthony was another child that seemed to vanish, I think when we changed schools.
Christmas 2019, I had the honour of being asked to take on the role of Father Christmas for the children of this lovely school, (those of you who know me, please don’t ask).
The excitement on the children’s faces as I visited each classroom was priceless, and carried me all the way back to my time there. I would love to hear other’s memories of this wonderful first school.
(11/10/21). Nostalgia Trippers. Finally, we reach the end of our journey, West to East along Church Street and High Street, revisiting and remembering all the businesses and points of interest, past and present. Some, where the buildings still exist and some where the buildings are long gone. After visiting the County Infant’s school, we find ourselves at the area of land that comes to a point at the junction of High Street, Orchard Road and Rose Hill. To the extent of my memory this site belonged to Ray Farrow of ‘Farrow and Sons Builders, although Ray’s house was in Orchard Road, the plot extended across to High Street, where there was a showroom and storage window. Adjacent to the house in Orchard Road were large double gates with a connecting high wall that rounded the corner into High Street right up to and terminating at this display window.
All I ever remember being displayed in this window was bathroom furniture and tins of paint. This site, had in times gone by, been occupied by Blacksmiths, one, by the name of (George?) York, affectionately known as ‘La-Ta York’ because of his habit of singing rhythmically to the beating of his hammer on his anvil. Sometime ago, one of our Memories of Old Finedon group posted a picture of this site when it was still the ‘smithy’s’ place.
I have to smile when I recall the many times in 1962/63 that I needed to visit the late kindly Ray Farrow at his house in Orchard Road to discuss details of the Bungalow that he was building, that my wife to be, and I were purchasing in Regent St. (and still live in) because for whatever reason I used to access the backdoor of his house through his large double gates in Orchard Rd. Once inside the gates there was a pleasant garden with a winding gravel path lined with shrubbery that took me to his backdoor. Nearly every time I made this journey, I was ambushed by the family pet, an over-amorous Dalmatian dog, if you know what I mean? Each time I was rescued by Ray who appeared with a yard brush which he hurled at it sending it scampering into the shrubbery.
(In 2025, Mrs Kathryn Elliot, nee Farrow is happy to politely correct Nip to say the amorous dog in question was ‘Yogi’, a Jack Russell/Spaniel cross and not ‘Jenny’ the Dalmatian who sadly dies when Kathryn was small).
On the site of these dubious encounters, now stands two new builds, built by Ray’s two sons Albert (Alby) and David (Chub) Farrow. One of these is occupied by David and Jenny Farrow, nicely keeping the Farrow connection with this site.
Other than hearing talk of a shop known as Billington’s that supposedly existed somewhere in the row of houses that stood opposite the Infant’s School gate in High Street, a shop that I have no knowledge of our journey has come to the end. Thank you all for your enlightening comments, along the way, I think we have all learnt much more about Finedon’s rich and fascinating history. Special thanks to Susan Watters, and Cheryl Harris, for their backup photos, and dear Sheila Chambers (nee Coles) for clearing up many mysteries.
From Tingdene to Finedon 