Hazel Stevens

Hazel talks about how the shops have changed

I remember when Cutmore Street and Peppercroft Street were full of houses, and in the High Street Woolworth's used to have a creaky wooden floor. Timothy Whites was a chemist and hardware shop and had a lovely marble slab with the name on it above the shop. Mr & Mrs Baker had their shop three doors away and the bread was fresh and hot and wrapped in tissue paper. Nobody changed the staff in their shops for years and everyone knew your name. The French onion man used to push his bicycle around the streets. A Miss Mitchell used to have a stall in the market with a special section for 'mens' books (were very naughty in those days). When Lady Chatterley's lover was printed and the publishers were taken to Court she bought 100 copies in advance in case they won. In the end they did and she made a lot of money. Many people owned shops and there was Mr Robson the butcher, Mr Fierner the fishmonger, Mr Lintoll the furniture shop, Mr Rackshaw the department shop, Lofts the tobacconists, Mr Hall the book shop etc. etc. There was a small department store in Parrock Street and they put your money in a small black container on wires above their head and it whizzed along to the cash office and they sent back your change and receipt. Most people went to their local shops in the week and into town on a Saturday. It was absolutely packed and people did not go to a coffee shop or eat out. Most people had their main meal at lunchtime.