Martin Nicholson

George Cocker had the Post Office next door to the garage owned by Mr Dennis whose premises also opened out onto the narrow road behind the row of shops on what we knew as West Park Parade. Further up the frontage on a level with the petrol pumps was a machine dispensing packets of 5 Woodbines, I think, for two pence though memory could be unreliable although I had reason to remember! The topmost corner shop was run as a greengrocery by a man named Kilvington whose Christian name I believe was Jack. Peculiarly, despite being the highest in the row this shop was subject to flooding. In the view shown there should be seven establishments: the Beauty Parlour; West Park Motors; Cocker the stationer and post office; Rogers the haberdasher; Smith the chemist and optician; Coates the grocer and Kilvington the greengrocer. One has to take a view frozen in time for ownership did change the hairdresser Muriel Smith's property became the Co-op for a time. There was a little cafe run, as you can imagine, by a couple of dear old ladies, this later became the chemist. Above the chemist between Smith and Kilvingtons, the greengrocer at the top end, was the all important grocers shop.

10-Dec-2008

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