Tag Archives: 1930s

Shops: Mills and bakers, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s

Mills had a very dark haired nice- looking boy who used to push the bread round daily on wooden trucks door to door. Also we had bread delivered from Whilliers at Newbridge.
Pat Burt nee Adams b 1929

Athel Henderson worked in a bakehouse in Mills. They used to cook some bread there, when you come to think of it!  They had 2 vans on the road, one used to go out with the bread and one with the groceries. Brian Pomroy b 1937

I can remember sitting in our big old pram outside the bakehouse, waiting for my Dad ( Athel)  to finish his shift. Terry Henderson b 1947

Eileen Smith: Shops, Mills 1930s

Mills' staff c 1936

Mills’ staff c 1936

I started work in Mills two weeks after I left school. Mr. Mills himself taught me how to weigh out tea, sugar, raisins and currants, into paper bags, and then turn the top down. The weighing had to be done really accurately, with balance scales and weights, because you never knew when the Weights and Measures man would call in to check. Brown sugar was difficult because it used to dry out and the weight would change.

New Zealand butter came in large tins and had to be weighed out into blocks of 4oz. You had to be quick otherwise it went squidgy, ugh! We had marble counters to keep it cool.

Some customers would call in at quarter to eight, just before we shut, and want all their groceries delivered before we closed, even if they lived just opposite. Some of them had lists, others used to lean over the counter and whisper ‘2 oz of tea’ so no one knew they weren’t ordering much.

I learnt to drive the delivery van in 1940 – had to drive all round Cranmore Avenue and Hamstead. The first day I went out on my own, I had a puncture after I’d delivered up the lane at Lee Farm. By the time I’d changed the wheel, my hands were filthy and black, so I knocked on the door and asked Mrs. Stallard if I could wash my hands.
‘No you cant!’ she said, so I had to drive all the way back to Yarmouth to wash my hands.
 Eileen Smith nee Lansdowne b 1921

Shops: The Square, Mills, 1920s, 1930s

Mills, it was a lovely shop! Inside there were counters all round with marble tops. They used to grind their own coffee, and we children used to stand and sniff the smell….umm it was good.

There were wires around the shop with a bag that they used to put the chit in for what you had to pay. That ran to the glass cashier’s cubicle. Ruby Meaning nee Mussell b 1915

Pubs: The Square, Bugle 1930s

The Square, with Bugle Hotel left.

The Square, with Bugle Hotel left.

Go in a pub before you was about 20? Blimey no!  If they didn’t like the look of you, especially some of the old ones in the Bugle, they’d say, ‘What you doing in ‘ere?’
I suppose the Bugle was the one that was used most by just the local drinkers.
George Cleary’s father was there since the First World War.  I don’t know whether young George was born there or where he was born. The old chap had it for years.
Phil Kelsey b 1920

Eileen Smith, Blanche Kennard: Shops, The Square,Harwoods

Harwoods hardware shop in the Square – well it’s a wonder that when someone dropped a match the whole street didn’t go up, there was so much petrol everywhere. They had petrol pumps which swung across the pavement. The petrol at one time was brought across the Solent in barrels. Eileen Smith nee Lansdowne b 1921

 

Shops: Square 1930s with Harwoods van

Shops: Square 1930s with Harwoods van

Old Mr. Harwood was so big he used to block the whole doorway of the shop. Blanche Kennard nee Dore b 1923    

Ruby Meaning nee Mussell: Shops, Mills Tea Rooms

On the corner in the Square was Mills Tea Rooms ( now ‘Blue’) where you could see all the lovely cakes and buns they baked. We used to press our nose against the glass to see which ones we’d choose. My favourite was the one with coconut on it. Ruby Meaning nee Mussel b 1915

Eileen Smith: Shops in Yarmouth 1930s, 1940s

In the town there were 27 shops, 1 fish and chip shop on the corner of South Street and Tennyson Road, 1 garage in Quay Street ( now the Pharmacy),  4 pubs and hotels and 2 chimney sweeps, Mr. Chambers and Mr. Holloway. There were 4 grocers shops – one in Station Road, Mr. Cook’s – later Mr. Burt’s -, one now called Sixpenny Corner owned by Mr. Barnett, Harry Mills in the Square, and Higginbothams. There were coupons given with Bourneville Cocoa and such like. My mother collected enough to get me a wooden pencil box at the Sixpenny Corner shop.
If you took an egg with you when you went to Batchelor’s for chips, they’d cook that for you too. Eileen Smith nee Lansdowne b 1921

Eileen Lansdowne, Pauline Hatch: Shops 1930s

Square with coaches and Town hall

Square with coaches and Town hall

In the Square, next to the Town Hall and a bit behind it, where Annette’s the hairdresser is now, there was a cobbler’s, Mr. Donovan. He had a wooden leg.
On the other side of the Town Hall, on the side towards the sea, was Kelsey’s, with  Jimmy Gobini’s gents hairdressers in one side, and a tobacconist and confectioners on the other. Then there was a ‘bits and pieces’ shop. It was amazing what us children could buy for 2d. Mills Tea Rooms was on the corner. Eileen Smith nee Lansdowne b1921

I can remember Mr Donovan with a wooden leg, the shoemender. He used to swear like a trooper and I think he used to drink a bit.  We used to have to take our shoes down there and he used to put great big thick rubber bits on to make them last.  He had a very nice wife and a son called John who became a policeman.  He was a fierce old man and it was a grotty old place tacked on to the Town Hall. Pauline Harwood nee Hatch b 1930

Effie Pitman: Shops 1930s

When I finished school, I had a week off then I started work the day the old king died, George V, in January 1936. I started work for 7/6 a week at the shop in the Square, where the Deli is now. It was a hairdresser one side and Kelsey’s confectioners and tobacconists the other.  Mr. Gobini was the barber. He was Italian. He charged 4d for a haircut, except for Dr. Drummond. He paid 6d and went into the back room to have his hair cut on his own. I used to work in the barbers in the morning and go into Kelsey’s confectioners if I was needed. Seven and a half years I worked there.

Mrs Walton from the Terrace used to come in to buy those little cigarillos she smoked. One day I remember when she was walking across the Square, the elastic must have ‘gone’ in her French Knickers and they fell down.  She just stooped down and picked them up, and carried on walking.
Effie Pitman b 1921

Eileen Smith: Yarmouth Carnival 1930s – 70s

The Yarmouth Carnivals were a highlight of the year, always held on a Thursday, early closing day. There were maybe 4 bands, proper bands.  They were wonderful .

Jazz band 1930s

Jazz band 1930s with Curly Jupe on accordion and Megan Cook vocals

 The fishing competition on the Pier used to draw over a hundred rods. My Grandfather, Robert May, supplied the Rod for first prize.My aunt was asked if she’d like to keep up the tradition after he died, but she said no, it was the end of an era, and Harwood’s took over giving the prize.

Robert May awards Carnival Fishing prize of rod

Robert May awards prize rod for Carnival Fishing competition off Pier

Robert May awards the prize rod for the fishing competition on the pier

During Carnival Week there were harbour sports, greasy pole and swimming races off the Common. All the families joined in and won prizes too. Yarmouth was a town of families, now it’s a town of holiday homes. Eileen Smith nee Lansdowne b 1921