Tag Archives: Jimmy Gobini

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