Article researched by John Langley 2006
Burton Latimer Co-operative Society Photo Gallery
Eben Taylor’s shoemaking and cobbler’s shop in 1900. Demolished to make way for the new Co-op stores in 1912
Staff at the new High Street Stores in 1912.
Charles Stokes (Secretary/Manager) Eva Stokes (Office) Mr. Rene Hanger and Mr Walter Knight (Grocery) Miss Tustian and Miss Ethel Allen (Drapery).
Duke Street staff c1920. Len Cooper, Tom Barlow (Grocery manager) Dorothy Munns, Eva Stokes & Arthur Jacobs
The Duke Street shops were converted to a British Restaurant in 1943. The Baptist Chapel celebrated its 400th Anniversary there in 1944.
The Management Committee 1936
G. Linnell, Unknown, Wilf Downing, C. Hendry, J. W. Patrick.
A.A. Grove (Secretary/Manager), E.Taylor (President), Unknown
An Evening Telegraph account of the opening of Burton Latimer
Co-op Society’s new Central Store in the High Street February 1936
May Jackson and Eva Stokes (right) in 1953
EVENING TELEGRAPH NOVEMBER 1957
“Retire at sixty? Not me,” said Miss Eva Stokes. So when she had to retire from Burton Latimer Co-operative Society after 45 years’ service, at the compulsory retiring age of sixty, she got a new job.
Now she is safely installed as assistant wages clerk to her friend Miss V. M. Jackson, at Hart & Levy Ltd., the Burton clothing firm. “I think sixty is too early to retire,” she said. “If you can still do a job I think it is a good thing; it keeps you interested in life, besides helping to pay for those little extras.”
Miss Stokes was the society’s first office girl. She joined her father, Mr. Charles Stokes, who was secretary-manager. That was in 1912, when the society’s offices were in Duke Street. Miss Stokes was 15 and earned 4s. a week. For some years father and daughter ran the society. In those days there were some 700 members, compared with about 2,400 today.
Mr. Stokes died in 1923 and for a time Miss Stokes, as chief clerk and cashier was in charge. Nine years ago the two posts were split and when she left a couple of weeks ago, Miss Stokes was cashier.
Besides the secretary-manager, Mr. A .A. Grove, the chief clerk and Miss Stokes, there were three other full-time employees and one part-time.
As a parting gift, the employees gave Miss Stokes an electric blanket.
Bennett’s chemist’s shop at 102 High Street circa 1950 before its purchase by B.L.I.C.S to become its pharmacy. It was later enlarged through the purchase of number 100. It is now Lloyd’s Pharmacy
Previously a garage that housed a succession of lorries used by the Co-op, this High Street building was converted to a fish and green-groceryshop in 1957. It is now an estate agent’s office.
Inside the new Co-op store at 116 High Street. Burton Latimer’s first self service store, built in the 1950s
Demolition in 2005. Previously occupied by Drage Monumental Masons and Bertie’s Cafe
The Evening Telegraph reports Fred Goodman’s retirement.
Fred joined the Co-op in 1929 and retired in 1980 after working 51 years for B.L.I.C.S
Phil Quincey was dry goods department manager when he retired in 1984.
Heather Smith and Mary Lyon are seen here with him at his retirement celebration.
The ‘new’ Co-operative store in 1989. It closed in 1991 and is now (2007) occupied by ‘Jollytots’.
John Ellson is taking the opportunity to get friendly with Pat Byland and Joy Malin on a Co-op outing to Southend in 1962
