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Article by Joe Evans, c.1995
Shops & Businesses 1930s & 40s

Shops mentioned in the text

l to r - Smith's sweet shop, Wittering's hardware store, Mason's general store


There used to be, when I was a kid:

Butlin & Turner. Rose growers at Kettering Road next to A14 (once beside the railway embankment)

At the junction of Kettering Road and Station Road, known as Norton's Corner, there was Norton's Bakers & confectioners.

Opposite, 'Shortie' Pearson kept a garage and cycle repairs.

Almost opposite in Station Road was Fletcher's fish & chip shop.

Opposite him was Harry Wade, who cobbled boots and shoes.

Just below Jon the hairdresser, Mrs Munday had a general stores in her front room.

Dennis Miller used to own the hairdresser's shop, where he was a grocer.

Almost next door you would find Malin Damms who sold pots and pans and sold paraffin oil.

A Mr. Shelford lived down Station Road Hill, he was a first class bespoke tailor.

Returning to Kettering Road, opposite the Waggon & Horses, Sid Coleman held a small workshop where he plied his trade as an engineer.

Almost next to him Wallis's had a fish and chip shop, a couple of cottages away there was 'Bobby' Pownall's bakehouse.

Where the 'Palmichael' is now (built anew) a Mrs. Watts kept a ladies dress shop, prior to this a cycle and radio shop owned by Stan Elderkin, living in Woodcock Street.

Opposite was Mrs. Downing's general stores, now the home of Roy Gilby.

Joining this was Florrie Blake's general store.

Opposite corner: a Mr. Wittering (known as 'Tin Tack') sold everything from a tin tack to a mangle, in fact, a first class hardware store.

Alfie Coles' comes next, a one-armed barber, who also sold 'fags' and snuff, sheet music, gramophone records.

His next door neighbour was the old Co-op stores, this I remember being rebuilt just before World War II.

At the bottom of Pioneer Avenue (now Drage Electrics) Burton Co-op sported a butcher's shop.

A Mrs. Peg Scrivener (Waterfield) ran a grocery and sweet shop in her front room top end of the Avenue.

Through the 'Rec' almost opposite the tennis courts Harry Coles florist & market gardener's premises abided.

Moving back to Church Street 'Billy' Blake kept his blacksmith's shop, at the back of the old Thatcher's Arms pub.

Meeting Lane boasted a Mrs. Waters (opposite the Baptist Chapel) as a paperhanger and painter.

Also a Mr. Ben Potter, who lived at the Thatchers, also ran a decorating business.

Rosie Carvell and her husband Harry kept a general store almost opposite the Church School.

Two or three doors away we find Billy Capps in his bakehouse.

Past the church at the top of the lane was Mrs. Currin's outdoor beerhouse and general stores.

Up Cranford Road, a Miss Talbutt kept a general store at the corner of Bird Street.

Back in the High Street, opposite the War Memorial, Cyril Swann would cut your hair and give you a shave in his front room.

His neighbours were Frank Barlow the butcher on one side, Alfie Barlow the grocers and ladies dress shop the other side.

Moving south, Jack Smith sold newspapers and 'fags' etc.

Then comes Barlow's (Henry) cake shop.

Turner's radio was, at the time I was a kid, a motor spares shop run by the Anderson family.

'Countdown' was then Elmore's family butchers.

In between was Tommy Miller's fish and chip shop.

The now Italian (now Indian) restaurant was owned by Haynes and was a grocery shop, his almost immediate neighbour being Joe White the greengrocer next to the Red Cow pub.

The next building, further along, was my old Uncle Fred Evans cobbler's shop, then Congreve's sweet shop (we always called it Smith's).

Further south we have Meads Dairy, the Post Office, Mrs. Keach's fish and chip shop, then the Duke.

Opposite the school, of course, was Yeomans' fruit shop and sweets, Sturman's ladies dresses and Bennett's the chemist.

Opposite corner: 'Charlie Ward's' cycle shop.

The corner of Pigott's Lane: Jack Skevington the barber, the next shop south down the High Street was Walter Piper the undertaker and his wife's sweet shop.

The corner of Finedon Street and Finedon Road: Walsh's general store.

Going back to the Duke, the opposite corner was Ernie Papworth, general store and small cafe.

Bill Hickman lived next door and ran a haulage business, keeping his lorry at the rear of Papworth's shop.

A Mrs. Mason adjoining, yet another general store.

Her neighbour was Mr. Bugby, a blacksmith having a workshop at the rear.

A Mr. Law, from Irthlingborough, dentist by trade, would pull your teeth in her front room.

Where the Band Club stands now was Tim Austin's cobbler's shop.

George Mason kept a garage on the now Budgens store site.

In Pigott's Lane, further up from Skevington's barber shop, would be George Smith's bakehouse.

Mr. & Mrs. Coles kept a shoe shop in Newman Street (in the front room) as did Mrs. Wittering in Rosebery Street.

At the bottom of Finedon Street on the right hand side the Partridge family had a bakehouse and almost at the top was a Mr. Sturgess and another bakehouse.

Mid-way up Abbotts kept a cobbler's shop.

At the corner with Alexandra Street was Mrs. Brown's general store.

Opposite, in a tin hut, was Cunningham's fish and chip shop.

Almost next to the old Thorneloe clothing factory Palmer's ran a butcher's shop and general store in the front room.

Opposite the St. John Ambulance Room, a Mr. & Mrs. Parrish sold Cow & Gate baby food.

In Duke Street was A.G. Miller plumber, John Smith plumber, Bernie Brown plumber.

Next then 'Ag' Capps kept a general store.

Over the road was the Co-op grocery, bakers and abbatoir.

A.P.Lewis owned a builder's yard next to the Co-op, then Jack Benford with his barber's shop.

Opposite the old fire station, a Miss Kath Dunkley kept a cake and bread shop, the site now being car sales (now flats)

Bill Pentelow, living in 'tub row' Croxen's yard was Burton's chimney sweep.

Bricks were actually made in the old brickyard opposite the Infants School, now filled in. (And now built upon)


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