A stroll down New Road - Odds 127 to 141
Map Data: Purple - Early Cottage Names / Blue - Current Cottage Names / Green - Buildings on 1880 OS Map / Pink - Buildings since 1914 OS Map
Its next door pair, No. 127¸ in 1940, 1968 and 1974 was “Ernest B Durrant, Watchmaker” and this is currently occupied by an Osteopath.
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One of the many clocks manufactured by Ernest Durrant used to hang on the wall of St Oswald’s church when it was still a dual use hall. It later hung on the wall of the vicar’s vestry in St Oswald’s church.
Between Nos. 127 and 129 is the short alleyway through to the Community Way Car Park.
None of the properties from No. 83 to No. 127 inclusive were shown on the 1898 O.S. map but all were on the 1914 edition, tying down their construction dates (probably) to within this period.
The first property after the alley is No. 129/131, until recently “Olympic Group Limited” who offered refrigeration and air conditioning design, installation and service, is now the new premises of “New Road Podiatry”, formerly of No.117.
I assume, from the style of the building and the type of bricks used, that this pair and the next were rebuilt in the 60s or 70s, replacing a block of four cottages which were around in the 1880s.
In 1974 No. 131 was listed as “Lloyds Bank Limited”. It is not clear whether this occupied both properties and I have found no previous information on any other commercial use here.
It has been suggested that No. 131 may at one time have been a confectioners and tobacconist and also possibly a sun tanning / health shop, but I don’t have any further information as yet.
Nos. 133 & 135 are listed in the 1968 Kelly’s as “A J Wade, Newsagent and Tobacconist”. Interestingly, No. 125, a few doors previously, had been run by a Mrs H L Wade as a newsagent in 1940. By 1974 the proprietor of Nos. 133/135 was listed as “Lavells”.
Between Nos. 127 and 129 is the short alleyway through to the Community Way Car Park.
None of the properties from No. 83 to No. 127 inclusive were shown on the 1898 O.S. map but all were on the 1914 edition, tying down their construction dates (probably) to within this period.
The first property after the alley is No. 129/131, until recently “Olympic Group Limited” who offered refrigeration and air conditioning design, installation and service, is now the new premises of “New Road Podiatry”, formerly of No.117.
I assume, from the style of the building and the type of bricks used, that this pair and the next were rebuilt in the 60s or 70s, replacing a block of four cottages which were around in the 1880s.
In 1974 No. 131 was listed as “Lloyds Bank Limited”. It is not clear whether this occupied both properties and I have found no previous information on any other commercial use here.
It has been suggested that No. 131 may at one time have been a confectioners and tobacconist and also possibly a sun tanning / health shop, but I don’t have any further information as yet.
Nos. 133 & 135 are listed in the 1968 Kelly’s as “A J Wade, Newsagent and Tobacconist”. Interestingly, No. 125, a few doors previously, had been run by a Mrs H L Wade as a newsagent in 1940. By 1974 the proprietor of Nos. 133/135 was listed as “Lavells”.
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Both of the blocks of original cottages, i.e. those that would, today, have been numbered 129/131 and 133/135, were shown on the 1871 O.S. map.
I suspect that they were rebuilt at the same time as the previous pair, and it looks as though the dual porches have been built on as part of their conversion back to private residences. No house numbers were showing at the time of my site visit but, to fit in with the current street numbering, they should be 133 and 135. |
Numbers 133 & 135 in 2006
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J Dimmock’s shop c1910
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No. 141 is one of the shops that most people who have been in the area for any length of time will probably know about.
It is one of the earliest shops in New Road and is thought to have been built in the late 1890s. It was run originally by S A Flack as a Grocers shop and, in 1903 it was sold to a Mr Joseph Dimmock. He remained the proprietor until 1938, although the 1919/20 Kelly’s shows that it was also used by a newsagent by the name of Albert Jackman. |
The above photograph which dates, I suspect, from about 1910, has been copied from an old local postcard. I find it interesting to note the trouble that has been taken building up the displays of cans in the window and the rather quaint hand delivery cart outside is very much a sign of the times.
Dimmock’s also served as a Post Office for many years and also a Parcels Office for the local London and North Western Railway, as can just be made out from the two advertising boards in the front garden area of the left hand side of the shop.
Dimmock’s also served as a Post Office for many years and also a Parcels Office for the local London and North Western Railway, as can just be made out from the two advertising boards in the front garden area of the left hand side of the shop.
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A good idea of food prices of the period can be gained from his Christmas 1904 Flyer (printed alongside) which, amongst other things, advertises Finest Apples at 3½ d per 2 pounds weight. (The “d” is an old penny of which there were 240 to the pound sterling); dates at 2d per pound and many other mouth watering items!
In silhouette the shop resembled a largish bungalow with dormer windows in the roof. It appears from the old photograph that only the right hand half was the shop, the curtains in the lower left hand windows making it look more like living accommodation or perhaps an office. The front “garden” did, however contain advertising boards for its LNWR Parcels facility. |
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A Mr Alex Bryant came to work at the shop in 1926 and, ten years later in 1936, took it over, by which time the left hand side had been brought into use as a paint and hardware store. Soon after, the name of the store, not unreasonably, was changed to “A V Bryant, High Class Grocer, Provision Merchant and Post Office”.
In 1946 the two shops were made into one and by 1967, as the nearby advert shows, it had become “Self Service” and was also advertising the sales of wines, beers and spirits in addition to groceries. By 1971 it called itself a “Family Grocers and Off-Licence”.
Mr Bryant remained with the store until his retirement in 1971 when it was taken over by A & J Dickens.
An advert in the St. Oswald’s church magazine of 1972 confirms the new owners (still under the old name but with the new owners’ names in brackets)
In 1946 the two shops were made into one and by 1967, as the nearby advert shows, it had become “Self Service” and was also advertising the sales of wines, beers and spirits in addition to groceries. By 1971 it called itself a “Family Grocers and Off-Licence”.
Mr Bryant remained with the store until his retirement in 1971 when it was taken over by A & J Dickens.
An advert in the St. Oswald’s church magazine of 1972 confirms the new owners (still under the old name but with the new owners’ names in brackets)
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A 1988 advert in the same magazine shows it then to have become the “New Road Supermarket (Londis)” specialising in Freshly Ground Coffee.
(One of the beautiful smells of the old high streets that we don’t seem to get nowadays was the smell of roasting coffee beans.)
(One of the beautiful smells of the old high streets that we don’t seem to get nowadays was the smell of roasting coffee beans.)
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Briefly in the early 2000s it was used by the “Pearson Turner Partnership” (Estate and letting agents - now resident at No. 276 further down on the other side of the road).
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In spite of the fact that the roof has been renewed, the chimney removed and the windows replaced, the overall shape still appears to be exactly as it was, even including the small flat roof extension on the right.
By 2006 it had been split back into two shops – Fantasy Flowers on the left side and James, Estate Agents on the right. It is interesting that they both still bear the number 141 although clearly separate units.
By 2006 it had been split back into two shops – Fantasy Flowers on the left side and James, Estate Agents on the right. It is interesting that they both still bear the number 141 although clearly separate units.
Fantasy Flowers in 2006
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The left hand unit recently closed as Fantasy Flowers and is now a very popular Coffee House and Deli.
Coffee House & Deli in 2020
