Shops , Blisworth, Northamptonshire, UK.

All pictures are presented at relatively low resolution.  There will be hundreds of pictures on this site - there is an economic limit to the webspace available.  The point of this presentation is that you can see for yourself the extent of the collection and return later as the collection expands - as it surely will.  Any interest in copies of a picture at a higher resolution (ie. clarity) should be directed through contacts given in the Blisworth "Round and About" parish council publication or using the comment form on the home page.  In some cases the pictures are not available due to copyright restrictions.  However, permission has been obtained, where possible, to include them here.  Printed below each image is the photographer's name, if known.

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For insight into various shops or trades in 1935, the time of the Jubilee celebrations for King George V, see the record of bills presented to the Blisworth Parish Council or its Jubilee celebration committee.

29-01

William and Edith Phillips, based in Milton, bought this house in the High Street next to the pump in 1934 from Mr Pinfold the coal merchant.  They fashioned a front door and larger window.  The florist and greengrocer shop of the Alexander's was immediately to the left.

29-02

This is Marjorie Phillips, daughter, (now Carter) in 1948.

In 1950 the Phillips demolish their house and the council demolish the house to the right - leaving the pump which remained in use.  The Phillips then built the new newspaper shop in the space created.

And for a further 3 years the pump remained in service at their front door.  The new shop was run by son Russell until the 1960's and was then sold to the Battersbys.

This photograph is to explain the changes.  The original photograph was taken in c. 1920 by Walter Alexander (see Occasions page).   In red is shown the new door and the window (1934).  The pump P and the jetty-way J to the rear of the houses are shown.  Mr. Pinfold, the coal merchant, used to daily take his horse through this jetty-way into the rear garden (not actually through his house as some have said).

After demolition and rebuilding, the Alexander's property, now No. 12, remained to the left of the green lines marked A and the new shop NS was built to the right of the other set of green lines.  The new shop was set back to be in line with the front elevation of No 12.  A new jetty-way was left between the old and new - in line with the 'new' door.

This picture was taken whilst oil street lighting was still in use - pre-1928.  At that time Mrs Huggett's sweet shop was the first door on the right.  The sign above the door advertises "Rowntree's Wine Gums".  A little later, the shop was moved to the second door and the nearest house fell to near ruin and was used as a store until the demolition of four cottages on The Cross, including the shop, in c. 1950.

Shown are the row of houses extending from the bacon factory buildings (both sides of the white gates) down the Stoke Road to the entrance to a yard which is still an access way today.  Originally thatched, the roof was modified in a very unusual way to cater for the four dormer windows.  The bay window was associated with a clothes shop as far back as 1900 and in one of the Stoke Road images, 30-04, can be read a sign advertising "Agent for Sketchley Dye Works of Hinckley" - the forerunner of the dry cleaning company.

The walls threatened with bulges and the row was demolished for modern development in c. 1973.

29-08  In 1866 the Northampton Progressionists Society established this shop with its prominent brick wings.  The society disbanded in 1870 and Walter Young, a farmer's son from Roade, moved in to set up a grocer's general store.  There is a compilation by GF of typical shop prices in 1870.  From 1871 to 1983 it was run by the Young family and still stands today as a general store with an extension built in 1984, on the left-hand end, to house the post office section.

Early adverts by Walter Young are issued by a W J Young.  However, the first bulletin for the new shop is from W D Young - there's a little bit of family tree work needed here.

Note that the linked images from here may need to be enlarged.  Internet Explorer provides an icon for this if you hover the mouse over the picture for a few seconds.

29-09  Oliver Young, two sons, Frank and Robert, and a bulldog.  In the background is their shop driver, Mr Plowman.

Oliver's full name was Oliver Thomas B. Young and he soon earned the nickname "Oh to be .."

The cost of items in the late 19th century has been tabulated by Geo Freeston in this document.

29-12 Mr & Mrs Bob Young and staff, c.1960.