The Kent History Forum

Life Stories and Personal Memories => Personal Memories => Topic started by: Dave Smith on September 10, 2020, 11:14:27 PM

Title: Medway shops
Post by: Dave Smith on September 10, 2020, 11:14:27 PM
Shoot999. Don't know why you were told off, it was local social history. So here goes! Before WW2, in fact before I started school in 1935, I used to go on the 19 bus (1d adults) from Gillingham cemetery to the High Street with my mother on Tuesdays & Fridays to shop. Those that I remember, starting with the railway station behind me, on LH side, were Maypole( grocers), Lefever( curtains & material, etc. & haberdashery), Barclays Bank, x over Canterbury Street, Rix( furniture), a "wet" fish shop ( sold whale meat during WW2!), Library.X over & return on the other side. Hubble & Ames( sports- Ames the Kent & England wicket keeper), a toy shop?, x over C. Street, Liptons( grocers), David Greig (large grocers & butchers- who made up your butter pack from a cubic foot- or more-with a pair of paddles), Co Op tobacconists with the barber shop at the back, THE Co Op ( large grocers & butchers below & a variety of other goods- they had the overhead cables to send the money to a glass central cashier-who returned the receipt & any change the same way & upstairs ladies & gents outfitters, curtains & material( always fascinated me the price was always " something & eleven three" e.g. 1 shilling & eleven pence & three farthings!), a short road with an underground ladies & gents toilets- in the Winter on the corner a small stall selling hot chestnuts, Woolworths (3d & 6d general store), International Stores(grocers), & a pub near the end. As you can imagine, I've forgotten the names of most, but it was 85 years ago.  And I think all those names have gone as well now- apart from the Co Op( I still remember our divi no.1509. My Dad was a keen Co Op man & the divi gave us our Christmas chicken!). 
Title: Re: Medway shops
Post by: castle261 on September 11, 2020, 10:37:07 AM
Dave & Shoot99 - The reason why the prices ended in ----- ---- & three farthings was -
You had to go to or send to the till - the money to get a farthing change - the way to
stop the - money from going into the assistants pocket !


I started school in 1932 !
Title: Re: Medway shops
Post by: Lyn L on September 11, 2020, 10:49:27 AM
Dave, you may even remember a tobacconist shop next to Barclays bank ? It was owned by 'Solly' Halpern . It had small windows  and he always wore an embroidered skull cap ( smoking hat ) It was still there in 1962 but can't remember when it did go now. Had a friend who worked in there .
Title: Re: Medway shops
Post by: MartinR on September 11, 2020, 11:41:05 AM
Unless you know better I doubt that it was a "smoking hat".  With a name like "Solly" (Soloman?) I would assume he was Jewish and the skull cap was a Kippah as worn by orthodox Jewish men.  See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kippah
Title: Re: Medway shops
Post by: Lyn L on September 11, 2020, 12:26:18 PM
Thank you Martin , yes that would be the name of it ;D  he was very Jewish and came from the Halpern family who were very well known. I just didn't know the actual name of the hat .
Title: Re: Medway shops
Post by: castle261 on February 17, 2021, 10:37:54 AM
Interesting piece of film on T.V. this morning ` Briton on film ` ( B.I..F Government film )
`Showing a wartime march past - in Chatham High St. - I had seen it before
showing Royal Marines - then soldiers in full battle dress - marching past Union St
with the corn merchant shop Hadaways & the Brook - in the background.
Perhaps someone could capture the last few minutes - & put it on K.H.F.