The Kent History Forum

Leisure, Sport and Entertainment => Retail => Topic started by: castle261 on December 04, 2019, 06:52:10 PM

Title: ` First `
Post by: castle261 on December 04, 2019, 06:52:10 PM
I worked in a shop `George Carters ` next to Woolworth. in Chatham High Street.
Their claim to fame is that ` their shop in Peckham London, always got the result of the `Derby`
before anybody else `. ( jockey with headphones ) ?
Title: Re: ` First `
Post by: stuartwaters on December 04, 2019, 07:47:53 PM
What did the shop sell?
Title: Re: ` First `
Post by: Smiffy on December 05, 2019, 01:12:24 PM
Carters was an outfitters - you can see part of it on the left side of this photo from 1948:



Title: Re: ` First `
Post by: castle261 on December 05, 2019, 02:15:14 PM
Thats just as it was -- pre Pentagon days.
Title: Re: ` First `
Post by: shoot999 on December 05, 2019, 03:20:48 PM
Similar view. And how I remember it from the 60s. Seems within a short space of time all the gents outfitters with crusty old servers were replaced by boutiques and dolly birds. I remember this part of Chatham would be thriving on a Saturday with teens spending on clothes and records. Pirate radio broadcasting from every shop front. Happy carefree days :)
Title: Re: ` First `
Post by: Smiffy on December 05, 2019, 08:21:17 PM
Yes, I can remember it being quite enjoyable walking up and down Chatham high street. Today - not so much.
Title: Re: ` First `
Post by: Colin walsh on March 02, 2020, 11:31:14 PM
Thanks for the trip down memory lane re the photos,had a couple of favorite shops in the "old"high street,1:-De Marcos tea shop,best ice cream Sunday's in Chatham ,allways crowded  even up stairs ,the other being a toy/school clothing shop,think it was Laing,or pains not to certain,but I think it had a sister shop in strood every cristmas it put on a wonderfull show of the latest toys,can't recall the number of times I stood glued to the window making my " wish list"while mum shoped in"Woolis"
Strange Overhead system of payment in shop,mony put in a container then sent whizzing of to come back with the change,if any,




Title: Re: ` First `
Post by: MartinR on March 03, 2020, 08:48:47 AM
See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cash_carrier (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cash_carrier)  I remember the "Rapid Wire" type systems used in the local (Hurst Hill) Co-op in the early 1960s.  As well as any change the return package included the "divvy" sticker which was applied to Mum's book.
Title: Re: ` First `
Post by: castle261 on March 03, 2020, 10:26:21 AM
Ah yes Di Marco, their banana split @ 2 shillings & sixpence - I could`nt eat it all - Later Terenze`s
The memories come flooding back. Paine`s toy shop, had a cash pulley system in High St. Chatham.
Title: Re: ` First `
Post by: Smiffy on March 03, 2020, 12:38:55 PM
Definitely remember DiMarco's - the Knickerbocker Glory was also 2/6. I can't remember Terenzy's although I can remember Mum talking about them - weren't they in Church street?
 
The overhead wire-pull system was also used in Featherstones - downstairs they had a pneumatic tube system, I sometime wonder if it is still there.
Title: Re: ` First `
Post by: pete.mason on March 03, 2020, 02:14:30 PM
See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cash_carrier (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cash_carrier)  I remember the "Rapid Wire" type systems used in the local (Hurst Hill) Co-op in the early 1960s.  As well as any change the return package included the "divvy" sticker which was applied to Mum's book.


The Lampson cash Railway, There is one in Faversham musuem and they donated  me parts to restore one in Newhaven Museum, Lovely clunk sound. Loder & Paynes or Henry Paynes in Bank St Maidstone had sets too into the 1970s
Title: Re: ` First `
Post by: castle261 on March 04, 2020, 11:33:24 AM
Will ask Mr. Featherstone, when I see him - smiffy, about the cash transfer system, they had.
Title: Re: ` First `
Post by: Dave Smith on March 04, 2020, 12:40:28 PM
The Co Op in Gillingham High Street also had the overhead runway for the money to be transferred to the cashires' in a central, elevated, glass sided "shed". In the early 30's, I used to go shopping with my mum every Tuesday & Friday & was fascinated by the system. We shopped a lot at Co Op's ( even had our hair cut there), for the divi paid for our Christmas dinner( medium or large chicken). I still remember our number 1509.
Title: Re: ` First `
Post by: KeithG on March 04, 2020, 02:23:29 PM
Picture of Paines in Chatham High Street and also a similar picture of the High Street in 1950 compared to the previous 1969.


Surprising even in this older part of Chatham how the scene changed from the 50`s to the 70`s?....

The pavement line by the shoe shop and some chimneys gone also BHS windows...
Title: Re: ` First `
Post by: Lutonman on March 05, 2020, 11:33:51 AM
Paines was the place to go for the school uniform
Title: Re: ` First `
Post by: pete.mason on March 05, 2020, 11:39:08 AM
and cubs kit,
Title: Re: ` First `
Post by: Colin walsh on March 05, 2020, 11:55:06 AM
Yep Pains allso had a monopoly on cub /girl guide uniforms and equipment ,very pricy as I recall.
Can any one remember the pie shop in Chatham high street?had a very large oven actually in the shop
Made the most delicious meat and potato pies,
Terenzy Brothers was not in the high street it was up one of the side roads,allso name of the theater up the ally ba sides woolworths please?
Title: Re: ` First `
Post by: castle261 on March 05, 2020, 12:02:53 PM
The ` Invicta `or commonly called `The Bug Hutch `.
Title: Re: ` First `
Post by: Smiffy on March 07, 2020, 08:28:07 PM
The other Carter's shop, which once stood on the corner of Meeting House lane.

Title: Re: ` First `
Post by: KeithG on March 28, 2020, 12:43:41 PM
Yes i can remember my Stepmother dragging me off to Paines in Strood for my school uniform.
Next Year it was Featherstones opposite Gundulph Road in Rochester High Street.....they too had the Lampson Paragon System which carried payment from the shop floor to the cashier at the rear.The cash was catapulted in a wheeled cup along wires to the cash desk where it was checked and change sent back.
It was changed every year which shop stocked my uniform and the last year for me was Leaveys Gents Outfitters at the bottom of Manor Road/High Street Chatham.
Old Picture of Leaveys.
Title: Re: ` First `
Post by: castle261 on January 05, 2022, 06:39:43 PM
Speaking of Featherstone`s - it is in the process of being renovated. The part called ` Chatham House ` that is.
I believe they have finally obtain a grant - for the work - Mr Featherstone wanted it to be made into flats.
I went in there in September on a Heritage day - now the scaffolding is up - the complete the outside.
Title: Re: ` First `
Post by: AlanTH on January 06, 2022, 09:27:46 AM
Mother used to take us to Featherstones quite often when we were little kids and we watched amazed at the Lampson system with those canisters whizz along. When we lived on Maidstone Road  in Cookham Wood a chap who worked there and lived down the road won the pools, 75K quid.  This was around the late 50s from memory. He gave up work as a bedding salesman there immediately and bought a house in Priestfields.
75K  was a lot of brass in those days and I wouldn't mind it today either.
Actually I bought a Panasonic radio (about 20 quid) from them back in around 1978 which I still have sitting next to my computer which I often turn on and listen to. Not bad value and still going well after 43 years and being used in many remote mine sites here in Oz when I worked in them. It was the only means of hearing the news in those days if in that sort of area. No mobiles, no TV and sometime a very long drive to a phone to call home.
Bit off topic that. :)
AlanH.


Title: Re: ` First `
Post by: castle261 on January 06, 2022, 09:52:51 AM
Another man who won £75,000 on Vernon Pools worked on ships around the 1950s - I know his name - but will not use it on here. He ALWAYS said ` I am going to win the pools ` & he did. I understand he bought three more houses  for the family members. I did a drawing of the dockside - of a hut where his win was recorded -I painted it later         I have it somewhere - I had forgotten,his name - until now. ----------------- ( A nice piece of local knowledge )
Title: Re: ` First `
Post by: MartinR on January 07, 2022, 09:54:34 AM
Hi AlanTH.  What sort of mine?  I only ask because taking electrical apparatus down a coal mine in the UK is a really big serious NO.
Title: Re: ` First `
Post by: AlanTH on January 08, 2022, 09:19:43 AM
I didn't actually take it down any mine Martin, it was for use in my room at night for personal pleasure. I never worked in a coal mine either but did in iron ore, copper and gold mines. Underground and open caste as a mechanical fitter fixing all sorts of machinery.
AlanH.

 
Title: Re: ` First `
Post by: castle261 on February 16, 2022, 09:25:08 AM
Featherstone`s on the border of Rochester & Chatham - in the the High Street - has received a cash grant & is now repairing `Chatham House`.
The front part will be restored by March this year - then they will start - the restore of the interior of the building,
The garden opposite - is also boarded off - More news as the repair`s - are completed.