From Harry Hobbs’ Shop

We have met Harry before on this blog. (Click here). We know that Harry’s father in law bought the grocery business opposite The Green Dragon because Harry’s job as a bus driver had been curtailed by injury. He and his wife ran the shop from 1934 through to 1968.

During that time manufacturers, no doubt, provided Harry with all sorts of advertising material and some large card adverts have just come to light. They had been stored in the loft above the shop. We think they date from the 1950s.

Some are for products still familiar to us.

Large card Ovaltine ad from Harry Hobbs’ shop on High Street, Market Lavington.
1950s

This is not the only one of these big signs to feature a cherubic, fair haired lad. He must have been a popular image back in the 50s – perhaps the kind of son every mum would have wanted.

But here’s a hanging ad for a lesser known product.

Hanging card ad for Ismay electric lamps – also from Harry Hobbs’ shop.

Well first of all – proper light bulbs. Yes, they burn more electricity than the modern ones, but didn’t they give a nicer light?

With apologies to Ismay lamps, we haven’t heard of them although clearly they were made in England – Essex, we understand. Presumably Harry sold these lamps. Perhaps he had a bayonet fitting he could plug them into to test them. Some of us, who remember the 50s, do recall that shopkeepers did do this and that may explain the somewhat open nature of the packaging.

This is just a small part of this find at Harry’s old shop. No doubt we’ll see more in the future on this blog.

We don’t have space to display them in the museum at the moment, so look out for them at events. Weather permitting we’ll have them at local fetes this year. They are such lovely items that speak volumes about those times, around 60 years ago.

 

Tags: 1950s, adverts, Shop