We have recently gained a number of postcards of Easterton and this one has excited some interest. The scene is clear. The main focus of the photo is the shop – the one near the bottom of Easterton’s White Street and more or less opposite the Royal Oak pub.
Easterton shop in the 1930s
The shop is made clear with a zoom in.
Tea and lamp oil are advertised
An advert for Brooke Bond tea is clearly visible and, possibly, a poster for a garden fete. The end building advertises Empire lamp oil.
But what generates interest is the factory style chimney beyond the shop.
The factory style chimney on Easterton Street
As yet the purpose of this is unproven. Suggestions are that it could be a bakery or maybe a forge.
We’ll let you know when we discover its purpose.
This was a sent postcard. So let’s look at the back.
The back of the postcard
The recipient was Bessie Gye who became Bessie Francis. The senders were members of the Burnett family – well known in Easterton and previously shop keepers there. Bert and Elsie lived on High Street, Easterton. The date of sending appears to be 1938 but the postmark is not good.
Do help us sort out that chimney, if you can. Thanks.
Market Lavington Museum 
April 25, 2016 at 8:16 am |
The OS six inch map of 1885 shows a “Smithy” at SU 02105 54962. This is the probable location of the chimney.
April 25, 2016 at 9:09 am |
Thanks for the suggestion. We appreciate all possible ideas. I’m afraid the smithy was further down the street than this chimney. We have paced things out and it wasn’t at the smithy. In any case we have photos of the smithy which has no such chimney.
Any other ideas?
Rog
Curator
Curator
April 25, 2016 at 3:00 pm
Do you have a grid reference for the chimney?
Tony Rowlands
Tony Rowlands
April 25, 2016 at 9:41 pm
My best estimate is 02113 54883.
Hope that helps your search – but remember, the photo dates from 1937. We have a 1930s 6 inch map which shows nothing to indicate a chimney
Rog
Curator
November 16, 2021 at 3:18 pm |
We now know that the chimney was behind The Nightingale Baker and Grocer Shop in a photo dating from about 1890. The caption below this photo includes, ‘The bread was baked in the building with the very tall chimney.’ Thank you, Jim and Joy for your detective work.