Millennium Photos

A millennium project in Market Lavington was to photograph everybody (or as many people asd possible) outside their house or premises. We have the photos in the museum and they provide a snapshot of who was where in the year 2000.

So here we have Mr Parker, the pharmacist, outside his shop on the corner of Market Place and High Street.

Mr Parker outside his chemist’s shop in the year 2000

 

Up until about 1960 this site had a different building which had been, amongst other things, a café, a Post Office and a bank. The old Tudor buildings were pulled down to make way for the expanding Wiltshire Agricultural Engineering business. This spot often had a brand new Massey Fergusson tractor parked on it as a kind of advert but the general area was a car park for the company. The new shops and Rochelle Court were built in the late 1980s.

These premises are still a chemist’s shop.

But back in 2000 the volunteer photographer also took a shot of Mr Parker in the shop.

and behind the prescriptions counter

Now that photo didn’t make the cut as it were – we have a negative but not a print. But we think it is good to see what the inside of a shop was like. It’s definitely one to keep for future generations.

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A Gypsy Rover

At Market Lavington Museum, we have no expertise on Romanies, gypsies or travellers but take an interest in all sorts of varied photos of the village. Here is one showing an unusual vehicle passing along Church Street. There is a touch of romance associated with the travelling life style – somewhat separate from the world that most of us live in. It seems (but probably isn’t) carefree – almost idyllic.

Were these people Romany folk, latter day travellers or holidaymakers? We don’t know, but the vehicle they have behind the horse certainly looks modern. The couple give every indication of being in control and contented.

People enjoying a travelling lifestyle on Church Street, Market Lavington in the early 1970s

This scene was captured on Market Lavington’s Church Street between 1971 and 1976. Many locals will recognise Peter Francis’ photographic shop in the background. Some will remember the Vivo grocery shop. A small number might remember this colourful garden shed on wheels passing through.

By 1976 the Vivo shop had become a Spar shop . The prices on the window are in decimal values so we know it was after February 15^th 1971. We think a Mr and Mrs Powell ran the Vivo store. Maybe it is Mrs Powell looking out through the window.

The caravan has the attention of the shop keeper

After Vivo and Spar, Mr Dempsey took over this shop and now it is a private house.

As ever, any further information would be gratefully received.

Easterton Shop – 1930s

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.

 

The Godfrey family at home

Robin Godfrey had the shop in Easterton – the one opposite the junction with Kings Road which at the moment has the car repair shop and yard.

Robin took the shop something like 100 years ago. He had married Lilian Smith in the Romford area of Essex in 1914, but Robert (Bob) was born in the Devizes area in 1916 so we guess they had the shop by then. A second child, Douglas, followed in 1924. Here we see the family.

The Godfrey family in the garden at their home – the shop in Easterton. About 1927

Judging by the age of the children we’d say this was about 1927. The location is in the garden behind the Easterton shop. We are reminded of how steeply gardens rise up behind the house on the Salisbury Plain side of Easterton High Street.

The family were still there when the 1939 electoral register was drawn up but we think Robin died in 1940.

Bob was running the shop into the 1950s but later he became a church minister working in Suffolk at one time. It was his son who sent us this lovely photo.

Mr Pomeroy in the 1870s

The title for this piece may seem odd when we see the post card that introduces him.

High Street and Market Place – 20th century

This rather careworn card is very much mid-20^th century. It clearly shows the Co-op on the left where we still find a Coop today. It also shows the Midland Bank across the other side of the Market Place.

A bank in 1938 but 65 years earlier it had been Mr Pomeroy’s shop

We know it was posted in 1938.

It was posted in Devizes and the date and time are clearly visible.

It is the message that introduces Mr Pomeroy into the story.

The section in question concerns that corner building.

This corner shop is a bank now but it was where father started with Mr Pomeroy about 65 years ago.

That takes us back to 1873. The 1871 census shows various Pomroys around the corner of High Street and Market Place,

Actually on Market Place was the widow Lydia Pomroy who was a retired linen draper’s wife. Around the corner on High Street there was Charles Draper and family. Charles was a linen draper. Also present is Edward Pomroy who was a partner in the drapery business.

Daniel Pomeroy, who was Edward and Charles’ father, had been running the drapery business since 1851 and maybe earlier.

By the way, the presence or not of a letter ‘e’ in Pomeroy seems to be down to chance!

 

A receipt from Harry Hobbs

Time was when there were at least four grocers/general stores in Market Lavington. One of them belonged to Harry Hobbs. His shop was almost immediately opposite the Green Dragon.

Today we look at a receipted bill issued by Harry in 1939.

A 1939 bill issued by Harry Hobbs of The Stores, Market Lavington

Perhaps Mrs Drury was getting in a little luxury to celebrate the New Year for she purchased a box of chocolates on December 30^th 1939. The price was three shillings which is 15p in current money. But something that cost those three shillings then would now cost about £8.30 so this was no cheap box. It may, of course, have been the last luxury for some time since World War II had started. Rationing of many products began in January 1940.

The bill sheet is lovely. Retailers usually were supplied with their bill sheets cheaply because they carried advertising and this one is for a still popular brand of tea. An elegant young lady is seen stirring her tea in an equally elegant cup and saucer. Typhoo seemed able to tell Harry Hobbs’ customers that their tea was recommended by doctors

What a lovely reminder of times past in our community.

A battered old photo

This photo has clearly seen better days but even so it is a lovely, lovely image.

The corner of High Street and White Street – 1920s

This is the corner of High Street and White Street in Market Lavington probably in the 1920s. At this time many of the buildings in and around that junction, on both sides of White Street, were part of Mr Walton’s department store. And it had a full range of departments. We’ll take a closer look at the photo in a moment, but apart from what we see Mr Walton had the Post Office business, a bakery, a hardware and fancy goods department and at times found space for toys as well. He operated a central cashier (Mrs Walton) system with one of those cash railways to zap money to her and for her to deal with change and send it back to the sales people. That way large sums of money were always secured.

We can clearly see that Mr Walton claimed to have a noted house for boots and shoes but let’s zoom in elsewhere.

hats, caps and ties department

The sign board says Hats, Caps and Ties but we see shirt like garments. These are without collars which were often separate and attached with collar studs.

Draper and outfitter

More signage – Up to Date Stores is long gone but ‘The house that value built’ was readable quite recently. This is the drapers and outfitters area,

And here are the staff.

Staff stand by the entrance

We don’t know who they are but we recognise a roll of lino on the right. There are odd glimpses of other things. Something happened or was offered on Wednesdays and a piece of enamel advert can be seen amongst the legs of the left side ladies.

As ever, any further information would be gratefully received.

A nineteenth century pulley block

This little pulley wheel looks ordinary enough but its cast iron construction and the style of rivet holding the wheel in identify it as 19^th century.

19th century pulley block found at 21 Church Street in Market Lavington

This was found attached to a first floor joist at 21 Church Street in Market Lavington. Presumably, when it was installed, there was no ceiling above the ground floor. For ease of photography, we see this pulley block upside down here.

Of course, we cannot be certain as to why this was used, but this building was once the shop and headquarters for the Hopkins family business. They operated a builders’ merchant and general ironmongery business from here.

21 Church Street in the Edwardian era

During shop opening hours some of the wares were on display outside on the pavement. Perhaps there was limited floor space inside the shop. The pulley could have been part of a system to lift such items off the ground and leave them hanging above head height.

It’s a lovely little pulley. Thanks to Bob for donating it.

Hopkins and the New Inn

This photo – we have a copy of the original and clearly it is under glass – is not of the highest quality, but nonetheless it shows and interesting scene.

Hopkins Ironmongers and The New Inn – Church Street, Market Lavington

This is a part of Church Street in Market Lavington in the early years of the 20^th century and it shows two thriving and prosperous businesses.

The near one is clearly labelled Hopkins Ironmongery Stores. And some of the wares are displayed outside – it looks like a shovel for every purpose. We do not know if the people outside the shop are members of the Hopkins family or passers-by at the time.

In early Victorian times Enos Price had run a horse drawn coach service from here to a railhead at Hungerford and that, no doubt, explains the current name of Coach House. The shop closed many a year ago and has been a private home for years now.

Next door is the New Inn which changed its name to the Drummer Boy when it no longer was an Inn because it didn’t offer overnight accommodation. That, too, has closed and at the time of writing is awaiting further development in some form. At the time of this photo it was clearly offering Usher’s Ales – a Trowbridge company.

The New Inn was selling Usher’s Ales

Times change. Back in 1860 Market Lavington was a market town. Gradually it has turned into a large village but we can be thankful still to have shops, a coffee shop and a pub serving our needs.

Peter Francis – his home and shop

Peter Francis almost became our village photographer by accident – or perhaps that should say by illness. He had been destined to be a part of the family butchery business but ill health found him unable to continue at that job. He fell back on his hobby, as a way of making a living and became a professional and very well respected photographer.

He and his wife, Bessie, had premises on Church Street. They had a retail shop, studio and dark room facilities. They lived in the flat above the shop.

Here is the building as many folks will remember it.

Peter Francis’ shop on Church Street in Market Lavington

The building is still there, of course, but now has only a residential function.

The windows display items for sale but also serve as a showcase for the work done by Peter and Bessie.

One of the shop windows features wedding photos

This one looks to feature recent wedding photos. Weddings were always good money spinners for photographers.

We can also spot a slide projector which reminds us of just how much photography has changed in the last twenty years.