Having been born and lived on the Old Deans Estate in South Shields i remember some of the Shopkeepers who made a Massive Difference when times were Tough !.
There was Elliotts who were a General Grocers shop who used to give my Mum Credit when Dads money never used to come through in time as he was a Deep Sea Sailor who would be away for years at a time sometimes, Mr Elliott was also a Milkman. There was also Mr Barnes the Barber who had an old Collie dog that i believed Died the same time Mr Barnes died !. The butcher was a Gentleman called Horace who moved to the bottom of John Williamson Street when the Deans were being Pulled Down, he would let us stand in the back of the shop when we were kids and let us watch how he'd make sausages and prepare the meat. Then there was Mr Gates the Newsagent who was a Short Stocky Fella who would always give us Sweets when he knew we were on the Bones of our Asses . . lol. And one of my Favourite shops of all was Bobby Balls pork shop at Tyne Dock, some of the Best Penny Dips we will NEVER get the chance to taste again.
I would like to thank them all for their kindness and community spirit in those Hard and Oppressing times . . God Bless Them all . .
Who remembers Jack Stamp's newspaper shop in Cuthbert Street, and who might please have a photograph ? Also a snap of Coun. George Rossiter's wood and joinery place at the Smith Street end of Wilson Street ?
Harry Hogg's shop was on the corner of Wenlock Road and Newcastle Road, I knew him as a fellow playing member of the People's Mission Band in Fort Street at the Lawe Top from the middle 1950's for some years before I joined the RAF. He was a nice friendly chap and a good church man, and I always enjoyed his company and conversation.
Noggin wrote:Having been born and lived on the Old Deans Estate in South Shields i remember some of the Shopkeepers who made a Massive Difference when times were Tough !.
There was Elliotts who were a General Grocers shop who used to give my Mum Credit when Dads money never used to come through in time as he was a Deep Sea Sailor who would be away for years at a time sometimes, Mr Elliott was also a Milkman. There was also Mr Barnes the Barber who had an old Collie dog that i believed Died the same time Mr Barnes died !. The butcher was a Gentleman called Horace who moved to the bottom of John Williamson Street when the Deans were being Pulled Down, he would let us stand in the back of the shop when we were kids and let us watch how he'd make sausages and prepare the meat. Then there was Mr Gates the Newsagent who was a Short Stocky Fella who would always give us Sweets when he knew we were on the Bones of our Asses . . lol. And one of my Favourite shops of all was Bobby Balls pork shop at Tyne Dock, some of the Best Penny Dips we will NEVER get the chance to taste again.
I would like to thank them all for their kindness and community spirit in those Hard and Oppressing times . . God Bless Them all . .
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I remember in 1973 I would walk past the Deans on the way to Stanhope Rd (West Park) school. Me and my mate would stop at that shop and buy one or two cigarettes. The shopkeeper was quite happy to open a pack so he could sell them loose for a penny each. He'd often give us a couple of matches too. He must have known we were way too young to smoke but it just didn't matter then. Mind you, when splitting packs of fags, he'd only use the cheap ones like Sovereign or No 6!!
If I remember right, the Deans were being cleared for demolition about the time I left school in 1978 and lots went to live in Whitburn and some to Sima. I may be a bit out with my dates mind.
Harry Hogg's shop was on the corner of Wenlock Road and Newcastle Road, I knew him as a fellow playing member of the People's Mission Band in Fort Street at the Lawe Top from the middle 1950's for some years before I joined the RAF. He was a nice friendly chap and a good church man, and I always enjoyed his company and conversation.
Being from that part of Simonside, I used that shop a lot but, do you remember the shop further up Wenlock Rd, at the junction with Fenwick Avenue facing the hairdressers. I lived very close to that but I can't really remember it being there for long after I left Simonside Juniors. I reckon it must have closed in about the mid seventies. It was also a general dealers and when I was very young, me and my mates would stop there on the way to Sima Juniors and buy sweets. The owner had "The Penny Box" & it was full of stuff like Mojo's, Refreshers, Black-Jacks etc. It's been a doctors surgery for many decades and I think it still is.
Coffeys' shop on the corner of Grosvenor Road & Helmsley road. We lived across the road & Sylvia Coffey was my Mam's best friend & Bingo pal! I remember Mr Coffey very well - a sweet man, who sadly had a stroke so struggled to speak after that. 1p orange lollies, ha'penny chews: fruit salads! And 4oz of black bullets!
Harry Hogg's shop was on the corner of Wenlock Road and Newcastle Road, I knew him as a fellow playing member of the People's Mission Band in Fort Street at the Lawe Top from the middle 1950's for some years before I joined the RAF. He was a nice friendly chap and a good church man, and I always enjoyed his company and conversation.
Being from that part of Simonside, I used that shop a lot but, do you remember the shop further up Wenlock Rd, at the junction with Fenwick Avenue facing the hairdressers. I lived very close to that but I can't really remember it being there for long after I left Simonside Juniors. I reckon it must have closed in about the mid seventies. It was also a general dealers and when I was very young, me and my mates would stop there on the way to Sima Juniors and buy sweets. The owner had "The Penny Box" & it was full of stuff like Mojo's, Refreshers, Black-Jacks etc. It's been a doctors surgery for many decades and I think it still is.
I'm so very old!!
Not so very old Markofpity. Just joined Sandancers and came across your post. I used to serve in that shop as a junior assistant and the manageress was Lilian Ritson, who was quite elderly then, (c 1964). The shop was called Vernon's Price Down run by the Moores Group. I remember "The penny box", just under the checkout by the till. I had to watch the little blighters like a hawk as some of them would fill their pockets from it as soon as my back was turned!! Ah happy days.
Not so very old Markofpity. Just joined Sandancers and came across your post. I used to serve in that shop as a junior assistant and the manageress was Lilian Ritson, who was quite elderly then, (c 1964). The shop was called Vernon's Price Down run by the Moores Group. I remember "The penny box", just under the checkout by the till. I had to watch the little blighters like a hawk as some of them would fill their pockets from it as soon as my back was turned!! Ah happy days.
That's exactly where I remember the penny box to be and I must admit I may have snaffled the odd Refresher myself on my way to Sima juniors. That would have been later sixties mind and I have no memory of anyone specific owning or working in that shop until an Indian chap took it on. He had it only for a short time before it closed.
Not so very old Markofpity. Just joined Sandancers and came across your post. I used to serve in that shop as a junior assistant and the manageress was Lilian Ritson, who was quite elderly then, (c 1964). The shop was called Vernon's Price Down run by the Moores Group. I remember "The penny box", just under the checkout by the till. I had to watch the little blighters like a hawk as some of them would fill their pockets from it as soon as my back was turned!! Ah happy days.
That's exactly where I remember the penny box to be and I must admit I may have snaffled the odd Refresher myself on my way to Sima juniors. That would have been later sixties mind and I have no memory of anyone specific owning or working in that shop until an Indian chap took it on. He had it only for a short time before it closed.
i guess it closed as he never did get the hang of english money, you give him 10p and bought 20p worth of sweets and he give you 30p change, great shop lol
Not so very old Markofpity. Just joined Sandancers and came across your post. I used to serve in that shop as a junior assistant and the manageress was Lilian Ritson, who was quite elderly then, (c 1964). The shop was called Vernon's Price Down run by the Moores Group. I remember "The penny box", just under the checkout by the till. I had to watch the little blighters like a hawk as some of them would fill their pockets from it as soon as my back was turned!! Ah happy days.
That's exactly where I remember the penny box to be and I must admit I may have snaffled the odd Refresher myself on my way to Sima juniors. That would have been later sixties mind and I have no memory of anyone specific owning or working in that shop until an Indian chap took it on. He had it only for a short time before it closed.
i guess it closed as he never did get the hang of english money, you give him 10p and bought 20p worth of sweets and he give you 30p change, great shop lol
I remember passing the shop one day when I was about 7 or 8. The Indian chap was standing in the doorway eating small green things that on reflection, may have been chili's. He saw I was curious and offered me one with a knowing grin. I ate the thing and within about two minutes I was in real trouble. The thing was so hot I just wasn't able to handle it and my Mam got a hell of a fright when I burst into the house in tears with a bright red face and threw up in the sink. I suppose it was not meant to be such a cruel trick but my Mam was furious and Indian chappy sure felt her wrath that day.
At that time, an Asian owned store was still quite rare, especially in North East England and as soon as the Indian bloke took over many locals stopped using that shop out of sheer prejudice. It's funny you mention his habit of giving wrong change as once, I was in the shop with my Dad and after buying some sweets I noticed that the bloke had given me way too much change. I was over the moon but my dad obviously wanted to teach me some values and he made me take the excess change back.....I was gutted.
Does anyone remember Hazel and George Richardson who owned the newsagents in westoe rd in the 80's please? Its my grandparents who have both since passed away and im interested in hearing more about them.
