At the beginning of the twentieth century and up to the 1920s the shops were small and many were part of people's homes, for example:-
Mordue-General Dealer and Haberdasher
Kit Thompson-Confectioner and Newsagent
Dann-Confectioner
Edwin Elliott-General Dealer
Bailey-who baked and sold from his home
Even the Post Office in The Knowles was part of a house.
In the 1930s a terrace of purpose-built shops was erected on the south side of Front Street, just north of Whickham Chase Park. On the opposite side of Front Street houses were converted into shops.
Next came General Stores such as Thompson's Red Stamp Stores, Moore's Stores, Law's Stores and the Hadrian Supply Company.
The 1970s saw the demolition of the north side of Front Street from Church Chare to the Spoor Chapel. This included houses, Sam Curry's electrical and TV shop, Rae and Dolly Curry's drapery with ladies outfitting and Henry Taylor's butchers' shop. In their place the shops of St. Mary's Green were built. Another group of shops was built in The Square to the west of the Spoor Chapel.
In the 1980s as shops became vacant they were taken over by Building Societies and Estate Agents. The 1990s saw the introduction of Financial Agencies.
The last home/shop, Starks, closed in the early 90s having been established in 1921 in Whaggs Lane.
The main shopping area is still on Front Street from St. Mary's the Virgin Church to Whickham Community Church on Fellside Road. On the Grange Estate is a Post Office with Newsagents, Safeway Supermarket (formerly Presto) and another Newsagents. There are no shops on Fellside Park or Clavering Estates
Ganny Willis - The Pink House - On Sunday evening she would open her front room and sell sweets and lemonade to the passers - by who made the regular Sunday evening stroll from the Village to the top of Carr's Bank. The sweets were displayed on a big round table. Ganny Willis always wore black with a cameo brooch at her neck.
Fernleigh Ladies Hairdressers - The shop open about 1934 with a special offer of a permanent wave for 5/=. Marcel waves 1/=, hair cut 6d, shampoo and set 2/=. There's no Wave like a Eugene Wave - 10/6d and it took 3 hours for hot perming. There were 4 cubicles for privacy. A high chair for the little ones. Hair was dyed with red henna.
Lloyds Bank - when it was on the other side of Front Street. It was open for only 4 mornings a week. There was a guard with a dog outside.
The Crown Garage - with petrol pumps by the roadside. It is now Barclay's Bank.
The Piccadilly Cake Shop - site of the late lamented Northern Rock Building Society. Lovely steak pies! Cakes ! Cream when no-one else could get it.
Eggleston's General Dealers - black treacle out of a barrel, belly pork and a wooden counter.
Thompson's Red Stamp Stores - next door to Spoor Chapel
The Co-op on Fellside Road - Groceries where the Chinese Take-away is and Hardware and Drapers opposite.
SHOPS PAST AND PRESENT
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REPAIRERS Edward Douglas 1906 Thomas Cunningham 1913 Edward Hilary 1913 - 1918 William McPherson 1921 John Robinson 1921 J Mole 1931 John G Muncaster 1931 - 46 Leslie Muncaster 1946 -1977 William Pellett 1934 - 1960s Harry Edwards 1939 John Robson 1939 HAIRDRESSERS Charles Rising 1906 - 1931 M Penrose 1931 - 1939 M Potter 1931 - 1939 Fernleigh 1939 - Edward Watson 1939 - Bert's (Striped Barbers' Pole) Edna Arnold Henry's Curry's Diva JG's Ladies Hairdresser Lavender Box Blades Ruffles Dave's Wayne's Ken's David H NEWSAGENTS / STATIONERS Andrew Whitfield 1939 Armstrong United Martin's Kendal's became Cresswell J & B The Card Shop WINE MERCHANTS/OFF LICENCE Whickham Ale Store (Off Licence) Blaney's became Berkeley Wines then Wine Cellar Victoria Wine ? SWEET SHOPS Ganny Willis (The Pink House. Sundays only) Donaldson's Dobson's Village Sweet Shop MISCELLANEOUS Whickham Travel Agents Travel Needs Flower Design Sam's Snacks became Bigger Bite Cool Tan Stanley Racing (Betting Shop) Video Shop Davison's Antiques C&H Glass Econofreeze BUTCHERS George Turnbull 1906 Jonathan Atkinson 1906. In 1939 became R Atkinson then sold to :- Henry Taylor, shop demolished in 1970s to make way for St. Mary's Green. Moved to St. Mary's Green. Sold out to:- John Taylor (no relation)Sold out to owner of Salad Bowl who put in a manager. Next R Martin & Son 1995 - present day A. Thompson 1913 - 1915 W. Smith 1931 - after 1939 Charley Young 1931 - Arthur Glendinning 1939 - ( Pork Butcher ) G Armstrong A Dodds 19 ( became Factory Meat Shop then renamed R Thompson ) Walters & Todd FISHMONGERS/ FISH & CHIPS John Davy 1931 (Became Billy Wigham. Then Moti Jheel Indian Take Away) Lance Oxley (Back Row ) Barkin Shark Co-op Wet Fish Shop |
CHEMISTS Whickham Cash Chemist 1913 E Dunn 1931 Later became Leigh & Dunn Roberts (Drug Store) 1958 Spearman & Dixon 1974 Co-op Chemist 1950 - 1966 Robert Hill 1964 - 1981 Sold out to Harry Dixon S Handa GREENGROCERS Thomas Gardiner 1906 - 1921 Albany Battensby 1913 - 1918 William Hunter 1931 - 1939 (became Co-op Fish Shop) Harry Hutchinson 1931 -1939 Florrie Garrett Billy Boyd Appleby (Church Green now Bakehouse) Browns Salad Bowl 1970? Walkers of Whickham Bookless (opened in The Square 1964, transferred to St Mary's Green 1975) DRAPERS Thomas Bruce & Son 1906 - 1913 Elizabeth Ann Everard 1906 - 1913 Joseph Armstrong 1913 - 1915 M McGlen 1931 - 1934 M Curry 1939 - ( corsets ) Alex McGregor 1939 - John Robinson 1939 DRESSSHOPS & MILLINERS Lily Butler 1939 Dolly Curry Pat Symons Margo Robson Off the Peg Orchid IRONMONGERS & DIY Frank Maughan 1934 S Stephenson became :- Home & Gardens (moved to St Mary's Green) DIY Back Row Smith's 19 - 1999 (became Magnum Fitness Centre) CYCLE REPAIRERS John Proud 1906 Wilfred Bourne 1921 - 1931 Sam Curry 1939 - 1970s (Moved to School Lane when property demolished for St Mary's Green) Derwent Valley Cycles 1998 - 2000 GROCERS/SHOPKEEPERS/GENERAL DEALERS Miss Isabelle Banks 1906 Albany Bell Battensby 1906 - 1918 Thomas Bruce 1906 - 1934 Mrs Maggie Donnelly 1906 Edwin Elliott 1906 - 1934 (West Street) William Henzell 1906 - 1915 James Hope 1906 (1915 Misses M & B Hope ) - 1918 Mrs Isabelle Smith 1906 Mrs Elizabeth Stark 1906 - 1918 (Front Street ) Annie Stark 1913 - 19?? (Whaggs Lane ) William Mordue 1913 - after 1939 ( Fellside Road ) James Dand 1921 - 1934 Robert Eggleston 1921 - after 1939 Margaret Curry 1921 - 1934 Christopher Thompson 1921 - after 1939 Emanuel Agar 1934 William Dobson 1934 Margaret Irving 1934 - after 1939 William Brown 1939 Co-op 1921 - to present day. (Started as a branch of Swalwell Co-op) Thompson's Red Stamp Stores 1931 - Hadrian Supply Company 1939 - Laws Stores 1939 - Moores Stores 1939 - Kwik Save 197 Presto ( became Saveways in 199) BAKERS / CONFECTIONERS Percy J Bailey 1931 R & J Culey 1931 - 1934 G Soulsby 1931 Robert Bantham 1939 David Donaldson 1939 Picadilly Carricks Previously in The Square. Eventually became Bakers Oven Newcastle Bakeries Bakehouse Craft Bakery 1980 - now Ramseys |