Boot and Shoe Repair Shops

Yes walrus, there was an alleyway at the side of his shop by the embankment that I used to cut through to get to Spring Road and then Old Church Road, it was a good shortcut if you was walking.

Might be me or was there a shoe repair place in the basement of Owen Owen building next to the subway that ran across to the front of the church?

I remember the shoe repair bar in the basement of Owen Owen. They had stools for you to sit on, if you wanted to have your shoes repaired while you waited!!

Eaves's at 110 Gosford Street pictured in 1941. It was later occupied by Electronic Services and survived until 1967. The top-floor remained burnt out and abandoned for the remainder of the shop's life: (See also a picture of the cobbler's shop in Whitefriars Street now added to page one of this thread)

Growing up in the 50's, we had a shoe shop amongst our shops at The Devonshire Arms roundabout. Seems that in some ways, society was better organised in those days, virtually everything that you needed was available locally.

Hello Slash1 Yes, I remember it well, the proprietor, a keen angler, sold fishing tackle too, which eventually became the mainstream business of the shop. The shop next to the jetty.

Walrus, Billy Buggins' shop was near the bridge on the other side of the road to the Morris if I remember correctly, I seem to recall he was a very short man, about five foot tall, and often in a bad mood, I delivered milk to him, 1940 time.

Hello Kaga and all forumites Kaga. Do you remember Dave Green who repaired shoes in a shed in his back garden, Aldermans Green Rd near the newsagents, close to Windmill Rd junction? We kids called him Alb' (annoying little b*****d). He never twigged it but would tell us that his name was not Albert. He was also a short man and hated kids. That Billy Buggins that you mention, did he also sell shoes in the front room of his house?

I dont know how I missed this when it was first posted but I would question whether this is a Frettons shop. There was a motorcycle shop which was part of Brandish's in that vicinity??

The picture was only added yesterday. I wasn't aware Brandish sold motorcycles so assumed it was a separate dealership.

Dutchman, you must have forgotten this thread

Norman Conquest, Yes, but I didn't know his name was Dave, two doors up lived Frank Swain who bought our milk round off my boss in 44 time Next door to the Green man, Windmill side, there were two cottages, the Nasseau's lived in one of them, both boys went to the same schools as me from 5 to 14. There was a guy did cobbling in the row opposite the butchers in Aldermans Green Rd, did it in his front room, he had quite a number of customers but not a shop, pocket money we called it. My dad did ours and all the family's, in those days people took in washing, knitted garments, and all sort of things to make a few bob, people even brought rabbits for my dad to skin and prepare for the oven. Nothing was broken for very long, there was always someone that could fix things, without fuss or bother, made life less stressful.

Well well well.. I also new the Swain family, he had a brother who lived in Alder Rd, can't remember his first name but his wife was Hilda, a plump and friendly woman. The cottages next to the Green Man. One of those cottages was the Pinnegars and I was a frequent visitor as I knew the son. He went to Windmill Rd school, I think you went to Foxford. It was a bit of a toss up which school we went to. We also repaired boots, can't remember where the leather came from though. We had a last for three different size shoes. Nail the leather on then trim off the surplus. Not forgetting the steel heels and toes.

I cannot fathom this photo, Brandish's occupied that corner but was a showroom, bike sales were further down Whitefriars St and set back occupying an area adjacent to the Gaumont car park. Also I cannot recall there being a shop premises on the corner of Whitefriars St and Lane. The houses in Whitefriars St also ran right up to the White Friar pub. There were house backs in the lane as the frontage road were accessed through a tunnel between the houses No 2 court, spent a lot of time at number 5, if you looked from the rear scullery window you saw the door off St Michael's Mission. I cannot recall Frettons using Brandish's, however it was used by Marks and Spencer for a while. Talking of cobblers though, I remember the Co-op shoe repair upstairs at the bottom of Holyhead Road, they had from Harvey's in Ironmonger Row 8 bends of leather per week as well at 5 lbs of grindery (nails)