On 16 Jun 2012 at 9:07am Peter Pan wrote:
Curtis and Lloyd Sports shop top of Station Street brought all my Fishing tackle and air rifle pellets there ( Red Cross shop now ? ) Also the smell of roasting Coffee from Flints the Grocer opposit the War Memorial And the lovely old Harper and Edde hardwear shop down the Cliffe with its uneven wooden floor boards with the Mouse hole in the corner ,with the big wooden counter were they used to weigh your nails and put them in a paper bag . Was it Daltons the outfittes in Friers walk with that tatty old stuffed Donkey in the window and then Downeys the sweet shop How about all the lovely smells of Lewes That heady Mixture of the Brewery's, roasting coffee ,the Phonix Iron works, and the soap factory
On 16 Jun 2012 at 10:19am lewes born and bred wrote:
Did that "country" shop you mention have amber windows ?
My memories are walking into town with me mum circa 1970 and shuffling through the sawdust in dewhursts at the top of town...that butchers smell will stay with me until my dying day. Timothy whites had it's own smell too.
Then it was off down to the Cliffe, into the fruit and veg shop (now Bills on the corner) and then into Tesco (next to Bills)
Then back down the English passage and home.
On 16 Jun 2012 at 12:41pm drone wrote:
I recall that upmarket gents` outfitters on School Hill where the ladies hairdresser is now. Victor Values in the Cliffe where Bills now stands. Marsh the butchers at the top of Station Street where Santander now is. Recall the old butchers boy`s delivery bike outside. Didn`t there used to be a dentist in the Cliffe? And didn`t the charity shop next to the Gardeners used to be the old Home & Colonial Stores that was taken over by International? As to lost sweet shops, who remembers the shop next to the Odeon? Or the little place at the top of St John Street opposite the police station?
On 16 Jun 2012 at 1:00pm lewes born and bred wrote:
Talking of sweet shops, what about Bobsies down Talbot Terrace ?
On 16 Jun 2012 at 2:53pm Peter Pan wrote:
Talking about the Odeon .I have still got a 2ft square of the screen Which I cut from the wreckage on the demolition site I would have had more, but my Mum said we havent got anywhere to put it !!! .As a member of the Odeon club I felt I was initled to it I was also a member of the Elkin's club does that stir any memories or am I the only one left
On 16 Jun 2012 at 3:38pm Rookie wrote:
Being a Pells lad in the 60's I remember Bob's very well. I often wondered why we called it Bobs when it had "A Taylor" over the window.
The outitters on School Hill was F W Coote I believe and I think that name is still inlaid in the floor in the entrance.
The Odeon. My first visit was in 1965 when my ol' mum took me along to watch Dr Who and The Daleks starring Peter Cushing. Quite recently I acquired the poster to that film.
On 16 Jun 2012 at 4:40pm Not as old as I thought wrote:
I just remember Bob's although it closed (due to ill health?) when I was first as Pells juniors. I remember Daltons and their donkey but my memories of the butchers with sawdust on the floor are of Priors and not Dewhursts. Happy days!
On 16 Jun 2012 at 4:47pm drone wrote:
Does anyone remember that we had two butcher shops called Colbournes? One was up by the bottle neck & the other in the Cliffe? Other lost butchers include Smiths & Kenny Cramp`s in Market Street
And the lost pubs of Lewes. Who recalls the Bell in Eastport Lane & the Red White & Blue in Friars walk?
Wasn`t there a slaughter house back in the 50s behind English`s Passage?
On 16 Jun 2012 at 5:55pm Rookie wrote:
OK get your thinking caps on. Who can remember where these long gone, slightly obscure, businesses were. I know as I was often in them as a kid.
Cheese and Chutney cafe
Jack Woolgars barber shop.
Tansley and Cooke
Erics Cafe
Large's (greengrocer)
Carrolls (grocers).
Kemlo (Grocers)
I will give the answers later.
On 16 Jun 2012 at 6:16pm I don't live in lewes wrote:
Large's was on the corner of Abinger Place where it meets White Hill near the red phone box. Seem to recall 2 ladies serving in there.
PhilX
On 16 Jun 2012 at 6:48pm Chippy wrote:
Silver spray , the toy shop on cliffe corner sold trains and slot cars , Belgrade supplies behind courts , now ambulance HQ, fluxes carpets , international stores opp town hall , NewmanSimon builders merchants , red hill motors , liptons , suparsell , butchers on mount Harry road , and the co-op
On 16 Jun 2012 at 7:04pm Not as old as I thought wrote:
Yum - silver spray! I remember Redhill Motors at the top of East Street which then turned into Planprints and is now two houses. I remember a greengrocer somewhere up where Cafe Nero is now but I cant remember what it was called. Also the fishmonger in the Cliffe which had models of fish outside which I used to run my hands along as I walked past!
On 16 Jun 2012 at 7:47pm drone wrote:
In the days of the Mods & Rockers, Redhill Motors was Brighton Bikes, with a long row of chrome gleaming new motor bikes outside. The Cafe Nero site used to be MacFisheries I think - if you go back far enough. Monsoon was Mence Smith, the iron mongers. The charity shop opposite the Law Court was Holloways, the bakers.
On 16 Jun 2012 at 7:53pm Peter Pan wrote:
The fishmongers in the Cliffe was Rolfs I think the toy shop where Harveys shop is now was called Montys Bizarre and before that it was Radio Rentals The Silver Spray was in Landsdown Place best fish and chips in town ( or was it the only one ) Belgrade's was a motor factors The Barber's half way up School Hill on the right you went down the steps into the basement before that it was the Pete and Prue Club Then there was Suzannas dress shop a bit further up
Rookie you have got me beat
On 16 Jun 2012 at 8:18pm Fairmeadow wrote:
Lewes History Group meets on the second Monday of each month at the King's Church Building, Brooks Road. You are the guys we need!nHistory of the Nevill is an important current thread.
On 16 Jun 2012 at 9:03pm lewes born and bred wrote:
The toy shop where Harvey's shop is now used to be called wonderful wilsons.
Don't forget the wool shop too down the cliffe
On 16 Jun 2012 at 9:03pm Ducatipete wrote:
Times change. What about The Manxman and Fountain in South Street with the filling station further down. Good thread by the way keep it going.
On 16 Jun 2012 at 9:16pm Chippy wrote:
The garage in Waterloo place , the toy shop I mean was in number 8 mailing street , over 3 floors I bought extra track there , the butchers in mount Harry had a veg shop next to it , the it went to a V G for sometime , bottle and basket corner of Thomas street , wavy line in middle way and a real post office in Neville crescent had a ham and cheese slicer ,bow window book shop was a green grocers
On 16 Jun 2012 at 9:19pm Chippy wrote:
And how could we forget whittingtons , lewes motor spare , the post office a few doors down the windmill pub , gun shop on st Ann's hill
On 16 Jun 2012 at 9:29pm houseswap wrote:
The Garage down station street now Caburn court i think.It was a white pony not a Donkey in Daltons window.Yeah the shop with orange windows along friars Walk i think sold under ware and what about the the shop in the cliffe that sold ladybird kids cloths and wool.
On 16 Jun 2012 at 9:47pm Decent Citizen wrote:
We had a Wh Smiths, Macfisheries,Acres the bakers,a hardware shop(Whiteman and Parish)?,Boots,then Marshes the butchers.All these were from the Post Office towards top of Station Street.Other side of road was a record shop,Clarkes the bakers,a chemist, all leading to a large store on corner Fisher Street,Macartney Stewerts I believe.Large International Stores other side of road next to Bakers the chemist.Loads of shops long gone sadly.
On 16 Jun 2012 at 9:52pm Decent Citizen wrote:
Courts furniture store was where Ambulance headquarters is on Friers walk. I believe destroyed by fire.It moved to where Bunces is now.Cliffe had three supermarkets,Keymarkets,now clarks shoes,Opposite was Liptons. Where Bills is now was Tescoe.Sad isn"t it?
On 16 Jun 2012 at 9:57pm Not as old as I thought wrote:
Was the toy shop in the Cliffe where Harveys shop is now? I thought it must have been further along because the Redifusion shop was still there in the early 90s - long after I'd grown out of the toy shop!
Correction - just checked Google Earth and Harverys now covers what I think were two differnet shops before. I seem to remember that they opened the 'new' shop after the fire in the Cliffe (can't remember when that was though).
On 16 Jun 2012 at 10:02pm Not as old as I thought wrote:
I rember getting my school shoes in the old Clark shoe shop at the top of school hill. Do they still have the shoe prints on the floor by the entrance?
On 16 Jun 2012 at 10:10pm drone wrote:
There was another greengrocer in the Cliffe almost under the railway bridge. Just next door to Hunts the coal merchants & Continental Boutique. There was another one at the bottom of North Street near the fire station - a sort of open fronted place run by an old fella with a trilby hat & a tuneless whistle. It was almost opposite the chip shop. The King Arms was on the corner. Fludes the carpet shop was more or less where Clinton Cards now stands & then the goods yard rail lines came right into the Cliff, stopping only at a magnolia painted wooden fence. My old dad, rest his soul, used to take me down on non -school nights to watch the tank engines shunting the stock. There was a huge brick eall in the yard which must have been part of Leighside House at some point. Does anyone remember the old green punt on the pells that just sat there at the London line end until it rotted & sank?
On 16 Jun 2012 at 10:38pm Rookie wrote:
The greengrocer at the bottom of North Street was Mr Ike Buckwell. I think his place was originally just an archway for access to York and Queens streets. He liked his racing and would come and stand by our front room window (which was within view of his shop) so that he could hear the racing results and news on our wireless.
And yes, I remember the punt!
On 16 Jun 2012 at 11:13pm hugh jarse wrote:
I remember when all this were fields, Ron Manager.
On 17 Jun 2012 at 7:55am Rookie wrote:
Cheese and Chutney cafe....Fisher Street. Is now the council offices behind Tourist Information Office.
Jack Woolgars barber shop....West Street. nearly opposite Spice Merchant.
Tansley and Cooke. Next to the castle museum
Erics Cafe...Eastgate Street where Boots is now.
Large's (greengrocer)... Abinger Place/Whitehill corner
Carrolls (grocers).... Lancaster Street, facing up John Street.
Kemlo (Grocers)....Western road, opposite Canon o Donnell centre
On 17 Jun 2012 at 9:57am jonnyboy wrote:
Rice Brothers where Forfars is now. The Court Lounge (King's Framers). What was the name of the coffee bar on School Hill that became Nitchevos Russian restaurant in the 70's (run by Harry)?
On 17 Jun 2012 at 1:22pm drone wrote:
Anyone remember Browne & Crosskeys on the site where the Cancer Research shop is now? Used to have one of those zip wire things that carried boxes of loose change across to the different counter tills. Fascinated me as a toddler. Searles was the toy shop at the bottom of School Hill. And many old Pells School kids from the late 50s - early 60s will recall buying our sweets from Paynes in Lancaster Street. Pells pupils also used to play & pick blackberries on the Black Sands which eventually vanished under a sea of concrete to become the industrial estate.
On 17 Jun 2012 at 3:44pm Chuck wrote:
it's lovely to hear about a time when Lewes was a town where you could buy "normal" things. Keep 'em coming.
On 17 Jun 2012 at 4:58pm Sceptic wrote:
My uncle George Bassett was foreman at the council yard in Malling street and his house was right next to The Dorset until it was sadly demolished to make way for a new road. I spent many a happy weekend with my cousins riding a Norton dominator up and down the yard. Just down the road from the council yard was a lane where my uncle had a workshop and on a weekends there were always a few lads waiting to have their motorbikes looked at by him. Opposite his workshop was a slaughter house, And in the next lane was a Mr Lacey who mended pedal bikes and a Mr Best who used to keep his Shire horses down there. There was also a breakers yard down there. Good old days eh!
On 17 Jun 2012 at 6:35pm drone wrote:
Rookie`s reference to Eric`s Cafe reminded me that this was part of the Severig Buildings, torn down to make way for the precinct. Ron`s stores was farther along Eastgate Street. Ron`s dad used to run it originally, I believe. They used to do deliveries in an old white van with sliding doors. Probably would be a collectors item today. The Co-op in West Street also did country deliveries in what looked like a disused coach, maroon in colour. Does anyone recall the massive clock at back end of Woolworth? Sceptic, didn`t Mr Lacey open a cycle shop in Mount Pleasant, just up from the Elly?
On 17 Jun 2012 at 7:10pm Sceptic wrote:
Hi Drone, I believe Mr Lacey opened up a shop in Friars walk where the law courts are now. Does anyone remember Rons coffe bar in Malling street.
On 17 Jun 2012 at 7:55pm Peter Pan wrote:
Fred Lacey did have a bike shop in Friars walk but before that he was down the lane next to where the J.H.T. is now and J.H.T. was the machine shop for Brittians Garage later to be Caffyns The Garage down Station Street was Rugg's Rootes agents they also ran a 29 seater Bedford O.B. coach used on the school run from Rodmell to Mountfield road school ,I used to get on at Iford,( known as the old grey gonk) Down the Cliffe under the Railway bridge you had Mansfield's Vaxhall and Bedford agents who later moved to Spital Road and is now the Police workshops Down Morris road there was Frank Butler the Barber 2/6 a go and down further you had Morris road Garage now at the Prison cross roads , Riverside was Becks Taxis the place was falling in the river and was so unsafe they coudnt use the upstairs I could go on and on as I suspect most can on this thread!!! but I will stop now.but do you rememmmm!!!!
On 17 Jun 2012 at 8:14pm dizzydi wrote:
Whsmith by the post office.The green grocers on Cafe Nero site was Mears and Spencer was in charge. Dewhursts butchers just down from it. There was a clothes boutique in between, sold Levis, Wrangler, Pepe jeans. Always could find something for night out. EMBS where Flint is. Maynard sweet shop where funeral directors are.Yeates chemist,Tweezers jewellers on school hill and of course Clothkits. I loved the Italian shoe shop in the bottleneck - Wyndhams. The Tuesday WI market in Market Tower. The playground at the Pells pool was the best with concrete tunnels and a fort.
On 17 Jun 2012 at 9:18pm Not as old as I thought wrote:
That was it - Mears. Thanks dizzydi. I'd forgotten about Smiths, up the steps (now Rowland Gorringe) and also Maynards.
Happy days in the pells park. Climbing up the 'fort' and down through the tunnels, although they generally had a strong smell of pee..........