Queen Street

150 years of shops and trades

By Sue and David Middleton

Detail from 19th Century Map
Detail from 19th Century Map
Early 1900s northern view of Queen Street
Early 1900s northern view of Queen Street
Barn detail  - WW 1849 Plaque
Barn detail - WW 1849 Plaque
Clearance of the Chip Shop site in the 1960s  - the half demolished cottages to the rear and the cow sheds behind No.5 can also be seen. It also shows the Barn before conversion to commercial premises
Clearance of the Chip Shop site in the 1960s - the half demolished cottages to the rear and the cow sheds behind No.5 can also be seen. It also shows the Barn before conversion to commercial premises
Maneline Hairdresser,  Fish and Chip Bar  and the Flats at No 5 in 2006
Maneline Hairdresser, Fish and Chip Bar and the Flats at No 5 in 2006
Queen Street in the 1990s
Queen Street in the 1990s
Queen Street to the south in the 1920/30s
Queen Street to the south in the 1920/30s
Mr Alan Millership outside Hobson's Choice
Mr Alan Millership outside Hobson's Choice
The Grantham Equitable Cooperative Industrial Society Ltd - Branch No. %
The Grantham Equitable Cooperative Industrial Society Ltd - Branch No. %
Taplin's Fish and Chip Shop  - hut on the left
Taplin's Fish and Chip Shop - hut on the left
F. A. Winn's shop
F. A. Winn's shop
Frank Millers Grocery and Hopkinson of Grantham van c 1930
Frank Millers Grocery and Hopkinson of Grantham van c 1930
Queen Street
Midland Bank; Freeman Brown Bakery and what is now Sid's Greengrocery
Midland Bank; Freeman Brown Bakery and what is now Sid's Greengrocery
Gregg's Shop and now demolished houses
Gregg's Shop and now demolished houses
Site of the Mill House Laundry - showing early 1930s Austin 7
Site of the Mill House Laundry - showing early 1930s Austin 7
Derelict cobbler's workshop
Derelict cobbler's workshop
Bottesford Police Station c 1980
Bottesford Police Station c 1980
Mid 1800s photograph of the Bottesford Windmill
Mid 1800s photograph of the Bottesford Windmill
Queen Street
Bottesford Parish Council Queen's Walk. Named and opened by Sarah Coulson andJonathon Hamer 18th April 1985
Bottesford Parish Council Queen's Walk. Named and opened by Sarah Coulson andJonathon Hamer 18th April 1985
Queen Street
Mr and Mrs W H Greaves - cycle shop proprietors in the 1960s
Mr and Mrs W H Greaves - cycle shop proprietors in the 1960s
Queen Street
The Grantham Equitable Cooperative Industrial Society Ltd - Branch No. 5
The Grantham Equitable Cooperative Industrial Society Ltd - Branch No. 5
Formerly Kitchen Design Studio and the Ladies Fashion Boutique
Formerly Kitchen Design Studio and the Ladies Fashion Boutique
Queen Street
No 2 and The Granby Arms just before renovation
No 2 and The Granby Arms just before renovation
Nos. 6 to 2 Queen Street
Nos. 6 to 2 Queen Street
No. 8 Queen St in the mid 1880s
No. 8 Queen St in the mid 1880s
The Bull Yard showing the now demolished out buildings to the rear of the malthouse
The Bull Yard showing the now demolished out buildings to the rear of the malthouse

Introduction

Before the mid-1800s, Queen Street was known as Middle Street. The name ‘Queen Street’ was not used in a 19th Century listing of the ‘Rentals in the Parish of Bottesford’, but this is difficult to date this precisely without more information (we only have a photostat copy, which does not indicate its date). However, the ‘Rentals’ document includes the names of occupants of ‘Middle Street’ who were also recorded in Queen Street in the 1851 Census. The street was evidently re-named ‘Queen Street’ before 1851, possibly in honour of Queen Adelaide, wife of William IV (1830 -1837) or, much more likely, in honour of Queen Victoria, who succeeded to the throne in 1837.

Recent Shops and Trades

The shops and trades listed here are not necessarily in the correct chronological order of occupation at Queen Street premises. Corrections from those with good memories and photographs would be very much appreciated. House numbers when given refer to those in present use.


West-side from the High Street

No. 1 Queen Street (1st left in the early 1900s photograph) was converted into a double-fronted commercial premises in the early 1970s. Today it is a veterinary surgery. Before conversion to that use in the 1980s, various businesses occupied these premises including: a printer, Skidmore’s Trains and Model shop, Alan Palmer’s electrical goods and services, and Hollands Bros Hardware Store.

Between what is now the vets and the fish and chip shop were double gates which allowed carts to enter the yard in front of the barn, built in 1849 by W.W. – probably William Wilkinson (wheelwright and blacksmith) who lived across the road at No. 8 Queen Street in 1880.

The barn was converted in the 1970s for commercial use.  Currently it is a hairdressers (‘Maneline’ run by Mrs. Rosemary Baxter). However, it was also a gentlemen’s hairdresser downstairs (Mr. Brian Towsey) with a printer upstairs (Mr. Harris father of the novelist Robert Harris). When Mr. Harris relocated his business it became an electrician’s premises (Mr Alan Palmer).

The Bottesford Fish Bar was built by Ken Greasley on the site of a double fronted house (built in the 1920s on the site of an old cottage). This house was demolished in the mid 1960s.

The fish and chip shop was owned by Mr. and Mrs. Tom Jackson. It was then taken over by Connie. Her rare pale blue convertible Ford Capri was much admired by customers. Mr. and Mrs. Tommy Cheung ran the business for a short time before Danny and Christine Cheung became the proprietors in the the early 1980s. Christine Cheung also recalls that “someone called Wendy ran the shop immediately after Connie.” The building was further extended in the 1980s to provide living accommodation above. (The brickwork on the end elevation shows  the  original height of the building before renovation).

Between the chip shop site and the next cottage was an alley leading to two cottages and a small court. Residents included Arthur Guy, Mrs. Violet McKim, her mother and her brother who was Jack Branston, a blacksmith. He worked first for Harry Bateson and then for W.J. Roberts.

No.5 is now two flats but originally it was a cottage with cow-sheds at the rear. These buildings were first converted by Mr. Bill Roberts (the proprietor of W.J. Roberts) into commercial premises with a flat above in the late 1970s. The commercial premises have been a video shop, a television and electrical repair shop and a paper shop.

Likewise No. 7, now Victoria Cottage, has been both a residence and commercial premises. During the 2nd World War Mr. W. H. Greaves ran a cycle repairer shop. One local resident recalls that Mr Greaves “was noted for doing his best to keep the village bicycles in good repair even when spares were in short supply. One young lady of the village was very upset to find that her new tyre did not match the colour of the other one!” The property was previously occupied by a cobbler, Mr. Hartley James. It is also recalled that “he and his wife sold lovely shoes and Mrs. James also made beautiful paper flowers.” In the 1980s Mr. and Mrs. Alan Millership opened a shop called ‘Hobson’s Choice’. They sold ‘on the shelf’ medicines and fancy goods This business moved in the early 1990s into the Old Telephone Exchange on Market St.

Queen’s Walk connecting Queen Street to the Playground and car parking in Walford Close was only created in 1985. Before that there was a track leading to gardens adjacent to the Chapel and to the rear of the Co-op. The current Co-op and accommodation was built in the 1960s. However, the first Co-op shop in Bottesford was opened in the early 1900s on the eastern corner of Queen Street and Chapel Street. It was part of Mr. Lane’s house (For further details please click on ‘A Little History of Bottesford‘). After the closure of this first shop the Grantham Equitable Cooperative industrial Society opened on the present site in Queen Street.

The Co-op is remembered in the late 1920s as having drapery, haberdashery and shoes on the left hand side of the entrance and provisions on the right-hand side. The door just visible to the left of the photograph was the entrance to a ‘Manager’s house’. In the 1950s Mr. and Mrs. Louis Abbott rented the house. Mr Abbott was a painter, decorator and sign writer. Please click on ‘Louis Abbott – Decorator’ for further reminiscences.

There was a two-storey building to the rear of the Co-op. The ground floor was for storage. The first floor was used as a Pentecostal Church Sunday school – The Sunshine Corner. Margaret Taylor recalls tap dancing classes in the hall.

The single storey shop and a row of cottages shown in the photograph were condemned and demolished in 1959. This shop was known as ‘Gregg’s Shop’. The Kelly’s Directories for 1928 and 1932 list Mrs. Ada Gregg as a glass and china dealer. The 1941 entry lists her as an ‘ironmonger’. ‘Gregg’s Shop’ also sold papers. It is remembered that Mrs. Gregg delivered papers in all weathers on her bicycle. Another person associated with this shop was someone known as ‘Tinman’ Briggs. Frank Briggs is recorded as a ‘tinsmith’ and ‘crockery and hardware dealer’ in trade directories and advertisements from 1899 until 1925. Perhaps Mrs. Gregg was related to Mr Briggs. We have not been able to establish any connection to date. Please do leave a comment if you know further any details.

It also remembered that Mr. Wing who was both a cobbler and postman rented these premises. Mr Wing appears to have moved his business around the village using a variety of premises on both Queen Street and  the High Street.

One of the village postmen after the 1st World War (Mr. Harold Brewster) lived at the only  cottage (No. 21) that remains from the terrace demolished in 1959.

Now converted into flats, what was formerly known as ‘The Mill House’ can be seen from the early photograph to be in front of the windmill on Queen Street. In the 1899 Wright’s Directory a miller named Richard Ernest Robinson was listed. However, there is no record of when the windmill was demolished. The butcher, John Daybell Robinson lived in a property in the ‘The Mill House’ yard before he moved to his new premises on Market Street in about 1900. For further details lease click on the page ‘J. D. Robinson and Co, Bottesford: The Rutland Pork Pie and Sausage Manufacturer‘.

In the period 1920/1930, the Mill House was the home of managers of the Bottesford Steam Laundry located in buildings situated at the back. In 1928 the proprietors were J.B. and F. Bullimore. By 1932 the proprietor was Mrs. D. Manchester (Mr. and Mrs. Bullimore’s daughter). It is remembered that after much effort Mrs. Bullimore eventually managed to win the laundry contract at Belvoir Castle.

Mrs. Palmer, Mrs. W. J. Roberts (Joan Tuckwood), Violet Taplin and the wife of Arthur Marston worked as flat ironers at the laundry. Ironing was done in a glass covered veranda attached to the laundry. More photographs of ‘The Mill House can be found on the page ‘Queen Street: Then and now‘.

In the 1930s Mr. and Mrs. Jackson Miller lived in one of the now demolished cottages to the rear of the Mill House. Mr Miller used his allotments as a market garden and sold his produce in in Nottingham.

The cottage next door to ‘The Mill House’ was once outbuildings. It was converted in the 1970s into a kitchen design studio. When this closed it became a ladies wear boutique.

No. 39 on the corner of Queen Street and Chapel Street was the location of F. A Winn’s Shop. In the census of 1901, and Kelly’s Directories of 1908 and 1916, Samuel Winn (born 1866, died 1932) is named as a grocer or a general store keeper. In the directories of 1928, 1932, 1936 and 1941 Mrs. Florence A. Winn is listed as the owner of the shop, selling groceries. After her death in 1941, aged 75, and the death of her daughter Miss Winn, the shop was taken over by the Misses Rayner and Wells. They sold groceries and draper’s goods. Miss Alice Rayner was a niece of the Winns who owned the shop at the time of the 1901 census.

Further details can be found by clicking on the page ‘Winn’s Corner Shop’.


East-side from the High Street

The cottage next to the rear of the ‘Rutland Arms’, No. 2 Queen Street, was a derelict house for many years until the early 1980s. After renovation it became a bric-a-brac shop called ‘Number Two’ – the window light sign is still in place. It has now reverted back to residential accommodation.

Next door (No. 4 Queen Street) was originally the ‘The Granby Arms’, one of the four known pubs in the village. After the licence was revoked in 1921, the pub became residential property. The painter and decorator, Nelson George, lived there during the forties and fifties. It was left empty for an extended period of time in the early 1970s and the paintwork peeled to reveal the the painted pub sign. For further details of this property see the page on  ‘The Marquis of Granby.’

The large property next door (No. 6) may have been used in the 19th Century as the residential accommodation for ostlers and coachman using ‘The Marquis of Granby’. Mr. Bill Burrows, the present owner, recalls that beneath the rendering there is evidence of an archway entrance that was filled in when the porch has been added on.

No. 8 has always been a residential property. William Wilkinson, a wheelwright and blacksmith lived there in 1881. When the windows were ‘modernised’ in the late 1970s the originals were each signed ‘William Wilkinson 1879′. A “WW’ also built the barn behind the Chip Shop which now houses ‘Maneline’ hairdressers.

The single story building that was until recently ‘The Potting Shed’ has been used for a variety of purposes. In a directory of 1932 the Midland Bank sub-branch was open on Tuesday and Friday from 10.45 am to 12.45 pm. Its use as a bank can be seen clearly in photographs of the time.

There are no records to show how old the building is or any use prior to 1932. However, when the Midland Bank decided to use a mobile bank in the Vale, the building became (not in order) the Parish Room, a shop selling casual clothes; furnishing fabrics; dried flowers; and a room used by the Baptist Chapel. At present, it is called The Potting Shed with flowers and plants on sale.

What is now the Malt House Deli (proprietors Nicky and Andy Wendler) providing bakery goods, cheese, cooked meats take-away food and a coffee bar was formerly a malt-house associated with the Bull Inn in the 19th Century. However by the 1920s it was run as a grocery by Mr. and Mrs. Frank Miller. During World War 2, the Home Guard and the A.R.P.C. were stationed upstairs.

Mr. Freeman Brown established it in the 1960s as an outlet in Bottesford for his bakery. He had his bakery at Foston and delivered fresh bread every day.

From the 1980s until the early 2000s Jean and Ian Markham ran ‘Jean’s Bakery’ selling bakery goods and groceries. The bread and cakes were supplied by Mr. Freeman Brown of Foston. When he retired Gadsby’s of Newark supplied the shop.

The building has recently undergone further conversion of the first floor into a beauty and hair salon (‘The Attic’ run by Vicky Safarris and Emma Hudson).

There were further buildings to the rear of the malt house. It is still possible to see where they were located. These were demolished some time after the war. It is remembered that a Mr. Lazenby, a piano repairer stored spare piano parts there.

In the photograph, the vehicle outside belongs to Hopkinsons, a firm of antique dealers from Grantham. Perhaps this was delivering or collecting goods from Golding’s of Grantham who held auctions on Thursdays in the Bull Yard covered market in the thirties. Please click on the page ‘Memories of The Bull” for further details.

The single story shops next, No. 14, is now the greengrocery, run by Sid and Jean Culpin and their family, Alistair and Hannah. The Culpins have been there since August 1965. The building was built in 1892 and has been used for a variety of purposes.

Golding’s the auctioneers had an office for the Bull Yard market

Harold Deacon ran a hairdressing salon – he is listed in the Kelly’s Directories of 1928, 1932, 1936 and 1941.

Mr. Wing, a cobbler (boots and shoes), used it as a workshop in 1941. He lived in the house next door – No. 16.

During the 2nd World War it was used as the office for the Air Raid Wardens and Home Guard.

Before its use as a green-grocers It was a fish and chip shop run by Mr. and Mrs. T. Jackson prior to the building the Bottesford Fish Bar further down the road.

The Police Station was built in 1842.

Details of police in charge are taken from censuses, directories and memories:

P.C. Hiffe (1851)

Sgt. John Taylor (1863)
P.C. John Smith

Sgt. Thomas Craven (1871)

Insp. George Hinds (1877/1880)

Insp. W. Allen (1891)

P.C. Walter Bosworth (1899)

Insp. W. Hollick (1899/1900)

P.C. A. Brown

Sgt. Smith (1913/1921)

Sgt. Bradshaw (1948/1953)

Sgt. Winfield

Sgt. Wright (1950/60s)

Sgt. Reginald Boyce (1970/80s)

Beyond the entrance to the Police station yard is a walled garden. The now demolished brick out-building shown in the photograph was use as a workshop by Harry Grant – a shoe repairer/engineer and by Mr. Taplin in the 1930s and 1940s for leather and shoe repairs

Next along in the photograph is an 18th century house which has now been converted into maisonettes. The building is thought to have been a saddlers during Victorian times There are still hooks for hanging horse harness in the building. In the 1901 census, Joseph W. Hudson lived in Queen Street and he was a saddler by trade. The house was also known as ‘Daddy Hudsons’ – both of Mr. Joseph Hudson’s sons were involved with education, according to the 1901 census. More recently, in the sixties and seventies, the Misses Baxter lived there, naming the house ‘Valhalla’.

The cottage and wooden hut in the picture was demolished and replaced by a contempory house in the 1960s. In the 1920s and 30s the cottage belonged to Mr. and Mrs. Taplin. They sold wet fish and ran a fish and chip shop in two wooden huts connected by a serving hatch. The end of one of them can be seen in the photograph. The fish and chips were cooked on an anthracite stove in one of the huts and the second provided a waiting room furnished with wooden benches. “You could eat your fish and chips there but woe betide if there was was noise and mess”.


Earlier Shops and Trades

1851 Census

The 1851 census lists 26 households, and reveals the growing vitality of the local economy with the arrival of the Railways.

The residents in the households would not have necessarily had their places of work at their Queen Street address e.g. a brick-maker. However, Queen Street remains much the same as it was 100 years ago – an example of mixed commercial and residential buildings.

There were a number of trades-people who had occupations connected with the building industry – three bricklayers, two brick-makers, a tile-maker, and a master carpenter with three apprentices.

Agriculture in Bottesford was supported by William Spencer, a master wheelwright; James Morgan, a farrier; Richard Challand, a master harness-maker and his apprentice Robt. Mills; Joseph Wilkinson, a master blacksmith and his son Frederick, an apprentice blacksmith and his nephew Tobias, a journeyman blacksmith. Thomas Branby (born in Melton Mowbray) was a master rope-maker. John Longbottom was a journeyman miller from Claypole so it is likely that the windmill on Queen Street was operating then.

A number of women are employed in cottage industries adding to family income and domestic labour.  This included: lace runners; charwomen, housekeepers and house servants; shoe-binders and boot binders who were employed by a shoemaker.

There were also the trades which supported Bottesford’s  self-sufficiency in clothing. A master tailor (William Lee from Bury St. Edmunds) lodged at the Granby Arms (landlord Robert Marriott); a dressmaker (Sarah Carter) and a straw bonnet maker (Ellen Bend) provided fashion for the ladies of Bottesford. A hairdresser (Robert G. Bradley) was also listed in Queen Street. However it is not known whether this was for both men and women.

The building of the railway line and commencement of regular services between Nottingham and Grantham provided further employment opportunity. John Dyer, a railway plate-layer from Weeking, came to live in Queen Street.

Elizabeth Musson (from Southwark) had a grocer’s shop in Queen Street but there is no record of its position and Robert Marriott was the inn-keeper at the ‘Granby Arms’ who also took in lodgers.

John Hiffe was the police constable at the police house and Miss Sarah Pycroft, a schoolmistress, lived with her aunt Mrs. Mary Layfield.

More unusual was the trade of John F. Hudson who was a master chair manufacturer from Louth.

1863 Drake’s Directory

In this directory there are interesting combinations of trades.

John Fisher Hudson was a cabinet maker and William Spencer was a wheelwright; John Taylor was the police sergeant and John Smith was his police constable; Joseph Johnson was the landlord of The Granby; Joseph Tinley was a blacksmith and a coal dealer and Edward Ayre also delivered coal; William Riley made shoes and boots; James Robinson was a builder, a corn miller and a joiner; William Jackson was a butcher; John Tinley and Thomas Richards were grocers and Thomas was also a tailor. William Wood was a tailor and was also a ‘blacking agent’ and a newsagent.

1877 White’s Directory

The 1877 White’s Directory places the following trades-people in Queen Street.

Robert Edwards – tailor.

William Spencer – joiner and wheelwright.

William Wilkinson – wheelwright and blacksmith.

George Hinds – police inspector.

Mrs. Mary Ann Hudson, Thomas Richards – grocers.

Thomas Retford – grazier and victualler, Granby Inn.

Mrs. Mary Robinson – grazier

William Riley and George Gibson- boot-maker.

1880 – Wright’s Directory.

George Hinds -police inspector

Wm. Wilkinson – blacksmith and wheelwright.

William Riley – boot and shoe-maker.

Joseph Tinley – coal dealer.

James Thomas Marriott – M.R.C.V.S. – Vety. Surgeon.

Miss Mary Parnham, Miss Kate Rawdin, Miss Eliza Robinson and the Misses Mary Elzh. and Annie Tinley – dressmakers.

John Richards and Mrs. Mary Robinson – graziers and cottagers.

Mrs. Mary Ann Hudson, Thomas Richards (cow-keeper) – grocers.

Robert George – victualler, Marquis of Granby.

Robert Edwards – tailor.

1881 Census

1881 Census  lists 28 households  – 3 uninhabited.

This census reveals two main categories of work within the village in the late 1800s – agriculture and the railways. For example the Queen Street entries give eight agricultural occupations – gardener, cottager, agricultural labourer, hay dealer, saddler, stable keeper (William J. Barrand), blacksmith and wheelwright. Railway linked occupations include railway cashier, railway platelayer railway signalman and railway labourer. The brickworks also had one of its workers, a bricklayer, living in Queen Street.

There are two grocers supplying everyday provisions.  One shop was run by Mary A. Hudson and her son John W. Hudson. If this is the same John W. Hudson listed in the 1901 census, he did not stay in the grocery trade for long. In the 1901 census, he is listed as a saddler, living in Queen Street. There are three tailors and two apprentices, a dressmaker, a shoemaker, a laundress and a licensed victualler, Ann George.

James Brewitt, Inspector of Police and a police constable, Walter Jackson, manned the police station.

James Marriott had his veterinary practice in Queen Street. More unusual occupations were William Deacon, a licensed hawker, and John Hoe, born 1814, who was entered as a yeoman.

1899 Wright’s Directory

Joseph Hall – blacksmith.

Wm. Hollick – police inspector and Walter Bosworth – police constable.

James Thomas Marriott – veterinary surgeon.

James Moore – organist, pianoforte tuner and tchr.

Richard Ernest Robinson – miller.

John Daybell Robinson – butcher and pork-pie maker with an address on Grantham Road as a butcher as well.

John William Parr – butcher.

David Blackbourne – cottager, grazier and coal merchant Jph. Wm. Hudson -cottager, cow keeper, saddler.

Mrs. Elizabeth Wilkinson – cottager, cow keeper, builder and wheelwright.

Dressmakers – Mrs. Sarah Lee, Mrs. Kate Rawdin, Miss Eliza Robinson

Grocers – Walter King (and hairdresser), George Terry.

Tailor – William Edwards.

Mrs. Ann George – victualler- The Granby and Railway Inn.

1901 Census

1901 Census lists 35 households plus the chapel.

The Primitive Methodist minister, the Rev. John Ford, lived on Queen Street in 1901.

The trades listed below illustrate the wide number of occupations in Bottesford at the turn of the century.

The railway and mechanised power and transport gave employment to two railway signalmen, a tinman brazier and a traction engine driver.

Horse drawn transport gave work to wheelwrights (Laurence Ginever and Alfred R. Wilkinson), a saddler (Joseph W. Hudson), two blacksmiths (Joseph Hall and Thomas Sentence) and a coachbuilder (Herbert Coulton) as well as Alfred Singleton, a groom from Ancaster.

The licensed victualler on Queen Street was John Rowbotam, who must have been the licensee at the Marquis of Granby.

There was a carpenter, a joiner and a bricklayer living on Queen Street but what emerges is evidence of  growing clerical and  professional occupations. James Moore was an organist; William Welborne (from Thirsk) was a watchmaker (all his family were born in Australia); William Welborne Jun., was a commercial clerk and the two sons of Joseph W.Hudson did not follow him into the saddlery business. John went to training college and Herbert became a pupil schoolteacher.

However, every day needs were met by others who lived on Queen Street – John T. Cooper (a tailor from Knightsbridge), a dressmaker, Sarah E. Page (a baker and she ran a ‘taffy shop’ – taffy being a confection similar to toffee), Samuel H. Winn (grocery) and William Robinson (a journeyman butcher).

This page was added on 14/08/2008.

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