Old Ashburton

                                                        Occupations 1900s

The shop on the right hand side of the picture (No 9 West St) has J H Easterbrook written above it, plus Boot and Shoe Warehouse (probably).

The 1911 census has John Henry Easterbrook living at Haytor House, West St., with his wife Nellie Mary. He is a tailor outfitter and boot dealer.

1911 census RG14, Piece 12725, Schedule Number 110

J H Easterbrook is in West Street in Kelly's Directory of 1914, under Boot and Shoe makers and dealers.

Kelly's Directory of Devon & Cornwall, 1914 [Part 2. Devon: Private Resident & Trade Directories] p960

 The item on William Henry Hutchings has now moved to the Hutchings family, under Individual families

                                     Businesses in the 1920s and 30s

From Hazel Bray:  

East Street

There were two ironmongers (hardware stores) and two saddlers’ shops, one of them, Charlie Eales, was situated in the centre of town next to Lloyds Bank (No 2 East St).

There were numerous shops in the town: grocery shops were fascinating. Next to Andrews the baker was Mr Tape’s grocery shop -  Mr Tape was a gentleman of rotund proportions who sang in the church choir. Mr Tape and Mr Edgecombe, the post master, changed their garb on Sundays for surplus and cassock, their deep voices and dignified bearing adding to the respect they already earned as businessmen.

Between the Royal Oak and Andrews the baker was the Star Supply Store, but self respecting housewives scorned this modern innovation. Butter was cut from a large rectangular block, and butter pats shaped it into a perfect rectangle and embellished it with a final slap on top, leaving a cow, floral pattern or some other rural reminder of its origins. My mother was horrified when I suggested that we had butter with a cow on top, “We eat Stanbury’s from Summerhill Farm, not that New Zealand stuff!” she replied.

A printer’s shop occupied a site opposite Tape the grocer in East Street and higher up was a butcher’s. It was the practice for animals to be slaughtered by the butcher or a man employed for this purpose in the field now occupied by the new primary school which was used for rearing pigs. Here once a week the horrific agonising sounds of pigs being killed was distressing to small children. Farmers’ sons adopted a pragmatic approach and one was heard to remark “You likes bacon, dowt ee”.

There were several butchers’ shops. Beside the usual beef, pork and lamb a variety of offal was sold. Liver, kidneys, hogs pudding and chitterlings, brains and the may bag, which, I believe was the animal’s stomach. Tripe was also on display, honeycomb and black being two of the varieties. Pigs’ trotters were popular and strings of sausages hung from hooks as well as pigs’ heads, tripe and rabbits. Poultry was rare; it was considered a luxury and reserved for Christmas when feathered geese, ducks and chicken hung outside the shop well above the reach of passersby. Turkeys were considered beyond the pocket of ordinary people and were not usually in evidence, although gleenies, the local name for guinea fowl, and pheasants and geese were also popular.

Above the butcher was a haberdashers and wool shop, run by Mrs Mugridge, a short stout woman who appeared with a broad smile to greet her customers. Her husband worked as a postman, a tall broad shouldered man who dwarfed his wife. To me they appeared to have stepped straight out of one of Dicken’s novels. Mr Mugridge was known locally as ‘Billy Mug'.

Higher up on the opposite side was Sam Eales' establishment. He must have sold other goods, but as far as I know  he was the provider of paraffin. This was ordered on a Friday and to go into the little low ceilinged store was like entering a cave. It was dark and smelt of oil and age. The owner had an extremely red complexion. He delivered the paraffin on a Saturday morning in a rundown van and the oil was poured into the housewife's can from a tap on the door of the van. A funnel was placed in the can and woe betide him if he spilt any oil of the freshly washed pavement. I watched hoping for some spillage as the complaints from the housewives fascinated me. Some people still used oil lamps, though gas was considered to be the ultimate modern form of lighting. Paraffin fuelled Valour stoves which heated many bedrooms, including our own, in winter casting fascinating patterns on the ceiling. The next morning the windows bore evidence of Jack Frost's visit during the night. Delightful pictures appeared as if by magic.

Almost opposite Greylands (48 East St) was Miss Knapman's shop. Mrs Knapman sold sweets and a small assortment of groceries in her front room, not uncommon in the twenties.

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St Lawrence Lane

Almost opposite the Post Office in Station Road, now St Lawrence Lane, was a little grocery store run by Mrs Bessie Daw. She had inherited this from her mother, so it was a well-established business; she specialised in cheese. The shelves were well stocked with goods - Vinolia soap jostled with carbolic soap and bags of washing soda. Sides of bacon hung from hooks in the ceiling and many an unwary customer received a clout on the head. Tins of salmon stood alongside canned fruit, jams and pickles. Sacks of sugar stood on the floor together with dried fruit and the dreaded prunes, which we children hated. On a round table, in pride of place was a huge Cheddar Cheese, a speciality of the store. Wire cutters resided on top and a large triangular wedge would be carefully wrapped and weighed on brass scales with shiny polished weights, which ranged from a large two pound weight to a tiny one gram. A wire basket containing eggs was in the window. Eggs and butter fluctuated in price weekly according to Newton Market prices.

North Street

There were thirteen public houses in the town in the twenties: 'As many as in Paignton', my father remarked. He was a naval pensioner and frequented the Sun Inn, known locally as the Sailors' pub. The landlord was an ex-sailor, the father of Minnie and Mabel Butler, two maiden ladies well known for their regular churchgoing. At night Minnie would play the piano in her father's inn and the men would enjoy a singsong, but at the sound of the bell and "time" she would quietly say, 'Now we will all stand and sing the sailors' hymn' and the enthusiasm was undeniable as their voices were raised in the rendering of 'Eternal Father, strong to save.'

There were shops in the lower part of North Street. Two large draper's shops: Osborne's next to the Paper Shop and Cubit's. Osborne's stocked clothes and household items. Bentwood chairs with long legs stood by the counter, and restless and unruly children were planted on the chair while the proprietor, a small spruce man, served his customer. Mr Osborne had two daughters, Ella and Madeline, who were considered to be young ladies and would have considered it demeaning to serve in their father's shop. One however was Brown Owl of the local Brownie pack.

Boon’s the hardware shop was a fascinating place for men to browse in.* Low ceilinged and dark, it supplied all the requirements for the handyman. Further up North Street was another hardware shop and another saddler’s shop.

Mr Huddy's store was at 16 North Street. The grocers themselves all seemed to be larger than life and pillars of the town.

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* This may have been Horace Boon, whose funeral was reported in 1929 . Described as highly respected, he had been in business up until about 1926. A Wesleyan, he had been a Sunday school teacher and at one time a member of the Fire Brigade.

Western Times 3 May 1929 p10 col3

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                                                            Itinerant traders in the 1920s

The rag and bone man made regular visits, much to the delight of the children – a bundle of old clothes would be exchanged for a goldfish, or maybe two, the recipient having produced a jamjar of water. Some poor fish were killed with kindness, but others lived for a year or so, and proud owners of a goldfish bowl displayed the fish forever circling the confines of its globe. Eventually someone deemed these bowls not suitable for the fish to swim in, so tanks became substitutes: hopefully goldfish appreciated the change.

Welcome itinerant traders were the French onion boys, who came annually to the town. In their distinctive striped jumpers and familiar berets, they arrived on bicycles with the string of onions hung in a picturesque style over the handlebars. They spoke little English and local people had no knowledge of French, but transactions were made and many kitchens proudly displayed their onions from Brittany, dwindling week by week.

A knife sharpener would appear periodically pushing a trolley and working a wheel which caused a circular stone to revolve. Knives and scissors were produced and the skilled hands of the operator would thumb the blade to be sure he'd done a good job.

On summer evenings, vans would appear from Torquay or other seaside towns selling mackerel. The men called out loudly 'Fresh fish, five for a shilling!' Sometimes the cry would be 'Little Joeys, tuppence each!'

Many thanks to Hazel Bray for the account above.

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Ashburton Urban District Council, undated, but between 1930 and 1935

                                                    *******

In 1955, the Co-op had departments at nos. 8,19, 30 and 32 North St. The drapery department was at no 8, and the regional office was at no 19.

See item in the 1950s section of the Virtual museum          

                                          Businesses advertising in the Official Guide of Ashburton
Ashburton Urban District Council, undated, but between 1952 and 1960

E A Horrell, Decorator, grainer, signwriter etc

Ashburton Motor Works

D & E Milton, Greengrocery, 34 East St

A H Lang, Baker, 33 North St

S J Elson, Printers and stationers, The Printing Works, Ashburton

Bollom, Dry cleaners and dyers, 22 North St

G Arscott, Grocers and general stores

A J Kerslake, Family and dispensing chemist. 44 East St

Eagle Dairy, Milk, cream, general grocers, tobacco etc., East St

The Wool Shop, Ladies' and childrens' wear, toys, Foyle's library, 9 and 9a West St

E M Morey, China and glassware, Devonshire pottery, 27 West St

M J Mann, Radio and electrical engineer, 3 West St

Slade and sons, 'the good old fashioned grocers!', est 1837, the Grocers of London House, Ashburton

Kenneth E Ruth, Commercial photographer, 12 West St

Webber and Christophers, Builders, decorators, funeral directors, 26 St Lawrence Lane

Walton's, jewellers, souvenirs, trinkets, 7 St Lawrence Lane (also 33 Hyde Road, Paignton)

A R Church, Ironmongers, North St

Robert Cubitt and son, General drapers and outfitters, 'Clinton House'

Osborn's, Grocers, 16 North St

G H Farley, Radio, television and electrical

Co-op, Groceries, drapery, bread and confectionery, boots and shoes, North St

C H Churchward, Grocer, fruiterer, florist, The Sun Stores, North St

A J Braund, The Paper Shop, Newspapers, stationery, tobacco and confectionery, 6 North St

G B Soper, Butcher, 42 East St

Parsons and Co., Grocer, dairymen and confeectioners, 17 West St

Holman, Ham and Co., Family and dispensing chemists, West St

Bakery & Confectionery Products Ltd., Ernest Owen, 9 and 57 East St

Studio Theatre, Ashburton

Exeter House, Proprietress Mrs Jennings

The Golden Lion Hotel

H B Cook of London, Hair Stylist, 30 North St

Treasure Trove, Mementoes, toys, ice cream, cigarettes, 30 East St, Proprietor A L Neate (Late of Birmingham)

Belgrave Nursery, I L Grimes, Bowden Hill, with shop 1 East St

Pedrick, Ladies' and children's hairdresser, 22 East St

M & M Butler, Stationery and fancy goods, toys, wools, 14 North St

C H Naylor, Plumber, heating and sanitary engineer, Ladwell, Ashburton

V R Counter, Taxi, West St

Mrs J A Hamlyn, Bed and breakfast, evening meal, Westabrook Farm

H J Winter, Caravan and tent sites, caravans to let, Waterleat Farm

Victoria Inn

Mrs Furneaux, Board residence, 29 East St

Royal Oak Inn

F W Cannon, Farmhouse fare, Yolland Hill Farm

Exeter House Cafe (opposite Midland Bank), East St

Jack's Snack Bar, 17 East St

The Green Gazelle, Teas and morning coffee, Devon pottery and curios

Barnes' Cafe and tea Gardens (opposite the church)

Frisby's, Footwear, East St

Gayton's Luxury Coaches

Sawdye and Harris, Auctioneers, surveyors, land agents etc., J A Sawdye and C H Harris

Edwin Tucker & Sons Ltd.,incorporating Hamlin and Whiteway Ltd., and Durant and Sons, Seed merchants, maltsters, agricultural merchants

The Eastern Garage, Automobile and general engineers