Title
Subject
How it was 1980s
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Description
Chapel Street: History of Chapel St/Prince of Wales Rd from the Parish Magazine, January 1995 by Dennis W. Easton.
First of all there were the Mills at Sygate driven by the wind when my grandfather left school in the 1860's he went to work at the Mills. I've heard my father say he used to tell them when there was a wind they worked all night and day. a windmill was a slow machine. I don't remember them going by wind but in my younger days I used to go down there with my father and it was driven by a portable steam engine. Bamber Stackwood's wife was stoker.
Coming into Chapel Street the end of which was Prince of Wales Road. its not Chapel Street until you get to the Chapel; there was Wilson's Wholesale & Retail Butchers. He supplied a lot of butchers in Norwich and district by horse and cart in the 20's. He was one of the best horsemen in the area he would have the best. he also farmed a lot of land and employed a lot of people.
Next there was W A Bush Agricultural Engineer this yard always had something to be repaired. Round about May time farmers would be bringing the grass cutters in to he got ready for the haysel the odd wagon or two to be repaired. June and July in came the self-binders to be done up ready for harvest. Next door was Jack Gaskin he would he doing the harness and canvas for the binders. everything had to be ready as harvest was a big thing in those days. It was nice to see a field full of horses and wagons. shocks of corn and stacks going up. and about a dozen men. just a memory now! On the opposite side of the road was the old Workhouse.
The end of Prince of Wales Road was where William Dewing had his little bakery. I remember his mother helping in the bakery she was known locally as Mrs Penny Loaf. A well-known character called Ruff Carman lived the the yard. on the other side was Stanley Wilson's carpenters yard, somewhere in this street lived Ted Wells a Well - sinker. Tom Hammond kept the shop, he used to sell second hand furniture, he had it outside the shop in the street, this didn't suit Hopping Jack who lived on the other side, they used to get wrong about this. Hopping Jack had a horse and cart and he used to go round the district with fish. We always knew if he had been round you could smell the herring cooking on the gridle; he was a bit of a lad and would always have a tale. He would say "Special offer today Missus, a Herren and hawk for three ha'pence, if you buy a dozen you can have them for a shilling."
Down Hammond's Loke as we used to call it, lived Walter Tuddenham (uncle) he was what we used to call a Jobbing Bricklayer, you would see him with his handcart, few bricks, cement and tools somewhere each day, he was Michael's grandfather. My grandfather was born down that Loke in one of the cottages.
Now, we must not forget Mr Bellbody, always known as Bell, he was a retired bricklayer off the railway. There were a lot of horses in the village in those times, so he had a full time job with his barrow and shovel, every day us boys used to say "What have you on your barrow Mr Bell", this was only to hear him say "Hors-ma-tit-ma-ta-muck". The last for now was Tom pitcher's Cobblers on the Market Hill which is now two cottages.
And from the Parish Magazine March 1995 by Hilda Dewing.
As I was born in Chapel Street I was very interested in Mr Easton's recent Memories in the Magazine, but he have missed two people out. Mr Robert Jeary the tailor and Miss Lottie Carman the dressmaker, they both lived in the tall houses before Mr Pitcher's cobblers shop. I'd also like to say that Ted Wells lived in Church Lane, not Chapel Street.
Note: Paul Engelhard Way and Fred Tuddenham Drive are new roads named after the bussinesses operated from this area which is now a housing estate, build start date 2005.
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Contributor
A Walk Down Chapel Street - (see file) by Ivan Purdy
Mary Gurteen - Photos.
Vic Purdy - Photos.