The Elm Grove Area.
My neck of the woods. I thought it was time to research some buildings around where I live. An area that doesn't really get much of a mention in the history books. Sadly I have few photos to show these shops as they were and have to rely on quite recent photos. I would dearly love to add photographs of how they used to look. If anyone has any old photographs of the shops listed below please contact me.
Photo taken 2009
26-28 Brading Road.
During the 1890's this building served as a laundry. Originally under the name of G.P.Murfin. By the early 1900's it had become Model Laundry which stayed in business until the 1940's.
During the 1950's this building became Homade Bakeries.
From the 1960's onwards the premises became a wood turners factory which survived up until it's closure sometime during the mid to late 2000's.
It was demolished during 2009 to make way for housing.
Photo taken 2015.
Bonchurch Road
This row of housing built c.1980's replaced the Sunny Bank Laundry. I need to research this more but from what I remember there was a fire that destroyed it during the 1970's.
Photo taken 2014.
43-45 Bonchurch Road.
This lovely building started life c.1898 as Ivy House. It was a laundry owned by William Huggett and his wife Matilda. Helping out with the family business was their daughter Alice. Also living with them was Matilda's sister Annie. They ran this business until c.1914 when William briefly enlisted in the Royal Sussex Regiment at Chichester. The laundry was taken over by W.A.Mallison who ran the business for the next three years up until c.1917.
From 1918 the laundry was owned by A Taylor who ran a business here up until the 1940's.
Sometime during the 1940's the building became Dunkerton's Furniture Removals and storage and was surviving until at least the 1970's.
Further research is needed to know when Dunkerton's ceased running a business here but at some point it became the Piano Warehouse.
Sadly there is a planning application being considered to demolish this building and build 7 flats on the site. Let's hope it isn't approved.
June 2014.
Photo taken 2012.
212 Elm Grove
In 1881, at number 52,Henry Stubberfield (a Sussex Cricketer) and his wife Maria were running the Race Horse Tavern.
By 1884 the Race Horse Inn was built very close by and the license from the Race Horse Tavern transferred to the new premises, pictured here.
1908 the pub was listed as Ye Race Horse Inn and run by the Woolven family. They had the pub up until the sometime during the Second World War.
After the war George Bimson was the landlord here and he ran the pub until the early 1970's.
Recently the pub has been converted into student housing, along with many other pubs in the area.
Photo taken 2004.
210 & 210A Elm Grove.
210, (the house on the right) sat on it's own for quite a few years. It's nearest building, being the corner of Arnold Street. When the pub was opened in 1884, there was a gap between 210 and the pub. 210a wasn't built until the later part of the 1890's. I believe 210 was the original Race Horse Tavern, before the pub was built on the corner which contained stabling and re-named the Race Horse Inn.
1891- 210 was occupied by Mr H Ray. Bleacher and cleaner.
1893- Thomas Spiers laundry.
By 1906 210 Elm Grove became J Tamlyn's hairdressers.
By 1908 Frederick White Greengrocers was also at this address.
1909- at 210 was W Cole Dairy and at 210a J Tamlyn's hairdressers.
1914- W Russell had taken over the dairy and 210a then was a bootmakers.
1925- The dairy at 210 was now owned by W.H.C.Creed. 210a was a fishmongers owned by A.E.Creed.
1929- Creeds dairy was still at 210. Frederick George Stoner and his cutler business had moved in to 210a
Early 1930's and Henry Newton was now running the dairy.
At some point during the war years Stoner's took over both 210 and 210a and the dairy was no more. Stoner's remained here until c.1967.
For a time it was painted in a cow pattern, probably a nod to its past. It was a local landmark for a while. It was known as the 'cow house'. It was sold c.2009 and the new owners clearly wanted something more sedate.
Photo taken 2014
176 Elm Grove/ corner of Baxter Street.
I always knew this shop as Betty's. My Mum spent a lot of time chatting to Betty and her husband, whilst I stood with her in the shop watching Betty's husband slice meat through a slicing machine. It must have fascinated me as I have the same memory in a few of the Elm Grove shops.
I remember Betty as being a really lovely, happy lady.
1970 it was occupied by W. Johnson. I am guessing this was Betty's husband.
From around 1910 up until the mid 1950's this shop was run by Alfred Heasman.
Photo taken 2015.
110 Elm Grove.
From 1917 110 Elm Grove was a Drapers store ran by Mrs Hobden. The first mention of a Girl Guide's shop was c.1958. Mrs Hobden died in 1988, when the running of the shop was taken over by Mrs. Ashdown.
When I popped in for a chat today I was told that the shop will be closing in two weeks time and relocating to Old Boat Corner on Carden Hill.
The counter in the shop was the original used by Mrs Hobden to measure the cloth that she sold.
End of another era in Elm Grove.
Photo taken October 2014.
112 Elm Grove
This building started out as Marion/Miriam cottage around 1870. Owned by a William Chisholm .
William Chisholm previously lived at 11 Queen's Square. He was the Verger of St Paul's Church in West Street.
William lived here with his wife Jane and their children. William died in 1871.
After his death his wife Jane remained here until her death in 1885. Living at this address with her was Reverend Thornton who remained here after her death with Jane's daughter.
By 1901 the cottage was owned by a Mrs Marchant.
By 1906 112 Elm Grove had become a dairy run by H. Guy. Apparently there was access via Luther Street through an arch where the horses would go to the back of the premises.
By the mid 1920's H.Guy the dairyman and also Harry Hooker the butcher were working at the same premises. By 1928 Harry Hooker had taken over the premises as a butchers. According to the last owners the animals were slaughtered out the back of the premises.
A butchers was here up until the early 1970's.
Elm Grove Vacuum Centre finally closed it's doors today ( Oct 4th 2014) after 40 years of trading here.
Photo taken 2015.
86 Elm Grove.
It seems that 86 Elm Grove was a private residence up until c.1929 when it became Warren Farm Dairies. The dairy was only here for a couple of years before it was taken over by Reliance Wireless Service (before he moved down to the corner of Hampden Road in 1938.
After 1938 this shop became a second hand furniture shop. From c.1940's it became a Wardrobe Dealers run by Mrs Rose Lock.
Early 1960's Lilies Ladies Hairdressers was at this address.
Today in 2015 this business is still operating as a hairdressers.
UPDATE October 2015.
Headlines closed earlier in the year. The shop is currently being renovated. The removal of the shop fascia revealed a fascia from the 1970's when Ronald Henry had his hairdressers business here.
Photo taken 2015.
84 Elm Grove
The earliest record I could find of this building being a public house was in 1885. A beer retailer by the name of Edward Hobden. By 1889 it was listed as The Elms.
Edward Hobden ran The Elms (also known as The Elms Inn) for many years. His wife took over presumably after his death. She ran The Elms up until c.1923.
In 1924 The Elms was in the hands of J. King who ran The Elms up until the early 1930's.
It seems after this, it was turned into a private house.
Photo: taken 2012.
78 Elm Grove.
The earliest record I could find for this address was in 1869. A bakers by the name of W.G Piper. Following owners were H. Parker and later Frederick Grout.
The premises survived as a bakery up until 1915.
Then a greengrocers business was at this address up until 1938 when it became the Reliance Wireless Service (radio dealers). This business survived 67 years until it's closure in 2005.
74& 76 Elm Grove.
74 & 76 Elm Grove. C. 1922 74 Elm Grove became Harry Ernest Taylor's chemist. Whilst number 76 (the corner) was trading as a grocers for many years previous to this. It wasn't until the late 1940's that Harry Ernest Taylor took over the corner premises also.
Taylor's chemist survived up until the late 1960's when it became Gower's chemist. Taylor's also had a chemist on the west corner of Cromwell Street which I have a vague memory of when I was very small.
Originally the doorway was at the corner and there were steps leading down inside the shop.
After Gower's, Colin Gardiner ran the chemist for many years up until earlier this year (2015). Sorely missed by many customers.
For a very brief moment today (25.9.15) Taylor's fascia was revealed during it's conversion into Kamson's Chemist. I managed to get a couple of photos before the builder covered it over again, no doubt for many more years to come.
Photo taken 2011.
64 Elm Grove.
64 Elm Grove was a fishmongers around 1908. Ran by H Sherin up until c.1914 when Herbert Peter's took over and ran his fishmongers business until c.1926.
For the next ten years until 1936 Miss Beatrice Loop continued with the fishmongers.
Walter Speed sold fried fish from 1937 up until sometime during the Second World War.
After the war we see the name changed to Mouzouri's fried fish dealers.
From 1966 this business then became the Palmistry Parlour and was here for the next forty years or so. I took this photograph in 2011. Shortly after it was renovated and became a new business.
167 Elm Grove
From the beginning of the 1900's this building was a tobacconist and confectioners ran by the Smallwood family. They moved their business from here c.1909 and took over the premises on the corner of Bernard Road.
From 1910 up until the Second World War this confectioners was run by the Lucas family.
For a while after the war it became a secondhand furniture shop ran by Aaron Jenkinson.
From the early 1970's this became Tobias's sweet shop. Mr Tobias was a lovely man who had a lot of time for us children. We spent hours in there chatting with him. Swizzle sticks were my favourite sweet. I can still remember the rows of jars of sweets on the shelves behind the counter.
Photo taken 2014.
36 Elm Grove
From c.1954 this was Mrs Ayling's wool store. When I was around 10 years old I learnt to crochet. I often visited here in the 1970's. I remember the balls of wall covering the shelves all around the shop. It was quite a small shop but very colourful. I also recall baskets of wool outside the shop.I am not sure when this shop closed but I am guessing it was during the 1980's sometime. If anyone can help me out with the year please let me know.
Before it became Ayling's wool shop it an ironmongers for a short time. Previous to that from c.1915 up until the late 1930's maybe early 1940's it was C.Champions &Son credit drapers.
185 Elm Grove.
The earliest record I could find here was 1907 when the newsagents business was run by E. J Abel.
By 1912 Frederick Smallwood, a carpenter born in Shoreham, was running a newsagents business here along with his wife Ellen. They were at this address until 1937. Previous to this address they had their shop at the corner of Brading Road at number 167.
From 1938 the shop was owned by Stephen Devereux. It was Devereux's up until the early 1960's when Clifford took over.
Clifford ran this and two other newsagents from what I can recall.
I saw him last year going into the newsagents so I guess he is still involved in some way.
At one time , probably before Devereux's took over, my Great Grandparents considered buying the shop. That never happened.
Photos taken 2014.
187 Elm Grove
Just above the corner of Bernard Road.
As a child during the late 60's and 70's I knew this as Moons the barbers. I remember the red and white barbers pole outside. Mr Moon was a very small, slim man. He always wore a long grey overall. I can still picture him vividly in my mind. My Great Uncle always had his hair cut here.
The history of this building goes back to c.1907. First owned by a Miss Eleanor Cornwell who ran her Ladies Outfitters business here. It was a Ladies Outfitters until 1917 when 187 Elm Grove became a confectioners. Ran by a lady called Miss Scott. Miss Scott ran her confectioners business here up until c.1935.
From at Least 1937 until its closure during the 1980's the Moon family had their hairdresser/barbers business here. I love the fact that their name is still on the door leading to their flat above. I wonder if the Moon family still live there?
Photo taken 2015.
201 Elm Grove
Built c.1906. This shop has been a grocers store from the very beginning and is still a grocers shop 109 years later, (as of 2015).
Originally ran by John Colwell.
By 1908 It changed hands to the Peter's family who were in business here until the mid 1930's when the Kendall family took over. They were at these premises for many years until the early 1960's.
During the 1970's Mr Bird was the proprietor. He was a lovely man, from what I recall as a child.
My mother cleaned here during the lunchtimes when it was always closed. I would go along with her when I was a toddler and play in the shop whilst she worked. I can still smell the cleaning fluid now.
I would often go and sit on the stairs out the back of the shop and watch Mr Bird cutting up the meat. It obviously fascinated me as I have this memory from most of the grocers shops that were in Elm Grove at the time.
I also remember getting my head stuck in the railings on the stairs on several occasions due to me sitting there on the stairs watching all that was going on.
203 Elm Grove.
At the corner with Totland Road. Built c.1906 this shop started life as Wright's confectioners. It remained a confectioners right up until the 1970's. Various owners over the years including J Marsden in the 1920's. Frank Gunn during the 1930's. During the 50's Thomas Oldfield. best known as Craghills during the 1960's and Kempshalls during the 1970's.
I only have a little memory of this shop as a child. I called it the Orange Shop because the woodwork was painted orange. I can only remember standing outside looking longingly at the different coloured soft scoop ice cream's in the window.
209 Elm Grove
This building began as a butchers owned by H.J Smith c.1906. Taken over by A.E.Voke in 1920 and by 1928 by B. Wileman.
George Knigh had his butchers business here from the late 1930's until the mid 1960's.
From around 1966 this building was E.F.Huggett's bookmakers. Later taken over by Ladbrokes. Ladbrokes relocated from here sometime during the 1970's to the corner of Totland Road and these premises became a sweet shop owned by John Marshall.
I remember us going into this sweetshop often during the late 70's and early 1980's.
I'm not sure when this shop closed but it has been empty for many, many years.
Photo 2014.
Photo taken 2014.
219 Elm Grove
Known to most of us as Homewoods Store. Homewoods set up shop here in 1936. A quaint little grocers shop which sold fresh cakes in the window.
I remember going here often as a child through the 1970's. Then later, after I had married and also became a 'Homewood' we found out through research that the owners of Homewoods were distantly related to my husband's family. A thing we always used to joke about when we used to go in and order our newspapers.
Homewoods were in business here right up until the early 2000's. I kick myself often for not taking some photographs before they closed, something I always meant to do.
Previous to Homewoods store though, this business started off as a bakers shop. The earliest record I could find was in 1906 by the name of F Sickelmore. It changed hands a few times before the Homewoods took over but from a bakers it became a general store.
In more recent years it was a double glazing firm and now it has been converted into a home.
Aug 2014.
Photo taken July 2014.
221 Elm Grove
Built c. 1906 This shop started out as a dairy business. By 1908 it was owned by D. Burtenshaw. A.Herridge had his dairy business here from 1913 to 1919.
From 1920 up until the late 1930's or early 1940's the business had become a grocers shop run by George Edgington.
From the late 1940's until 1960 the grocers business was owned by Cyril Parsons.
I think this shop was best remembered as Trenchards during the 1960's and 70's until its conversion into housing.
I have a vague memory of this being a shop as a child.
Photo taken August 2014.
Elm Grove.
The Candy Box.
During the 1970's and 80's this was the Candy Box sweet shop. Just across the road from Elm Grove school. Many lunchtimes spent in there buying a quarter of sherbert or sweet peanuts. I'm not sure when the Candy Box finally closed up shop and was converted into a house.
It started off back in the late 1890's as a tobacconists shop. In 1917 it became a confectioners and remained so right up until its closure in the 1980's 90's. Many changes of ownership over the last century.
photo taken 2013.
148 Elm Grove and corner of Arnold Street.
This shop was Harmony Carpets from around 1968. It has been a vacant shop for many years and has recently been converted into housing.
Prior to this though it was a fish merchants. Arthur Allen had the business from the 1940's up until the mid 1960's. Previous to this it was owned by a John Marshall throughout the 1920's and 30's.
Before this I cannot find any businesses listed at this address however there is a photograph of it as a shoes and boot repairers.
1 De Montfort Road.
From 1933 this building was the Emmanuel Full Gospel Church.
Now being converted into housing I believe.
Photo March 2015.
34 Hartington Road.
For many years this building on the corner of Hartington Road and Brading Road was a newsagents.
From at least 1915 up until the 1960's this was Henry Robinsons newsagents. Later taken over by W.H Crane.
I have a couple of memories of visiting this newsagents during the 1970's.
36 Hartington Road.
From c.1906 This building was a general shop run by R. W. Heather. The Heather family ran this store up until the 1940's when it became Hartley's Stores ran by H.H & M.E Hartley. They were only here a short time before it was taken over by J.H.Woods. The store changed hands a few times after this before finally becoming a hairdressers.
It seems to still exist as a hairdressers but I have yet to see it open.
Photo 2015.
54 Hartington Road.
At the junction with Bernard Road this house once was a grocers shop. Dating back to c.1908 the first proprietor was J.E.Bissell.
During the 1930's Mrs Lowe was the shopkeeper. She was here up until the 1960's.
During the late 1960's it became Flair the Ladies Hairdressers. A place I remember being taken to as a little child.
I'm not sure when this closed. It was still there in 1972. Afterwards it was converted into the house we see today.
Photo 2015.
21 Islingword Road
From 1891 to at least the 1970's this house used to be the Baptist Mission Hall.
Photo 2016.
