Through the Looking Glass
A tea room, Through the Looking Glass, is based at 30 Station Street. They have been there since at least September 2020. According to a Facebook comment by owner of Chic Boutique, Natalie Wadley, her mother opened this shop in 2019. At that time, they took away part of the divide between the two shops.
Recommendation
In May 2024, Christine Evans recommended this tearoom saying “I visited today with my granddaughter for lunch and it was lovely we really enjoyed it. I chose the ploughman’s and my Granddaughter had the drink me eat me shake, they also do lovely afternoon teas to eat in or order to take away, highly recommended.” Others agreed. Comments included from Christine Gregory, “ Fabulous place…Really lovely food , great price , with happy friendly staff“, from Christine Fraser, “Lovely tea room. Fantastic atmosphere & the staff are great “, from Sharon Harker “Love it here” and from Chloe Louise Walter “It’s amazing here!!”
The Tea Room
Before that, from at least May 2016, it was The Tea Room, which moved to 18-20 Station Street. In June 2015, both 28 and 30 Station Street were empty and available “To Let“, again through David Blount.
Kirkby Beds
It appears that Kirkby Beds were once based at both 28 and 30 Station Street as their advertisement is still visible when the windows steam up. Christine Evans commented on Facebook that she had forgotten about them. The current owner of Chic Boutique, Natalie Wadley, commented that she had not been able to forget them as “every night it appeared”.
Bonkers
Before that, from at least October 2008 to April 2011, furniture store, Bonkers, had occupied 28-30 Station Street. I am grateful to Alwyn Bowskill for sharing this photo in the comments on 28 Station Street. It is from Kirkby Living Memory Facebook Group. It seems to me that Breakers were at 24-26 Station Street and the Discount Furniture store at 28-30 Station Street. I am not sure if this furniture discount store was also called Bonkers.
An Electrical Shop
Based on a post on Annesley OC Heritage Extra Facebook page , it appears there may have been an electrical shop here before it was a furniture discount store.
Taylors
I am grateful to Sharon Millan for pointing out that Taylors were in this run of shops in the seventies. From the photo she shared, it appears that Taylor Corn Stores may have occupied more than one shop. I found an entry in the 1977 phone directory which gave their address as 28 Station Street. I suspect they occupied 28-30 Station Street. Taylors continues to trade at 22 Kingsway.
Stephen Dowsing recalled getting bread flour and yeast from there. He also thought they sold pet food.
An Earlier Row of Terraced Houses
The current building housing 24-36 Station Street was constructed in the sixties. Prior to that, there had been a row of terraced houses/cottages. These were noted both by Edith Searson in her book(let) “I Also Remember” and by Mark Ashfield in his book “Christmas Pigs and a Summer Donkey“.
John Chantry
In both 1928 and 1941, John Chantry was based at 30 Station Street although his name was spelled Chantrey. He was described both as a hardware dealer, based at 30 Station Street, and as a blacksmith based in Factory Road.
Exempt from Military Service in WW1
During the first world war, John Chantry received conditional exemptions from military service from Kirkby Tribunal because of the national importance of his work as a blacksmith. However, I wonder if the Tribunal took his age (37) into account as they only granted a younger smith, William Mason (23), two short exemptions.
Mark Ashfield’s Memories of John Chantry
Mark Ashfield refers to him in “Christmas Pigs and a Summer Donkey” (p24). He was well-known in the town. He ran a “front room shop” selling heavy ironmongery and miners’ tools. His forge was at the far end of Factory Road. Mark Ashfield describes him as stocky and rotund, epitomising the mighty smith in Longfellow’s poem. As a child, Mark Ashfield, was fascinated by the tools in the shop. The only possible anomaly is that Mark Ashfield recalls that John Chantry’s house and shop were “next to the fish and chip business“.
Residents of 30 Station Street
The Chantrys
In 1939, the John and Elizabeth Chantry were living at 30 Station Street. John was described as a master blacksmith. John Chantry was also living there in 1921. However, his surname has been transcribed as Chantrey although the spelling appears to be Chantry in the original. Also, his wife’s name is given here as Annie. They had a daughter living with them, Annie (b1917).
From what I can see, John Chantry married Annie Hart in 1901. I have not found any record of him later marrying Elizabeth. Similarly, I did not find any details of Annie Chantry having died between 1921 and 1939. However, I wondered if anything was recorded under Chantrey. I found an Annie Chantrey, born in 1880, who died in Nottingham in 1932. I also found a John Chantrey who married Elizabeth Gill in Basford in 1939.
The Mayers
In 1911, William and Isabella Mayers were living at 30 Station Street with their two sons, Charles Godwin (b1907) and William Henry (b1908). William (Senior) was a hewer. They also had a boarder living with them, Edwin Cooper, who was also a miner, a repairer of roads below ground.
The Hensbys
In 1901, Dennis and Sarah Hensby were living at 30 Station Street with their three sons, John (b1874), Robert J (b1876) and Charles E (b1879). Dennis, John and Charles were all miners. Dennis was a dataller while both John and Charles were loaders. Robert was a bricklayer’s labourer.