D I Blow
“Now”, D I Blow, an opticians, are based at 40 Station Street. They have been there since at least October 2008. In a Facebook comment, Linda Knowles thought that they had been based there from 1994/5.
40 Station Street is the end of a row of terraced houses. There is then a gap before a row of shops in a more modern building. Through this gap appears to be a car park for D I Blow.
Shacklocks
I am grateful to Jayne Powell for noting on Facebook that 40 Station Street was Shacklock’s Solicitors for a while. Robert Grattage noted that they had been based on Lownoor Road but that they had to move when redevelopment took place there. Susan Stafford noted that she worked at Shacklocks from 1973 to 1985. Jackie Straw confirmed that it was Shacklocks solicitors before it became Blow’s.
Based on information from telephone directories, it appears that Shacklocks and Ashton Hill were based at 40 Station Street from 1970 until at least 1972. By 1974, their Kirkby office was no longer listed in the telephone directory. However, this may reflect that phone directories from 1970 to 1972 included yellow pages sections while those produced later did not.
History of Shacklocks
Susan Stafford explained that, “Shacklocks began as Shacklock, Bosworth and Hooton – Mr Hooton still working in the firm at Mansfield and then they merged with Ashton Hill of Nottingham and became Shacklocks and Ashton Hill around the early seventies and then became just Shacklocks. As far as I am aware when Shacklocks closed the opticians took over the building.”
Haunted?
Susan Stafford noted that, when she worked at Shacklocks, “we used to think the place was haunted“. Robert Grattage commented that he had heard from several reliable sources that “one of the rooms in the building was haunted“.
W A Raine
Robert Grattage also noted that another solicitor W A Raine was based here before Shacklocks. He assumed that Shacklocks bought his practice as he was “approaching retirement.” However, June Pitchford noted that he moved his practice to West Bridgford where he lived.
Linda Knowles noted that her first job was working for Mr W A Raine from 1964. She noted he was a solicitor and that he was based there for a lot of years.
Based on information from telephone directories, it appears that W A Raine were based here until 1969.
George Bowmar and Sons
In 1941, George Bowmar and Sons were wheelwrights based at 40 Station Street. Bowmar Undertaker appear on Jacques’ List of Station Street retailers circa 1920-1940. George Bowmar is listed as a wheelwright in both the 1928 and the 1899 Kelly’s Directories. In 1912, George Bowmar was listed as a wheelwright, smith and undertaker at 40 Station Street.
B Smith
B Smith is also mentioned in this place on Jacques’ List and is referred to as a joiner. I have not found more details of this.
Memories of Bowmars
Mark Ashfield notes in “Christmas Pigs and a Summer Donkey” (p24) that Bowmars were both wheelwrights and undertakers. He recalled that their name “was painted white on a black board just inside the firm’s gates“. He commented that the two trades of wheelwright and undertaker “were, in a way, complementary, because funerals were usually headed by horses pulling a hearse that had gleaming fittings. And behind the hearse were carriages for the mourners and the whole cortege went on its solemn way on large and many-spoked wheels. Sometimes, in front of the horses, strode Mr Bowmar wearing a black rigout which, when completed by a shiny top hat, made him look even taller and thinner than he was“.
As far as I can see, Edith Searson does not mention them in her book(let) “I Also Remember“.
In his article on memories of Kirkby, Ken Higham commented that Bowmars came after Marriott’s butchers. He refers to Stuart Higham, presumably Charles Stuart Higham, one of George’s sons.
In a Facebook comment, Frank Ball recalled buying wood from the workshop at the back in the early sixties but he did not recall the name. Susan Stafford recalled that the building had been used by an undertaker. She noted, “I worked at Shacklocks and can remember on the top floor there were hooks in the eaves for the shrouds and the out buildings at the back were where the coffins were made.” Elizabeth Smith noted that they were still there in 1956 as they conducted the funeral for her baby that died.
Mentioned in Grandad’s Diaries
The Bowmars were mentioned in grandad’s diary.
Sarah Parkin and Mrs Bowmar were friends
Visiting Mrs Martin After her Husband Was Injured at Summit
Sarah Parkin, my great grandmother, and Mrs Bowmar were friends probably through chapel. In June 1914, Mrs Bowmar went with her to visit Mrs Martin a few days after her husband, William James Martin, was injured at Summit colliery. It seems that Mr Martin’s injuries were severe as, a few months later, in November, grandad noted that he was buried, see Chapter 5.
The Incident
William James Martin’s name is on a list of miners killed at Summit between 1895 and 1922 which is on Kirkby Living Memory Facebook Group. His name is also on an incomplete, alphabetical list of miners killed at Summit. This includes quite a lot of detail of what happened to Mr Martin. It confirms that the accident happened on 11 June 1914 and that Mr Martin died on 20 November 1914. It notes that he was 36 and a stallman. Further, it explains that the “deceased was cutting down some clod to make room for a bar to support a slip to which he had just set a catch prop. He liberated the slip which allowed 2 cwts. of coal to fall upon his back causing injuries from which he died.“
Inquest
I found more detail in a news article in the Mansfield Reporter and Sutton Times of 27 November 1914. This noted that Mr Martin’s inquest had taken place, at Nottingham General Hospital, on 24 November 1914. It was attended by E H Frazer, his Majesty’s inspector of mines, W Carter of Notts Miners’ Association and J Bircumshaw and J Ellis Fermer for the Butterley Colliery Company. Mr Martin was taken to hospital in Nottingham where he was found to have a ruptured bladder and a fractured pelvis. He was discharged from hospital in July but was readmitted in October with symptoms of kidney disease. He remained in hospital from then until he died.
Grandad and Eric Bowmar Were Friends
Grandad was friendly with the Bowmars’ son Eric Champness. He was a year younger than grandad. He also attended Bourne Primitive Methodist Chapel. Indeed, in 1914/15, grandad noted that Eric gave the lesson on a couple of occasions and that, on one occasion, he helped Eric unscrew some piping at chapel.
Grandad Noted Family Deaths
Grandad noted when Eric’s mother, Annie, died in January 1957 and also when his brother, Charles Stuart, died in September that same year, aged 61. In 1961, grandad noted that when his brother and sister-in-law, Cyril and Minnie, visited they went to see Frank and Kath Bowmar, who may have been Eric’s brother and sister. Grandad noted that Eric Bowmar himself died on 10 June 1966.
Biographical Details for the Bowmars
Mis-transcription
One challenge in tracking biographical details of the Bowmars is that their names are consistently mis-transcribed as Bowman from various censuses although there are some exceptions, e.g. 1911.
George and Annie Bowmar
George Bowmar was born in Kirkby around 1859. He married Annie Rockley in 1887. She was five years younger than him having been born on 31 March 1864. Apparently, George Bowmar also did some painting, e.g. of the sign of the William Walker factory in Station Street. George Bowmar died in 1929. His wife Annie died in 1957. They had six children.
Frank Bowmar
Frank Bowmar was born on 30 November 1890. He worked as a bookkeeper and then as a clerk employed by the local authority. He married Lucy A Staples in 1925. Finally, he died in 1971.
Clarice Bowmar
Clarice Bowmar was born in 1893. She may have married Everard E Price in 1918.
Kathleen Margaret Bowmar
Kathleen Margaret (Maggie) Bowmar was born on 3 January 1894. She appears to have married Harold Hoten in 1915. Her middle initial has been transcribed as E although it is M in the original. It seems that Harold was a Manager and Buyer in the drapery department of what looks like Boots Cooperative Store. By 1939, the family had moved to Middlesex. Kathleen died in 1980.
Charles Stuart Bowmar
Charles Stuart Bowmar was born in 1896. He worked as a wheelwright and joiner. Apparently, he married Lucy E S Toon in 1923. He died in 1957.
Alec Watkinson Bowmar
Alec Watkinson Bowmar was born in 1898 and may have been Eric’s twin. Apparently, he died in Stoke in 1980. He may have been married twice, to Annie E Braithwaite in Rotherham in 1937 and to Elsie Gunn in Stoke in 1977. He was a teacher and appeared before Kirkby Tribunal in 1916.
Eric Champness Bowmar
Eric Champness Bowmar was born on 14 October 1897. He worked as a wheelwright and joiner. He married Lillian (Lily) B Marriott in 1932. As mentioned above, he died in 1966. He appeared before Kirkby Tribunal during the first world was but later served in the Royal Engineers. He conducted grandad’s mother’s funeral in 1930.
Residents of 40 Station Street
The Bowmars lived at 40 Station Street from at least 1901 to 1939. In 1939, Annie and Frank Bowmar, mother and son, were living at 40 Station Street. Frank was registered as a clerk employed by the local authority and he was also in the Air Raid Precautions (ARP) service. Interestingly, in 1939, Eric C and Lily B Bowmar were living at number 22 Station Street.
In 1921, George and Annie Bowmar were living at 40 Station Street with their three sons, Frank (b1890), Charles Stuart (b1896) and Eric Champness (b1897). George was described as a joiner, wheelwright, undertaker and general smith. Frank was a bookkeeper for the Kirkby in Ashfield Urban District Council Gas Department. Both Charles and Eric were wheelwrights and joiners working for their father. Also with them was a visitor Kathleen Maggie Hoten and her two children Margaret (b1916) and Harold Peter Hoten (b1919). Although listed as a visitor, I believe Kathleen Hoten was the Bowmars married daughter.
In 1911, two daughters were listed – Clarice (b1893) and Kathleen Margaret (b1894). Both daughters were draper’s assistants. Another son, Alec Watkinson (b1898), was listed. I wonder if he and Eric were twins.
In 1901, in addition to family members, a domestic servant, Matilda Rigley, was listed at 40 Station Street.