Your Move
Currently, Your Move are at number 82. They have been there since at least April 2011. However, before then, from at least October 2008 to July 2009, the Halifax was there.
Halifax
Memories of the Halifax
In a comment on Kirkby Living Memory Facebook Group, Kerry Beadle noted that she had worked for Halifax from when the branch opened in April 1990. Initially, she was a part-time negotiator but she became a sales manager and then a valuer. She worked there for eleven years. She described them as “best 11 years, so many regular bank customers and returning vendors and buyers.” In a comment below, Alwyn Bowskill, recalled Kerry working at the Halifax at the time he took out a mortgage.
In comments on Facebook, David Collinge recalled that the Halifax had a useful cash machine. Kerry Beadle recalled filling it every Friday with between £50,000 and £75,000.
Haberdasher
There was no listing for this property in 1942 but, in 1928, Herbert Thompson Smith was a haberdasher at number 82. Robinson-Smith appears as a haberdasher on Jacques’ List of Station Street retailers circa 1920-1940. I assume this is the same person and wonder if Thompson has been mis-transcribed as Robinson or vice versa.
Leisurefield
In the 1980s, the camping and leisure store, Leisurefield was at number 82.
Wakefields Army Stores
I came across an advert for Wakefields Army Stores in the 1969 Kirkby Directory. This indicated a branch on Station Street and I wondered if this might have been linked to the earlier Frank Wakefield shop at 84 Station Street? In a Facebook comment, Keith Stevens commented that the army stores were there until 1983 “when Wakefields sold out“.
Contributors on Facebook expressed differing views as to where Wakefield Army Stores had been located on Station Street. Heather Mulholland stated that it was “about where Kirkby Exchange Store is now“, that is 78-80 Station Street. This is next-door to this property. Anne Orwin agreed that Wakefield Army Stores had been the “next shop” from 84-86 Station Street where Kirkby Exchange is now noting “my mum worked there from the 70s till it closed“. Isabel Timmins and Keith Stevens agreed that it was “next door“. Keith noted that it was a double-fronted shop. However, Phil Scott commented, “I thought Wakefield’s army stores was where the dog house is in the sixties“. But, Geoff Lee responded saying he thought Wakefields had been where Your Move is now, i.e. at 82 Station Street.
Photographs of Wakefields Army Stores
Anne Orwin’s photo above shows the Fruit Bowl and Barclays beyond Wakefield Army Stores. This means it was indeed where Your Move is currently, i.e. here at 82 Station Street. It has the same distinctive shaping of the window as Your Move has currently.
There is a great photo of the Wakefields Army Stores in Chesterfield on the Old Chesterfield Pics Facebook Group.
Memories of Wakefields Army Stores
Shopping at Wakefields
Contributors on Kirkby-in-Ashfield People Facebook Group shared memories of shopping and working at Wakefields Army Stores. June Barbara Brown commented that it was a “brilliant shop“. Colleen Moult noted that she loved going there to buy jeans when Anne Orwin’s mother worked there. Nigel Swain commented that his “first 18 hole docs” were from Wakefields. Funniest story of shopping there has to be from Trevor Ord. He says, “I’ve still got a pair of army trousers my mum said I would grow into. And they are still too big. (Cheap though).” Frank Ball noted that Wakefields clothed many miners providing ex army trousers, jackets, water bottles and haversacks. Sandra Playford noted that her father’s snap bag was from there when he worked on the railway. Derek Taylor remembered Wakefields and that his mother used to buy winter coats there. He recalled being around 12 to 14 at the time. He thought that they also sold shoes.
Wakefields Bags
Several contributors on Facebook recalled getting bags from Wakefields that they used as school satchels. Kevin Charles, Alwyn Bowskill, Protile Phil, Chris Redfern, Stephen Keightley and Ian Hutchinson recalled writing on them. Things written included signatures, symbols, names of footballers, names of rock bands and political slogans. Heath Linacre made tassels off the top of the sides. Several people noted loving those bags, including Lisa Cripps, Karen Heath, Donna Elliott and Claire La Push Bryan. Neil Cooper described them as “cheap and cheerful“. Colours noted included blue, green and gray. Mark Guy noted that they could carry a lot of books. Some people noted still having theirs including Lee Geeson, Austin Reynolds and Michael Brown.
Working at Wakefields
Jane Wilson noted that her sister Jean Johnson worked there for many years. Jean herself explained that she had worked there for ten years, from 1979 to 1989, as deputy manageress/cashier. She later worked as a physio at Kings Mill for 30 years. She noted that Joyce Upex was the manageress at Wakefields from before the time she started working there until after she left.
Jean considered that “it was our little shop that originally initiated the Kirkby Carnival!! I suggested that to boost sales one year we dress up as Cinderella and the ugly sisters and stay open late. The following year we dressed up as the three little pigs. The year after it grew. Look at it today!!! From little acorns.” While it may be true that this initiative reinvigorated Kirkby Carnival, the history of that goes back well before the seventies/eighties with the first Carnival held in 1935.
In a comment on the photo shared by Anne Orwin, Simon Johnson commented that he “can remember waiting in the back room waiting for my mother to finish work there, and the smelly toilet out back“.
Mr Wakefield
Derek Taylor commented, “I always remember Mr Wakefield driving his Rolls Royce up Diamond Ave and then turning down Clumber street. The kids used to wave to him in his beautiful Roller and he gave a regal wave back.“
John Harrison identified Mr Wakefield as Frank Wakefield who, during the second world war, ran a general store at 84 Station Street. John noted that his family knew the Wakefields because both John’s father and Mrs Wakefield kept bees. John confirmed that Frank had a Rolls Royce but he “didn’t drive it a lot because it used so much fuel“. John also noted that Frank Wakefield provided one of their lorries to transport the Scouts to camp the last two years John ran it in 1965 and 1966. There are photos of this on John’s website.
Memories of 82 Station Street
In her book(let) “I Also Remember“, Edith Searson recalls H J Smith’s drapery and Gent’s Wear shop. I suspect this is referring to 82 Station Street despite the discrepancy in the middle initial. She notes that Mr Smith’s wife helped him in the business. She recalled that Mr Smith was a leading churchman and she thought he belonged to St Wilfrid’s church.
Mr and Mrs H T Smith
Mr and Mrs H T Smith sent flowers when my great grandmother, Sarah Parkin, died in 1930, see Chapter 15. They also gave my grandparents a tablecloth as a wedding present later that year, see Chapter 16. I suspect this refers to Herbert Thompson Smith and his wife.
Residents at 82 Station Street
The Greens
In 1939, Arthur and Elizabeth Green were living at number 82. Ronald Green (b1924) was living with them and I assume he was their son although it appears he later changed his name to Payne. Arthur was recorded as an invalid coal hewer and Ronald was a colliery clerk.
The Smiths
In 1921, Herbert J Smith and his wife, Martha A, were living at 82 Station Street. Although Herbert’s middle initial has been transcribed as J, it could be a “T” in the original. Living with them was Harry Lowe (b1896), a step-son and Joseph Robinson, a visitor. Herbert J worked as a draper and Harry as a colliery electrician. Joseph was a railway booking clerk with Midland Railway Company.
1911
In 1911, no-one was listed as living at 82 Station Street.
The Robinsons
In 1901, George and Mary Robinson were living at 82 Station Street with their daughter Mary Ann (b1860). George was described as a draper shopkeeper and Mary Ann as a draper’s assistant. A servant, Gertrude Allen, was also living with them.
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