Dog House
The first property in the terraced row after Bank House is now the Dog House which describes itself as a pub and which occupies 84-86 Station Street. They have been based there since at least September 2017. In April 2017, the property looked empty but it also looked as if it was being prepared to open as the Dog House.
The Fruit Bowl
From at least October 2008 to May 2016, a business called The Fruit Bowl was based there. Apparently, they sold flowers, plants and gifts.
Experiences of the Dog House
In a Facebook comment, Jayne O’Carroll noted that the Dog House have done a great job, saying “it’s lovely inside“.
Memories of the Fruit Bowl
Ann Hill, in a comment on Kirkby-in-Ashfield People Facebook Group, also recalled the Fruit Bowl. She identified the owner as Mr Makison. She notes that his father “had the Stocking Shop near the Milk Bar. Mr M junior was an artist and had a studio up Diamond Ave. His wife was the florist. These memories are from 60s.” Steve Mcgough commented that the Fruit Bowl was owned by Bill Makinson who started it for his son. Bill also owned the Stocking Shop on Kingsway. Following his death, his daughter Jane ran it for 27 years.
Nigel Swain commented that his mother, Dorothy, had worked for many years at the Fruit Bowl as a florist. Kath Harris noted that she had worked there at the same time, in the mid- to late seventies, on Saturdays and in college holidays. Courtney Simpson also noted that her mother had worked there.
Also in a Facebook comment, Judy Blewitt noted that the Fruit Bowl was owned by Brian and Jean Bennet in the eighties. However, Shirley Charlesworth identified them as Jean and Brian Barnett. She worked for them around 1980 with Dorothy. She commented that they were lovely people and that they also owned the Rose Bower at New Cross in Sutton.
Patricia Hinds Gregory identified the last owners before it closed as Trish and Paul Curran. Apparently, Trish had worked there for the Barnetts previously. Patricia noted that she worked in both the Fruit Bowl and the Rise Bower in Sutton. Jayne O’Carroll noted Trish Curran did her wedding flowers.
William (Bill) Makinson
Recollections of Bill Makinson
Several Facebook contributors commented that William Makinson was also an artist. Tony Coupe noted that he was born above the pub. However, Steve McGough states that he was not born above the pub but above the Stocking Shop in Kingsway. Bobby “Moore” Buxton recalled that he had a small artist’s shop next to the Stocking Shop on Kingsway. He noted that Bill had done him a pastel drawing of his first dog in around 1978 or 1979 and “she still hangs on the wall today“. Ann Hill thought his name was Jim and that he had a studio along Diamond Avenue that was called Robin Hood Studios. However, Bobby “Moore” Buxton thought that artist was Barrington Jones although that name did not ring a bell with Ann Hill.
Tony Coupe noted that Bill Makinson had taught him to paint and that Bill painted from home. Tony recalled, we once took a £2 million painting to a David Hockney exhibition his son had framed at Christie’s.”
A Well-Known Artist
Bill Makinson is a fairly well-known landscape artist. In the “about” section of his website, he notes that, after leaving the RAF, he ran a successful florist business with his wife Maureen. There is more biographical detail on the artlicensing website including the following, “we built up a small shop into a double fronted Interflora florists business. Although we had up to 7 staff Maureen and myself worked 7 days per week because on Sunday we prepared floral tributes for Monday s funerals. But that was our job and we chose it. 19 years went by with hardly a day off.”
This site also notes that he converted a small shop into an art gallery. At the start, he used to sit in the window doing pastel portraits of people and pets. But, so many orders came in he had to move further back in the shop. He was still busy and switched to working from home. Eventually, he switched back to a focus on landscapes.
Bill and Jane Makinson’s Father William
Steve Mcgough kindly informed me that, during the second world war, Bill and Jane Makinson’s father, William, was in the fire service in Kirkby. Seven firemen from Kirkby were being transferred to Liverpool but, on the way there, they could not get through because of a road being blocked so they were sent to Manchester to help out where the main communication building had been bombed and was on fire. Only two of them survived. William was one of them. Jane has a letter from the then Mayor of Manchester thanking him for what he did.
This happened on 23 December 1940. It was discussed recently in the Kirkby Living Memory Facebook Group. Three of those who died in the incident were Ralph Burrows, Alan Richard Day and Joseph Henry Wright. They had a common funeral at Hill Methodist Church on 29 December. At the time of the funeral, G Beer, W Makinson and G Lowe were still in hospital.
Ralph Burrows’ daughter, Joyce, married Roger Kirk and together they ran Good Earth at 68 Station Street. Bet-Bet Phillips, a contributor on Facebook noted that Gerald Best was her uncle and that he survived the incident.
Home and Colonial Stores
In 1941 and 1942, number 86 hosted Home and Colonial Stores Ltd, a provision merchants. Home and Colonial grocer appears on Jacques’ List of Station Street retailers circa 1920-1940.
Frank Wakefield
In 1941 and 1942, number 84 was occupied by a general stores run by Frank Wakefield .
Wakefields Army Stores
While initially, I wondered if Wakefield Army Stores was located here, it now seems it was based at 82 Station Street. So, I have moved all relevant material there.
However, it seems from John Harrison’s post on Kirkby Living Memory Facebook Group that I was correct to suspect a link between Frank Wakefield and Wakefields Army Stores. John noted that the latter was a business that Frank Wakefield owned.
John Robert Parker
In 1928, number 84 was occupied by a baker, John Robert Parker. He may have also sold cooked meats as Parker Baker Cooked Meats appears on Jacques’ List of Station Street retailers circa 1920-1940.
Memories of 84-86 Station Street
In her book(let) “I Also Remember“, Edith Searson does not give property numbers. So, sometimes it takes a bit of detective work to figure out which property she is referring to. In this case, she notes that George and Bertha Wilmot ran a bakery and confectionery business in this location for a number of years only retiring in the second world war. It then changed the nature of the business when George Stafford opened a greengrocers. In 1950, Edith Searson and her husband Ben took on this business although she very much mentions this in passing without any kind of song and dance. Later, it was taken on by Mr Makinson who traded as The Fruit Bowl.
Geoff Lee commented that “there used to be a small tobacconist shop between Barclays and the Fruit Bowl, owned by my schoolmate’s dad. It was called the “Top Shop”. We used to play cricket in the yard behind the bank.” Ann Hill replied commenting that she recalled the shop between the bank and the Fruit Bowl as a sweet shop with a massive cardboard cut out of a polar bear advertising Foxes glacier mints. This would have been in the late fifties or sixties. Geoff replied that his memories were from the late 60s as his family moved away in 1970. He notes that he does not recall if the tobacconist closed then but when it did, the Fruit Bowl took over both shops. He also noted that the name of the family that ran the tobacconist was Collard.
A Toy Shop
I may have inadvertently caused some confusion by mistakenly referring to the tobacconist as “the toy shop” rather than The Top Shop. It seems there may have been a toy shop in the are as some contributors on Facebook recalled buying toys there. For example, Alan Burgess noted that his brother always took him there, when he was on leave from the army. Alan recalls being allowed to pick a toy and of being around six or seven at the time.
Derek Taylor thought that the toy shop was called Edward’s. He remembered “looking at the Corgi cars on sale in the front window and getting back home and saying to my parents how I really needed that particular car. Sometimes a few weeks later if I was lucky I hit the jackpot.”
Edwards
There may have been one or more shops on Station street by the name Edwards. I have previously come across Reg Edwards who had the shop at 78 Station Street. However, Derek Taylor thought that Edward’s was a toy shop. Peter Durant commented that there had been an Edwards newsagent. However, Joy Dean mentioned that it had been at 68/70 Station Street as her dad had had it after Edwards.
In discussing this, Joy Dean commented that her father did take over a shop from Reg Edwards and that it had been a newsagent and toy shop. She was 15 at the time and recalls that the shop was double-fronted. Also, she remembered living on the premises for a period of around two years. She also thought that the building is now Kirkby Sales and Exchange which is listed as 80 Station Street but which also seems to occupy 78 Station Street.
The Sweet Shop
Similarly, some contributors on Facebook recalled the sweet shop, which according to Ann Hill was at 86 Station Street in the late fifties or 60s. Heather Mulholland explained that, as children, they did not always know the names of shops. So, they referred to them by what they sold. She continued, “In relation to this particular little sweet shop it became known as the ‘chocolate teddy bear’ shop, as we purchased a quarter of chocolate teddy bears to share at the Saturday Rush at the Regent.“
Pauline Webster noted that “the sweet shop” was next-door to Madam May’s hairdresser. As Diane Waterhouse points out, Madame May’s was at 70 Station Street.
Residents of 84 and 86 Station Street
1939
The 1939 Register did not list any residents in either 84 or 86 Station Street.
George and Bertha Wilmot
In the 1921 census, George Arthur and Bertha Ellen Wilmot were living at 84 Station Street. His profession was given as baker and confectioner. No-one was listed at 86 Station Street.
The Goadbys
In the 1911 census, Henry and Maria Goadby were living at 84 Station Street with their adopted daughter Dorothy (b1899). I recognised the name because Henry Goadby had a dispute with my great grandfather Henry Parkin which, in 1910, ended up in court, see Chapter 47. At the time of the dispute, Henry Goadby was renting a shop in Lowmoor Road from Henry Parkin. No-one was listed as living at 86 Station Street in 1911.
The Ashbys
In the 1901 census, Robert and Sarah Ashby were living at 84 Station Street with their three children Mary Ann (b1888), Horace E (b1890) and Robert S (b1900). They also had a servant, Matilda Davis, living with them. Robert Ashby was described as a fish dealer and Mary Ann as a monitress. Apparently, this term relates to someone who assisted a teacher in a school, akin to a teaching assistant today. No-one was listed as living at 86 Station Street in 1901.
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