Music
There were some mentions of music in relation to chapel. However, there were fewer diary entries on music, in general, during this period than there had been previously. What entries there were related to getting the piano tuned by Kent and Cooper of Mansfield and getting a piano stool back from grandad’s niece Olive that had belonged to grandad’s mother. Apparently, grandad’s father bought it for grandad’s mother in 1914.
Piano Tuning
In July 1962, grandad paid 17/6 to have someone from Kent and Cooper in Mansfield tune their piano. He had it tuned again in August 1964 and, on this occasion, it cost 15 shillings, 12/6 for tuning and 2/6 for repairing a note – E♭.
Kent and Cooper
I found some details of the Kent and Cooper piano shop in Mansfield. They may have originally been in Westgate but, by 1904, they were at 20 Leeming Street. However, by 1969, there was a bakery and there is now a nail bar there. Kent and Cooper also had a branch in Nottingham and it seems this is now Clement Pianos. They also had branches in Chesterfield and Doncaster.
TV and Other Technology
Many of the technological items, such as washing machines and televisions, which had seemed new and exciting in the fifties became relatively more commonplace in the sixties.
Washing Machines
Hoover
At the start of this period, it seems mum had a Hoover washing machine. In October 1958 and November 1959, mum noted that a man came from Hoover to service both the washer and the vacuum cleaner. There are more details of UK manufacture of Hoover washing machines on the Old Merthyr Tydfil website.
Thor
In February 1960, grandma and grandad decided to buy mum (and dad) a Thor washing machine. I am not sure why they decided this. It is possible that the Hoover machine was giving problems or grandma and grandad just liked the Thor washing machine they had, see Chapter 53.
They bought the washer through Fishers. It came in April and, in May, the bill for the washing machine came for £68 11 1d less £20 that they were allowed for the old Hoover washing machine. That same month, mum returned the guarantee card to Fishers.
In September 1960, mum reported that the washing machine was making a knocking noise but someone came to look at it and told her there was nothing to worry about. In September 1963, grandma went with Florrie Booth to Ripley to get her a washer but without success.
Tape Recorders
Grandad had first bought a reel-to-reel tape recorder in 1958, see Chapter 64. In May 1960, he got two more from Fishers in Huthwaite, a Philips and a Spectone, and decided to go with the Philips. For details of both Philips and Fishers in Huthwaite, see Chapter 64.
Making Recordings
During this period, mum and grandad recorded various things.
Chapel Activities
They particularly recorded chapel activities, such as the singing at the final anniversary practice and hymns during an evening service in May 1960, the Trinity Sunday School Anniversary in April 1961, the Trinity Christmas Eve service in 1961, Alan’s christening service in August 1962 and the reopening of Trinity on 20 July 1963.
They Shared the Recordings with Various People
In May 1960, mum took tape recordings of the ladies’ effort to the manse for the young people to hear. Also, dad took a recording of the anniversary to Mrs Fleet.
Recording TV Shows
Grandad also made audio recordings of some TV shows, e.g. Ward 10 in June 1960, see Chapter 64. As far as I know, this was a TV programme not a radio show but the recording grandad made was audio only.
Sharing Recordings with Family and Friends Living Away
Mum also sometimes made tapes to share with family or friends living at a distance, for example, in July 1960 for family members living in Hastings.
Grandma Also Sometimes Made Recordings
In December 1960, grandma took the tape recorder to Brook Street for “MYD” which I think stands for Methodist Youth Department.
Recordings Provided Christmas Entertainment
On Christmas Day 1960, grandad took recordings of Mrs Bust and the Sunday School Anniversary next door to entertain the Booths.
Recording Weddings
Mum and grandad continued to make audio recordings of weddings. In May 1961, grandma, grandad and Eva went to Robert Ollerenshaw’s to re-record his wedding service.
Recording Hymns
On 31 July 1962, grandma recorded some hymn tunes played by Hazel Munns on the Trinity church organ.
Recording the Young People’s Fellowship
In December 1964, mum took grandad’s tape recorder to a meeting of the young people’s fellowship. This meeting was at Mrs Sewter’s house on Bullard Road.
Other People Had Recorders
Other people also had reel-to-reel tape recorders, including Marilyn’s father Bert and Cyril’s grandson, Simon Parkin. For example, in June 1960, Bert brought a new tape recorder to show grandad. Also, in August 1962, Simon brought grandad his tape recorder to repair.
Photography
Grandad continued to be interested in photography.
New Camera
In April 1961, he bought a new camera.
Ilford 35mm
Initially, he bought an Ilford 35mm camera for £18 17 6d from the Co-op. He also bought a light finder (for £2 19 9d) and film. But, when he got it home, he discovered it was last year’s model so decided to return it. Grandma took it back and brought another but grandad was not satisfied with it so he decided to order one directly from Ilford in London. This came at the beginning of May but grandad decided it was not the right one so mum took it back to the Co-op in Mansfield.
Kodak Retina
That same month, he ordered a Kodak Retina camera from the Co-op in Mansfield. It arrived the next day and he was pleased with it so Walter Maltby went and paid the balance and also took the light meter back.
Camera Accessories
In May 1961, Florrie Booth brought him a camera case from the Co-op in Mansfield. Grandad noted that this cost £3 5 11. In December 1961, grandma bought grandad, from Boots in Mansfield, a flash gun for his camera. The gun was 39/11, the battery 2/6 and five bulbs cost 3/9 making a total of £2 6 2d.
First Film
In May 1961, he had his first film developed and was pleased with it but said he would wait for the prints. I assume this means he had both slides and prints made from the negatives and that he got the slides back first.
More Photos
That month, in May 1961, he noted taking colour photos of the Sunday School procession passing their house on Welbeck Street. He noted that the film cost 32 shillings and that he got it from, and had them developed by, a friend and neighbour, Henry. I only found his surname written once and it is not very clear. It looks like Chamutani but could end ain. Grandad also took photos of Trinity church and the Sunday School procession in 1962, see Chapter 79.
Slides and Slide Projectors
Grandad had a particular interest in slides and slide projectors.
Other People Had Slide Projectors Before Grandad Did
He had had some exposure to slide projectors in the late fifties through Basil Parkin and Albert and Frances Robinson, see Chapter 64. In October 1960, Albert and Frances Robinson visited again and showed them, through a projector, coloured photographs of their holiday.
A Viewer and a Box
In July 1961, when visiting Norwich, grandad bought a viewer and box for his slides. The viewer was 55 shillings and the case/box was 29/6. Ten days after he bought it, grandad did some work on the transformer for the viewer to give a better picture.
He Used Other People’s Projectors
However, later that month, grandad went to Henry’s so that he could see his slides through Henry’s projector.
Using the Viewer
In August that year, grandma and grandad used the viewer to show their photos to friends including Florrie and Arthur Booth, Dorothy and Garret in Tibshelf and Annie and Rose. I am entirely sure who Dorothy and Garret were. They are only mentioned once in grandad’s diary. Annie may refer to Annie Holmes. Someone named Rose is mentioned several times in relation to Annie and I assume this was a friend.
Grandad Bought His Own Slide Projector.
However, in September 1961, grandad started looking at slide projectors including in Sutton, Mansfield and South Normanton.
Paximat
He ordered a Paximat projector from the Co-op. This cost £28 3s with a (spare) lamp.
Litemaster
However, he was not happy with it so bought a Litemaster projector instead from the Co-op in Mansfield. The cost of this was £38 18 6d and he also bought two slide magazines at 7/9 making a total cost of £39 13 0 (although the total to me should have been £39 14 0.
Aldis 303
However, in October 1961, he took that back too and instead bought an Aldis 303. The price for this with (spare) lamp was £23 and he also bought an Aldis screen 50×50 for £7 19 6d. He also bought an Airequipt changer for £4 15s, two magazines at 14/9 each, a tripod for £2 17 6, a flexo release for the camera at 8/9 and a spare lamp for the projector at £2. He paid another £3 14s (although I calculate the difference as only £2 17 3d). In October 1962, grandad bought a new lamp from the Co-op for 37/6.
Grandad Showed His Slides to a Wide Range of Friends and Family
Armed with this equipment, grandad showed his slides to a wide range of friends and family including Albert and Francis Robinson; Reg and Robin Edwards; Kath, Lynne, Anne and Mrs Kemp; Auntie Bertha, Doris and five other widows; Margaret and Rina Smith, Mr and Mrs Howells, Mrs Hartley; Tom and Edna Bust; Arthur and Irene Cross; the Keebles; Cyril, Minnie, Basil, Hilda and Richard; Eva, Roy, Alma and Alma’s mother; Emmie Barker, her husband and two friends; Auntie Bertha, Jim, Renie, Albert and Dawn; and Auntie Dolly. I am not entirely sure who Margarat and Rina Smith were. They are only mentioned once in grandad’s diary. On one occasion, in July 1963, when Basil gave a slide show, he used grandad’s projector and screen.
Mum Used the Projector
In addition, mum sometimes used grandad’s equipment to show slides, e.g. to Mary and Derrick in August 1962.
Problems
Sometimes, there were problems with the equipment, the most common of these was the bulb blowing. When grandad had a spare available, he could simply change this. When he didn’t, they had to revert to using the slide viewer.
Slide Shows at Chapel
During this period, there were also sometimes slide shows at chapel, for example, Basil showing his slides of Norway and Rev Warner showing his of the Leeward Islands to the Young Wives group.
Television
During this period, mum and grandad sometimes noted watching TV but mum did not always note what she watched.
News and Weather
They sometimes noted news or weather reports they had seen on TV, for example, that over an inch of rain fell in under an hour in August 1960. Grandad also noted seeing the election results on television in October 1964. Undoubtedly, the biggest news event of the period was the assassination of President Kennedy on 22 November 1963. Grandad noted that he heard the news on the television at around 7.15-7.30pm. On the 25th, grandad noted watching some of President Kennedy’s funeral on television, see Chapter 86.
Major Sporting Events
They watched some major sporting events on television.
The Boat Race
On 1 April 1961, mum, Tricia, Barbara and Sharon Rowe and I watched the boat race on TV. On 7 April 1962, grandad noted that he and grandma watched the boat race. Mum noted watching this also. On 23 March 1963, mum watched the boat race on TV. For details of boat races of this period, see Chapter 86.
The Grand National
For example, they noted watching the Grand National in 1962.
1960 Olympics
The Olympics that year were held in Rome and were the first to be broadcast live across Europe.
Other Major Events
They also watched other major events. For more details of these see Chapter 86.
Wedding of Princess Margaret
In May 1960, the wedding of Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones at Westminster Abbey was televised. This wedding was the first royal wedding to be televised. Grandad noted watching from 9.30 to 1.20 and their departure for honeymoon from 3.45 to 5.20. Mum also noted watching the wedding at grandma and grandad’s.
Wedding of Duke of Kent
In June 1961, the wedding of the Duke of Kent and Katharine Worsley in York Minster was televised. Mum watched this wedding as did grandma and grandad.
Trooping the Colour
They watched television coverage of Trooping the Colour in both June 1961 and 1962.
Dedication of Coventry Cathedral
This took place in May 1962 and was in the presence of the queen. Grandad watched part of it, see Chapter 79.
Opening of Parliament
The queen opening the new parliament in November 1964 was also televised.
Seeing in the New Year
Grandad also watched television to see in the New Year most years. At the end of 1964, both grandma and grandad watched television to see in the New Year. Grandad noted that they watched until closedown at 1am.
Religious Services
Mum also noted watching religious services on television, for example, the MAYC service from Wisbech in November 1964.
Technological Advances – Satellite Television
There were considerable technological advances during this period including the introduction of satellite television. In July 1962, grandma and grandad watched the first live transatlantic broadcast via the Telstar 1 satellite. Grandad noted that this was some 3,000 miles up.
Problems
Strikes and Industrial Action
However, watching television during this period did not always go smoothly. Some programmes were disrupted because of industrial action, for example, the ITV programme “Emergency Ward 10”, see Chapter 64, in November 1961.
In June 1964, grandad was concerned that ITV was not working and he got someone from Hubbards to visit, at a cost of 7/6, but they found nothing wrong with the set. It turned out that this was the result of another strike which concluded in early July meaning that ITV services resumed on the 6th from 7.55pm.
Hubbards
This was a TV shop on Aylsham Road. In 1999, it amalgamated with Heartsease Television Centre Ltd to form Hubbard and Heartsease, and then HHTV Centre which was still on Aylsham Road in September 2016 but was then replaced by Vindsangre Screen Printing and then by online retail firm Start Spreading the News.
Problems with Sets
There were also sometimes problems with the sets themselves, particularly the valves.
In October 1960, the vision on grandad’s television faded out although the sound was fine. The next day, someone came from Fishers, see Chapter 64, and replaced two valves at a cost of 12/6 including tax.
In April 1962, the television went off again and someone from Fishers came on Good Friday and replaced two more valves. On 2 May 1961, grandad paid Fishers £1 18 1d, presumably for the repair.
Called to Help Others with their TVs
Grandad was also sometimes called on when neighbours’ televisions were not working. These neighbours included Arthur Booth and Walter.
In November 1960, grandma called Fishers to get them to come and look at the Booths’ television.
In August 1961, grandad called Kirkbys to get them to look at Walter’s television. I don’t know why people did not call themselves nor why grandma and grandad used different electrical/television repairers. In grandad’s diary, it looks like Kirklys but contributors on the Kirkby Living Memory Facebook group seem to think it might have been Kirbys, Kirkbys or Kirklees. While the majority view seems to be Kirbys, Frank Ball provided an advert for washing machine repairs which has the name Kirkbys at 44 Kingsway. Alwyn Bowskill provided a later advert which shows the business at 48 Station Street in 1971.
Kirkbys
It does seem that grandma and grandad might have switched from Fishers to Kirkbys as, in April 1963, grandad had their TV screen cleaned by Kirkbys at a cost of £2. Also, in June that year, they had someone from Kirkbys come to see about the television volume controls which had “moved inside”. They also had a new valve and paid 27 shillings.
Relying on Hubbards
Once they had moved to Norwich, they relied on Hubbards when things went wrong with the television.
In January 1964, both sound and vision failed. Someone came from Hubbards but had to take the set to the shop as he said a “resistance” had gone. The television was returned the next day. Grandad paid Hubbards £3 18 6d, presumably for repairing the television.
In October 1964, the television went “wonky” but although someone came from Hubbards the next day they could not find anything wrong. The problem persisted in November and Hubbards took the set to the shop and supplied a new resistor and valve. Grandma and grandad paid £3 for this. The bill had been £3 0 7d but was rounded down.
Temperamental TVs
All this reminds me how temperamental and prone to going wrong the television sets of this era were. I recall mum explaining to me at some point the pros and cons of buying or renting a television. One of the main advantages of renting was getting repairs free of charge when needed.
Other Advantages of Renting
Another advantage of renting was getting new models from time to time. While renting TVs has become less common as TVs became cheaper and more reliable, essentially, mobile phone contracts follow a similar model.
I believe grandma and grandad may have been renting their television. In January 1961, grandad went to Fishers in Huthwaite to pay their bills for radio and television. These were £2 10 0 as he paid for the Booths as well.
Radio
During this period, the family continued to listen to the radio and, in November 1960, grandma and grandad went to Fishers for a radio (“wireless”) that they had from mum in exchange for a portable (radio). A few days later, dad took the portable radio to “Central Electrix” for repair. They left the radio at the shop for a few days for repair after which mum “fetched” it back. The work cost 19 shillings.
Central Electrix?
I am not completely sure which shop mum was referring to here. She also referred to buying a cooker and fridge from “Central Electrix”. I have not found a business by this exact name.
Central Electric
I found details for Central Electric in the 1960 and 1967 Kelly’s Directories. They were listed as radio and television engineers. In both directories, they had a base at 9 White Lion Street (now Specsavers) and, in 1960, they also had a base at 73 Magdalen Street (now Café Norwich). It seems they would fit with this entry for radio repair. But did they also supply other appliances? They certainly did sell radios as I found a number of accounts of radios being stolen from them. They also sold tape recorders. However, these details were on the Local Recall website which is no longer active.
Bush Radio
In May 1964, grandma and grandad bought a Bush transistor portable radio from Halfords. The prices was 18½ guineas. They paid £18 10s which was a discount of 18/6. For more details of Bush, see Chapter 64. Halfords are a well-known bike and car company. They were established in Leicester in 1892.
Telephone
Although telephones are not mentioned in the diaries for this period, it is clear we did have a phone after we moved to Norwich as dad had an entry in the telephone directory.
Items Purchased
Food
Relatively few of the items mum or grandad recorded purchasing during this or any other period related to food items. However, in June 1963, grandad did note buying some mutton chops from Wightmans. Also that year, in October, just after they had moved to Norwich, grandad noted walking to the shops at Catton Grove and buying 3½ pounds of potatoes (spuds) and one pound of carrots. At this point, they were living in a flat in Lilburne Avenue, see Chapter 76. I assume he was referring to the shops on the corner of Lilburne Avenue and Catton Grove Road.
In April 1964, grandad went to the butchers, although he did not specify which one, on his NSU Quickly moped that he had just bought, see Chapter 80.
Clothes
As in the 1950s, many of the items mum purchased during this time related to clothes.
1960
In January 1960, mum went into Nottingham and bought material for a smock and also a pair of slippers for Tricia. That same month, mum bought Tricia some wellingtons. In February 1960, again in Nottingham, mum bought material for nightdresses for herself and for “the baby” which refers to me. She also bought some nylon material for dresses for Tricia and grandma bought Tricia some new shoes, material for a new coat, leggings and a hat. In March 1960, in Nottingham, mum bought trimming for Patricia’s dresses. Dad ordered a suit from Jacksons for £11 19 6 and he collected this in April.
Jacksons
I believe dad got his suit from the chain, Jackson the Tailor, that merged with Burtons. I found more details about this firm on this blog. It seems they had multiple branches including in Newcastle, Paisley and Sheffield. I also found news articles concerning the merger with Burtons in 1953.
Coat for Cleaning
In March 1960, mum took her blue coat for express cleaning. She picked it up two days later and considered it “very nice”.
Shopping in Mansfield
That same month, in March 1960, mum went into Mansfield and bought a new cardigan and a wooden spoon for Marilyn. Grandma bought a new dress and she collected it at the end of March. I think the wooden spoon was a wedding present, see Chapter 77.
New Raincoat
In May 1960, mum noted buying Tricia a new raincoat. According to grandad, they bought her a coat and bonnet that day for her birthday. These cost four guineas.
New Shoes and Suits
In July 1960, mum bought new shoes and ordered two new suits for dad.
More New Shoes
In August 1960, in Norwich, mum bought shoes for herself, Tricia and Barbara and some slippers for herself. Mum noted that the shoes cost 11d. However, I am not sure if that was the cost for Barbara’s shoes only.
Clothes for Tricia
In September 1960, mum, grandma and Tricia went into Norwich. According to grandad, they bought Tricia a new coat, leggings and bonnet. On that day, according to mum, they bought Tricia a coat and material for dad and Tricia.
Tartan Material
That same month, mum bought tartan material to make Tricia a dress.
A Christening Dress and Other Items
In October 1960, mum bought a new red hat, a christening dress for me, wool vests for Tricia and material for a yellow blouse.
Red Shoes
In December 1960, mum bought me new red shoes.
1961
Natural-Coloured Shoes
In January 1961, mum bought me some new natural-coloured shoes.
Material, a Dress and White Shoes
In March 1961, mum bought material for summer clothes for me and for a dress for Tricia. She also bought Tricia some white shoes.
More Red Shoes
That same month, mum bought me some red shoes. I am not quite sure why mum bought me red shoes in December 1960 and again in March 1961.
Hat, Gloves and Material
In April 1961, mum went into Nottingham and bought a new hat, gloves and material for underskirts.
Red Sandals
In May 1961, mum bought Tricia some red sandals in Nottingham. But, she decided to change them in Mansfield at Marks and Spencer as they had odd buckles. Presumably, this means she had bought them at Marks and Spencer in Nottingham.
Shoes and Sandals
That same month, mum bought me some new shoes from Newcombe’s for 12/1 and she bought herself some sandals from Pounders.
Pounders
In the 1941 Kelly’s Directory, A W Pounder and Sons is listed as boot and shoe factors at 50 Lowmoor Road. Other branches are also listed under boot and shoe makers and dealers in Arnold, Beeston, Bulwell, Eastwood, Hucknall, Nottingham and Sutton. I also found details of an A W Pounder as a shoe factory in Beeston. It seems that A W Pounder owned multiple shoe shops and was a trustee of Wollaton Road Methodist Church in Beeston.
Peg Apron
In June 1961, mum bought material for a red “peg” apron, see Chapter 85.
Yellow Mac
Also that same month, mum bought me a new yellow mac from Woolworths.
Costume, Blouse and Gloves
In July 1961, mum bought a costume from Barnett Huttons, see Chapter 68, and she also bought a blouse and gloves.
Black Feather Hat and Grey Skirt
Also that month, mum and grandad went into Norwich and mum bought a new black feather hat and she also bought grandma a grey skirt.
Material for Pyjamas
In August 1961, mum bought material for pyjamas for me and Tricia.
Clydella
In September 1961, mum bought some clydella for winter clothes for me.
Overalls
In September 1961, mum bought “stuff” for my overalls.
Vest, Shoes and a Dressing Gown
In October 1961, mum bought a new vest and shoes, and also that month, she bought “R” a new dressing gown. In this case, “R” could refer to me or dad.
Check Material for a Dress and Other Items
In November 1961, mum bought check material for a dress and, that same month, she also bought me a new coat from Marks and Spencer for 57/6 and Tricia some new shoes, ¾ length socks and new vests. She also tried to get Tricia a coat but could not find one.
Coat
In December 1961, mum took Tricia into Norwich and got her a new coat from Scotts for £5 9 6.
Scotts
Scott and Co were listed in the 1960 Kelly’s Directory as drapers at 17-21A White Lion Street. They are not listed in the 1967 Directory. Holland and Barrett are now at 19-21 White Lion Street. I found an advert for them from 1961 which listed the address as White Lion Street, Back of the Inns and which has children’s coats for sale for between 39/11 to 65 shillings having previously been £7 18 6. I also found other adverts for them including one from the front page of the EDP, in 1956 and one for prams from 1959, also on the front page of the EDP. However, all these adverts were on the Local Recall site which is no longer accessible.
1962
Lace Shoes
In January 1962, mum and dad bought me some new lace shoes from Bairds for 24/11.
Bairds
In the 1960 Kelly’s Directory, James Baird and Sons were boot and shoe makers at 40 London Street and 16 Castle Meadow where the jewellers Alex Knight and Nails by Alex are now. In the 1967 Directory, they were listed as shoe retailers. It seems that they also had a base, and may have originated in Yarmouth. Indeed, it seems the business did start in Yarmouth and then expanded to Lowestoft and Norwich. It seems they may also have had a shop in King’s Lynn. I found a 1964 advert which indicated that Start-Rite shoes were available from their branches in Lowestoft, Norwich and Yarmouth. I also found some personnel ads. However, all these adverts were on the Local Recall site which is no longer accessible.
Vests and Material for a Maternity Dress
In February 1962, mum bought dad new vests and she also bought herself material for a maternity dress.
Material and Nappies
In March 1962, mum bought material for summer clothes for Tricia and me and that same month, she bought material for Tricia’s dress and some nappies for the baby. The baby referred to here was Alan.
More Material
In April 1962, mum bought material for her maternity dress, see Chapter 85. Also that month, mum bought material to make a dress and Sooty trousers for me. I don’t know if this was the Sooty and Sweep material of which there are photos in Chapter 85. I suspect it probably was although it seems mum used this to make a dress for Tricia and a shirt and shorts for me.
New Dresses
In May 1962, grandma and Eva went into Mansfield and they each bought a new dress.
Brown Trousers
In June 1962, grandma went into Mansfield and ordered grandad a pair of brown trousers from Burtons. They cost five guineas.
Two Shirts and a Cap
That same month, grandad had two shirts at 51/6 each and a cap for 7/6 from Edgar Coates.
Flannels and Other Items
In July 1962, mum bought new flannels and a raincoat and, that same month, she also bought material for a skirt. I am not sure if mum, by flannels, was referring to the small towel used to wash your face or an item of clothing. Apparently, they both have their origins in the meaning of flannel as a particular type of cotton fabric.
Coats and a Dress
In October 1962, grandma bought a coat for £9 17 6. In December 1962, mum bought a new coat and, that same month, after Christmas, mum bought a new dress.
1963
Slacks
In January 1963, mum bought new slacks.
Red Shoes and Other Items
In March 1963, mum bought Alan red shoes and material for dad’s pyjamas and for sundresses for herself and Tricia.
Sandals
In April 1963, mum bought new sandals for me at Stead and Simpsons.
Stead and Simpsons
Stead and Simpsons is a shoe shop that I recall. According to the 1960 Kelly’s Directory, they had six branches in Norwich, at 22 London Street (now Whittard), 16 Bedford Street (Karma Kafe now occupies 16-18 Bedford Street), 29 Timber Hill (now Two Magpies Bakery), 32 St Benedict’s Street (now Atelier), 7 Magdalen Street (this was Brummells Seafood Restaurant in April 2021) and 8 Davey Place (this was Animal in April 2019). By 1967, they only had four in London Street, Bedford Street, Magdalen Street and Davey Place. Although best known as a shoe retailer, Stead and Simpson were a major shoe manufacturer from 1840 to 1973. It went into administration in 2008 and was bought by Shoezone.
Blazers and a Raincoat
In May 1963, mum bought blazers for me and Tricia and also bought me a raincoat.
More Red Shoes
In June 1963, mum bought red shoes for Tricia.
Tartan Material for Slacks
In July 1963, mum bought some red tartan material for slacks.
Coats and Shoes
In September 1963, mum bought Tricia, me and Alan coats from the Co-op. That same month, she bought us all new shoes.
Slippers
In November 1963, mum bought slippers.
Collar Studs
In December 1963, grandma bought grandad two collar studs from Curls for one shilling each.
Rubber Heels
In January 1964, grandma had a pair of rubber heels fixed on her shoes. This cost 3/9 and grandad reflected that his pre-war price had been nine pence (9d).
Boots
In April 1964, grandad ordered a pair of boots from True-Form and, in May 1964, grandma and grandad went into Norwich to collect these, for which they paid 79/11.
True-Form
I am not sure why but I cannot find a listing for them in either the 1960 or 1967 Kelly’s Directory for Norwich. I recall the name. Apparently, they were established as J Sears and Co (True-Form Boot Co. ) Ltd in Northampton in 1891. They set up retail outlets and, by 1912, had 80 such shops. In 1928, they bought Freeman, Hardy and Willis although both brands continued. In 1956, it became part of the British Shoe Corporation. The shoe brands were sold to Fascia and this went into receivership in 1996.
Shirt and Five Collars
In September 1964, grandma went into Norwich and bought grandad a shirt and five collars for £3 6 3.
Coat
In October 1964, mum bought a new coat.
Overcoat
In December 1964, grandma collected an overcoat for grandad from John Collier. They had ordered it the previous Monday as they did not have grandad’s size in stock. The cost was £7 19 6.
John Collier
In the 1960 and 1967 Kelly’s Directories, John Collier were listed as tailors at 1 Haymarket (now Optical Express) and 15 Orford Place (now PaddyPower). John Collier was founded in Leeds in 1907 as the Fifty Shilling Tailors but it became John Collier when it was sold to UDS in 1953. In 1985, it was sold to Burton and the brand was discontinued. There is a photo of the Mansfield store on the Our Mansfield and Area website.
Jewellery
In addition to buying clothes, there was one entry related to buying jewellery. In March 1960, grandma and Auntie Bertha went into Nottingham. Grandma bought a necklace made of artificial pearls for three guineas.
Watches
There were also a few references related to watches. In September 1961, mum bought a watch strap. At the time of her death, mum had a number of watches, see Chapter 68. I don’t know which, if any, this strap was for.
In April 1963, grandma and grandad went to Ripley and they bought grandma a watch. The marked price was £27 10 0 but they got a discount of £3 10 0 meaning they paid £24.
They also bought one for Tricia for her birthday which was priced at £3 9 0 but for which they paid £2 16 0. For details of this purchase, see Chapter 81. It was their practice to buy us each a watch for our fifth birthdays, see Chapter 92.
Shaving and Haircuts
There were a few entries relating to shaving and haircuts. In October 1960, grandad bought a lather brush for 7/6. In April 1961, he went to J Ainsworth and noted that a haircut now cost 2/3. or a fuller discussion of the price of haircuts over time, see Chapter 68.
Olivette’s
In September 1961, mum had her hair done at Olivette’s. This cost 8/6. I could not find a listing for Olivette’s in the Kelly’s Directories for Norwich for either 1960 or 1967. I think this is probably because they were based in Hellesdon. According to the phone book, there was a ladies’ hairdressers by that name at 323 Drayton High Road from at least 1959 to 1983. This is close to junction with Middletons Lane and is now home to Willow Veterinary Clinic. I also found some personnel ads for them but these were on the Local Recall website which is no longer available.
Clarke’s
In April 1963, Tricia and I had our hair cut at Clarkes. In the 1960 Kelly’s Directory, A S Clarke was listed as a hairdresser at 57 Magdalen Street. There was no listing in the 1967 Directory. I think the property no longer exists. Presumably, it was demolished when the flyover for the inner ring road was built. I found some personnel adverts for Clarke’s in 1967 and their address was given as Stump Cross, Magdalen Street. However, these were on the Local Recall website which is no longer available.
Hairdresser in Mile Cross
In March 1964, grandma had her hair permed by a hairdresser in Mile Cross. This cost 45 shillings. I don’t know why this cost so much more than when mum had her hair done. Perhaps it relates to what they had done.
Hairdressers in Norfolk
Although this article does not specifically mention the hairdressers noted here, it does include a number of interesting photos from hairdressers across Norfolk for this period. This includes Enzo’s at 4 St Vedast Street which I went to a lot from when it opened in July 1976. I think it was dad who went there originally and I went there as a result. The building is now home to Sunshine Room and Beauty Salon.
Pens
During this period, the diaries did not have as much emphasis on buying pens as there had been in other periods, see for example Chapter 68. However, in November 1962, grandma and grandad did buy a biro for 7/6.
Books
Similarly, there were few references to buying books during this period. Grandma did buy grandad a copy of D H Lawrence’s book “Lady Chatterley’s Lover”, see Chapter 86. In August 1964, Auntie Bertha and Mrs Merry went shopping in Norwich. They bought grandad a book on Norfolk.
Board Games
Although mum’s diary, in particular, mentioned a wide variety of board games played during this period, see Chapter 81, there were relatively few mentions of buying such games. One exception was in August 1962, when mum took Eva into Nottingham and they bought a new game, Eye Witness.
Travelling Case
In June 1963, grandma bought a travelling case from the Co-op in Mansfield for five guineas. I am not sure why grandma bought it then. As far as I can see, it was not in preparation for a particular trip.
Items for the House
During this period, grandma and grandad and mum and dad bought various items for their homes. Items they bought for grandad to do DIY-type work are also included in Chapter 85. Where they are mentioned there, I have not mentioned them here. In our case, we moved from Kirkby to Norwich in 1960 and grandma and grandad followed us to Norfolk in 1963, see Chapter 76.
1960
Curtaining
In March 1960, grandma bought some curtaining in Nottingham for the front windows. She bought 15 yards @10/11 per yard and paid £8 3 9.
I confess it initially baffled me how anyone did calculations in old money! To check this, I initially converted the unit price to 131d and then multiplied that by 15 before converting back to pounds and the remainder into shillings and pence. Another way would involve recognising that the unit price was 11 shillings less a penny. So the total price would be 11 shillings x 15 or 165 shillings or £8 5 0 less 15d or 1/3. A third way would be to do the shillings first recognising that ten shillings is half a pound so 15 times 10 shilling is £7.5 or £7 10 shilling. The pence are then 15 shilling less 15d (1/3). It is not surprising that there were various tricks to doing such calculations nor that eventually we switched to a decimal system.
Kitchen Tiles
In April 1960, grandma went to Nottingham to pick some tiles for the kitchen.
Lino
In July 1960, Brays of Urban Road came and fitted lino in the kitchen for grandma and grandad. This cost £9.
A Towel Rail and a Toilet Roll Holder
In September 1960, mum bought a towel rail and toilet roll holder.
1961
Back Door Buzzer
In January 1961, grandad bought a buzzer for the back door from Fishers in Huthwaite for 4/3.
Kitchen Light
In February 1961, grandma bought a new globe and fittings for the kitchen light from Woolworths. This cost 12/6 and grandad fitted it in the afternoon.
Dining Room Suite
In April 1961, grandma and grandad went to Brays to see about a new suite for the dining room. On the 17th, Mr Bray picked them up and took them to Mansfield to pick a suite for the dining room. This was delivered about ten days later. This seems to be another example of a retailer giving them access to a wholesaler or manufacturer, see Chapter 68.
Electric Clock
In May 1961, grandma bought an electric clock from Pearsons for £7 9 6.
Somnus Mattress
In June 1961, grandad noted that they got a Somnus mattress from Crowes. Somnus is a brand of mattress that is still being made.
Another Door Buzzer
In July 1961, grandad bought another door buzzer from Halfords for 4/6. I am not sure why he bought a second one after only six months. Perhaps he needed a second one?
Wallpaper and Paint
In August 1961, mum bought wallpaper and paint for my room.
Sink Tops and Taps
That same month, mum met dad at Ruymps and they picked sink top and taps, see Chapter 76.
Kitchen Unit
In September 1961, mum bought a kitchen unit from Curls for 24 guineas. It was delivered three days later and grandad put two more shelves in it.
Electric Blanket
In December 1961, mum took an electric blanket back to Baldwins. Initially, I looked for this in the Kelly’s Directory for Norwich and could not find it. This is not surprising as we were visiting Nottingham at this time! There is an entry in the 1941 Kelly’s Directory at 132 Awkwright Street but they appear to have been more of a builders’ merchant. I think this may have been Baldwin House. It appears that many of the buildings along here were demolished.
1962
Wallpaper
In February 1962, the builder who had built the extension for us, see Chapter 76, Mr Stevenson, brought a wallpaper book round and mum got another from Cox’s in the afternoon. Three days later, mum went into Norwich and selected kitchen wallpaper. There is a story associated with this wallpaper, see Chapter 79. Apparently, their first selection had wine bottles on so, as Methodists, they could not have that so had to choose a different one.
Cox’s
In the 1960 Kelly’s Directory, Arthur Cox Ltd was listed as a wallpaper and paint merchant at 13 Lower Goat Lane which is now The Egg Hair Salon. In the 1967 Directory, their address is shown as 13A-15 White Lion Street which now house Simpson’s Jewellers (15) and Quick Stitch (13). I found a detailed advertising feature from October 1960. This explained that the business was started in 1955 by Arthur W Cox but he had to give it up after three years because of ill-health. I also found a number of adverts from 1960-70 including one from February 1960. However, these were in the Local Recall database which is no longer accessible.
Curtains
That same month, mum bought blue brocade curtains and white net curtains.
Lino
In March 1962, mum bought lino for her bedroom and for the new bedroom.
Colour Prints
In July 1962, grandma bought four colour prints from Mansfield Co-op. Grandad described them as postcard size and costing 2/9 each.
Key for the Hall Clock
In August 1962, grandma bought a new key for the hall clock for 2/6 from Brittains.
Tea Trolley
That same month, grandma and grandad went into Nottingham and bought a tea trolley from Toby’s for £9 15 0.
Trolley
In September 1962, mum bought a trolley from the Co-op.
Cruet?
That same month, grandma bought a cruet in Mansfield for 28/6. I think that is what it says but I am not sure.
Electric Kettle
In October 1962, grandma collected their electric kettle from Kirkby’s. They had put a washer in to stop it leaking and this had cost ten shillings.
Three Pin Socket
Also that month, grandad bought a rubber three pin socket for the garage from Woolworths for 3/9.
Element for the Bathroom
He also bought an element for the bathroom for four shillings.
Dining Room Curtain
Also in October 1962, grandma bought a curtain for the dining room for 35 shillings.
Gas Fire
In November 1962, mum bought a gas fire.
Electric Lampshade and Some Chairs
That same month, grandma and grandad bought an electric lampshade for the front room for 49/11 and mum bought some chairs.
Immersion Heater
In December 1962, grandad got a 3kw immersion heater fixed by Kirkby’s of Kingsway. Grandad paid cash of £4 10 0.
Wallpaper
That same month, mum and Tricia went into Norwich and bought wallpaper for Tricia’s bedroom.
1963
Food Mixer
In September 1963, mum bought a food mixer.
1964
Castors
In January 1964, grandma bought a set of Shepherd’s small castors. see Chapter 93, for the big chair. They cost 20/6.
Dining Table
In February 1964, grandma and grandad had a dining table delivered directly from the manufacturers, Jentique Ltd of Dereham. see Chapter 92. They had it through Brays of Kirkby which is how Tom and Amy later bought their table and sideboard, see Chapter 92. Grandma and grandad paid this by cheque towards the end of February. The cost was £21 with a one pound discount. I am not sure if this means the price was £22 and they paid £21 or that it was £21 and they paid £20.
Bath, Bowl, Toilet and Sink Unit
In February 1964, grandma and grandad went into Norwich to choose the bath, bowl, toilet and sink unit for the new bungalow.
Bathroom Cabinet
In March 1964, grandma and grandad bought a bathroom cabinet from the Co-op. This cost 57/6.
Table Felt and Carpets
They also bought felt for the table and carpets for the lounge and the large bedroom, for which they paid a £10 deposit. Grandma paid a balance of £92 for these on 11 May 1964.
Bathroom Light and Heater
In April 1964, grandma and grandad went into Norwich. They bought a bathroom light and heater from the Co-op for £7 19 6.
Fluorescent Light
They also bought a fluorescent light for the lounge for £6 8 6.
Kitchen Lighting, Curtains and Boots
They bought a kitchen light from British Home Stores for £1 2 6. Grandad noted that they “ordered some curtaining and a pair of boots for me from Truform [True-Form] (not the curtaining).” Later that month, grandma went back to Norwich and ordered some more light fittings. Two days later, the Co-op delivered the lounge and bathroom lights.
British Home Stores
BHS was one of those stores which defined St Stephen’s for me growing up. In the 1960 Kelly’s Directory, there is no entry for it but, by 1967, it is listed as occupying 23-29 St Stephen’s Street. For a while, it was then occupied by Primark but, in May 2021, it was back up for rent. British Home Stores was established in 1928 and was closed down over the period from 2016 to 2018.
Tap Tops
In May 1964, grandad went to the bungalow for the tap tops. At this point, grandad was referring to their bungalow as number 170. Grandma took them into Norwich in the afternoon to exchange them for olive ones.
Carpets
Later that month, grandma and grandad ordered carpets for the hall and bathroom and the man came to do measurements that afternoon.
A New Fireplace for 162 Victoria Road
In May 1961, grandma and grandad went to Walkers in Mansfield, see Chapter 31, and bought a new fireplace for 162 Victoria Road. Mr Marsh, the tenant, said he would get it fixed at no extra cost to grandad. The price of the fireplace was £18 19 6 but grandad got a discount of 9/6 which I assume means he paid £18 10 0.
Appliances
During this period, grandma and grandad and mum and dad also bought various appliances and these are detailed here, apart from washers, TVs and radios which have been covered earlier.
In August 1960, mum ordered both a cooker and a fridge from “showrooms”. These were ordered a week apart. However, she cancelled this order in September as they could not deliver the cooker. She ordered instead from “Central Electrix”. The fridge and cooker were fitted on 8 September 1960. Together these cost £115 and mum noted that they got a 2½% discount.
“Showrooms“
I was not sure where this was but, based on a question I posed on the Norwich Remembers Facebook group, it seems that it could have been either the Electricity Board or Gas Board showrooms. I found references in Kelly’s Directories for the Eastern Electricity service centre (1960) and showroom (1967) at 21 The Walk where National Westminster Bank is now. Also, I found some adverts for the Norwich showrooms including ones from 1960, 1961, 1963 and 1964. I also found an advertising feature for their new showrooms from 1965. However, these adverts were all in the Local Recall database which is no longer accessible. I also found photos of some electricity showrooms in various places including Reading.
According to the 1960 and 1967 Kelly Directories, Eastern Gas had showrooms at 31 Market Place, which has since been The Works and Accessorize, and 30 Magdalen Road, now Best in Show dog grooming. I found a major advertising feature for the rebuilt showrooms in 1960. However, this was in the Local Recall database which is no longer accessible. On balance, I think the electricity showrooms are more likely but I am not sure.
“Central Electrix“
This may be referring to Central Electric but I really don’t know if they could supply such appliances. Another possible explanation is that mum was referring to the Eastern Gas showrooms when she said “showrooms” and the Eastern Electricity showrooms as “Central Electrix” but this seems less likely to me.
Hotpoint Refrigerator
In November 1960, grandma and grandad ordered a Hotpoint E37 refrigerator from E H Parker in Vernon Road. The price was £59 17 0 but there was a discount of £5 7 0 for paying spot cash. So they paid £54 10 0.
E H Parker
The 1941 Kelly’s Directory has Edward H Parker listed as a shopkeeper at 97 Vernon Road. I also found him in telephone directories from 1962 to 1970 and, after that, it seems he may have moved to Kingsway. There is a photo of the shop there on Kirkby Living Memory Facebook group.
According to the 1939 Register, Edward Henry Parker was born on 21 March 1896 and was working as a radio engineer and retailer. His wife was Annie E and they had two children living with them Ivan H and Iris A whose married name was Johnson. He died on 8 January 1961.
Paraffin Stove
In January 1960, grandad ordered a paraffin stove from Reg Edwards and it came five days later. He described it as a Taywil stove.
Taywil
This was a partnership between Taylor and Wilson. The company was founded in 1866 and is particularly known for producing mangles. For some reason, grandad capitalised the entire name. I found a number of adverts for their heaters including this one from 1957.
Taking Auntie Bertha’s Heater Back
That same month, grandma took Auntie Bertha’s heater back. Perhaps they had been borrowing it until they got theirs.
Esso Blue
Grandma also brought grandad a filler can “Esso Blue” from Hameyers.
Esso Blue was a brand of paraffin oil for domestic heaters in the UK. Some of its advertising was well-known in the 50s to 70s.
Hameyer
According to the 1941 Kelly’s Directory, Hameyer and Copeland were ironmongers at 4 Market Street and Station Approach in Mansfield. The estate agent Frank Innes are now at 4 Market Street. According to the Inspire website, where I found a photo of Hameyer and Copeland, they moved from the premises in 1973 and the building is now Hyde-Barker House.
They are listed in phone books from 1925 to 1970. Prior to that, an F Hameyer was listed as an ironmonger from 1909.
I found a number of news articles about them including a theft of a cheque book, an axe and a chisel in 1932, that one of their former staff, Reginald Watson, was a prisoner of war in 1942, the suicide of one of their staff John George Bradder in 1945, a break-in to their shop in 1949 and the wedding of one of their staff also in 1949. It seems the original partnership may have been between Frederick Hameyer and Frederick Copeland with Frederick Hameyer dying in 1939.
In 1935, they were among those giving prizes to a fishing competition. They were also among firms named in adverts for razors in 1925, Shepherd castors in the 1950s, Cosywrap insulation in 1957, Squire stronglocks in 1963 and Pyramid pans in 1970.
It appears Frederick Hameyer was born in 1857 and died in 1939. According to the 1891 census, he was an ironmonger and he was married to Naomi G who was 19 years his senior. There are some recollections of the shop and Station Hill on the Our Mansfield & Area website. According to the Company Check website, the company Hameyer and Copeland is dissolved.
Monobright Stove
Also, in January, grandad got a Monobright oil stove from Reg Edwards for the kitchen. He noted that it was smaller than the Warma which they put in the front room. He noted paying for it at the end of January. The price was £11 16 0 but Reg charged him £9 10 0.
It is difficult to find information on these stoves as MonoBright seems to be a major brand of cycle lights! I did, however, find quite a lot of relevant adverts from the late 1950s and early 1960s for example this one from Peterborough and this one from Newark.
Gas Cooker
In March 1960, grandma and grandad went to look at a small gas cooker that Mrs Booth, their neighbour had for sale. Then, in April 1960, grandma and grandad ordered a new gas cooker. In July 1960, the East Midlands Gas Board delivered this. They also provided a meter and fitted the cooker the next day. Grandad paid for it at the end of July and this cost £29 12 6.
Gas Fires
In October 1960, someone from the Gas Board came to see grandma and grandad. They agreed to have a fire in the front room for £24 7 4 plus £8 15 0 for fitting. They also agreed to have one in the kitchen at a cost of £9 6 6 with free fitting. The total cost was £42 8 4 although it seems to total £42 8 10 to me! These fires were delivered some two weeks later and fitted the next day.
In October 1961, mum went into Norwich and bought a Gas Miser for the dining room, see Chapter 76, and she bought a New World radiator for the kitchen. Mum had it on credit terms which meant that she paid the same price as cash if she paid within three months. New World is a fairly well-known brand of kitchen appliances but I have struggled to find details of a radiator made by them.
In January 1963, grandma bought a small gas fire for the kitchen and it was delivered two weeks later by EMGB, presumably East Midlands Gas Board. Four days later, someone came to fit the gas fire. Grandad noted that they paid for connecting the kitchen fire with their gas bill in March 1964. The cost of this was £2 6 0 which was a reduction of £1 14 0 on the bill they were sent in December. I do not quite understand this as the kitchen fire was only connected in January. In March 1964, grandma went into Norwich to pay their gas bill which was £12 2 2.
Paraffin
In December 1964, grandad bought a gallon of paraffin from Drayton Post Office for 2/4.
Transitioning Away from Coal
I think the purchase of these fires etc. was part of the transition away from coal fires to gas fires and ultimately to central heating. However, in the early part of this period, the family still used coal.
In March 1960, grandad noted having five bags of coal nuts delivered which I think refers to the size and shape of the coal. These cost £1 9 7. In May 1960, grandad noted having one ton of grade 3 coal delivered. I am not sure what the reference to grade means. This cost £6 11 0 and was supplied in bags. In September 1960, grandad referred to mum getting a ton of coal for £10. Then, in October 1960, grandad noted that Machins delivered them half a ton of coal for £3 11 0. In April 1962, grandad noted that Henry picked up their coal and paid fifty shillings for it. I am not entirely sure who Henry was but presumably grandma and grandad were selling their coal because they had transitioned to gas.
Tools and DIY Materials
While some details of tools and DIY materials grandad bought during this period are recorded elsewhere, see Chapter 85, further details are provided here.
Electric Motor
In December 1960, grandad bought a secondhand ¼ HP electric motor in Mansfield for £3. Then, in January 1961, grandma went into Nottingham and bought grandad a six inch pulley, for his ¼ HP motor, for seven shillings.
Hardboard
In June 1962, grandad bought some hardboard.
Nuts and Bolts
In July 1962, mum and grandad went into Norwich to get some nuts and bolts for mum’s work box.
Joiner’s Square
In September 1962, grandad bought an adjustable joiner’s square for five shillings.
Emery Cloth
In March 1963, John Carnill brought grandad some emery cloth for 28 shillings.
Pulley and Belt
Also that month, grandad called at Nuttalls and bought a 3” pulley for five shillings and a 24” belt for 5/11.
Set of Legs
In December 1963, grandad bought a set of legs for ten shillings to fix on the lid of a blanket box.
Steel Rule
Also that month, grandma bought grandad a steel rule. It was 12 feet long and cost 13 shillings.
Steps
In January 1964, mum bought grandma and grandad a pair of seven tread steps from Norwich Co-op. They cost 35 shillings and the Co-op delivered them three days later.
Wood for Shelves and Cupboards
In May 1964, grandma and grandad went into Norwich to buy some wood for shelves and cupboards.
Circular Saw
Also that month, grandad bought an 8” circular saw from Gunton and Havers.
Gunton and Havers
In the 1960 Kelly’s Directory, Gunton and Havers are listed as distributors to the building, plumbing and engineering industries and they were based at 30-42 St George Street. The building where Gunton and Havers were based is now part of the Norwich University College of the Arts. In the 1967 Kelly’s Directory, they had moved to new premises at Tuckswood Works on Hall Road.
Plywood
In June 1964, grandma bought grandad a piece of plywood for his saw top.
Paint and a Bell
That same month, grandad went to Dixon’s for some paint and also bought a bell for mum. This cost 19/2.
Hardboard and Wood
In August 1964, they had a sheet of hardboard and some wood delivered the same day from Frank Edwards (DIY) store, see Chapter 85.
Things for the Garden
During this period, members of the family bought various tools and other items for the garden. Some of these are recorded elsewhere but further details are provided here.
Wire Netting
In August 1962, grandma and grandad went to Mansfield to look for some wire netting but without success. They did manage to get some at Challans. It was 24” wide and ½ (inch?) mesh costing 2/9 per yard.
Secateurs
In September 1962, grandad bought a pair of Wilkinson’s secateurs, see Chapter 93, for 37/6.
Bulbs
That same month, grandma and grandad bought a lot of bulbs in Holbeach on their way back from visiting us, see also Chapter 93.
Edging Slabs
In July 1964, grandma ordered some edging for the front garden. The next day, grandad went on his moped to change this order as grandma had ordered a mixture of 8” and 6” and “they” decided to have all 8”. I suspect it was grandad who decided this! A few days later, 34 edging slabs were delivered. They cost 2/10 each with no charge for delivery.
Small Garden Roller
In August 1964, grandma bought a small garden roller from Boddy’s, see Chapter 93. The price was £4 1 0 but they received a discount of two shillings so paid £3 19 0. The roller was delivered the next day.
Slabs
In September 1964, grandma ordered 30 3’ slabs and also two hundredweight of broken slabs which were to be delivered in approximately 14 days. The next day, mum ordered grandad half a ton of broken slabs. At the end of September, the slabs arrived. There were 30 slabs at 5/7 each and half a ton of broken slabs for £1 16 0 which made a total of £10 3 6. This is another one of those complicated pre-decimal calculations! The shillings are 5*30 = 150 = £7 10 0. The pence are 7*30 = 210d = 17/6. So £8 7 6 plus £1 16 0.
Gate Stops
Also, in September 1964, grandad went to Gale and Galeys and bought a pair of gate stops. I assume these were for the front gate. These were 11/6 each and grandad and Cyril fixed them.
Gale and Galeys
Gale and Galeys were a fireplace manufacturer and they had a shop at 75 Prince of Wales Road and a factory on Drayton Road. While they specialised in fireplaces, they were also ironmongers’ and builders’ merchants. The shop on Prince of Wales Road is now a gay nightclub. According to the 1960 and 1967 Kelly’s Directories, they were listed as a builders’ merchant at 75 Prince of Wales Road and 5 Drayton Road.
Grass Seed
In October 1964, grandad noted having 7½ pounds of grass seed for the front lawn. This cost 6/4 per pound so 46/6 overall. According to my calculations, this should have been 47/6. Seven pounds would be 42 shillings plus 7*4 pence = 28d = 2/4. So 44/4 plus 3/2 for the half pound.
Weather Vane
Also that month, Tom and grandad went to Hubbardsto collect a weather vane grandma and grandad had bought but they did not know the price so could not pay. Grandma and grandad went and paid for it on 23 November 1964. The cost was £4.
Number Plate
They ordered a name and number plate from Hubbards too. I believe this was a name and number sign for their house, see Chapter 76. Grandma collected this on 5 December 1964 and grandad paid for this on the 17th. This cost £3 10 0
Hubbards
I found details of a Hubbards Architectural Metalworks at 3 Hurricane Way, Norwich. They went into administration in 2012. The building is now a workshop for TSI Structures. However, grandad referred to a Hubbards shop in Oak Street. From the Norwich Remembers Facebook group, it seems that Hubbards was opposite Melody Room which became The Talk. According to the 1960 Kelly’s Directory, there was a Hubbard Brothers, who did decorative ironwork, in Talbot Square. By 1967. They were listed as in Oak Street.
Sand and Cement
In November 1964, Ron Douglas brought grandad some fishpond sand and cement from Woolworths. There were three bags. Each cost 1/11 and weighed just over six pounds. But, it did not go very far. So, the next day grandad went on the moped to Dixon’s and bought one stone of cement for 1/6 and a hundredweight of sand for 1/5 making a total of 2/11. Mum brought it for him.
Wood and PVC Sheeting
Also that month, grandad went to Dixons to order wood to build a cover on the yard, see Chapter 85. He also ordered five sheets of PVC sheeting. He also bought 33 feet of aluminium edging for 19/6 and a pocket knife for 3/6. The wood was delivered the next day but when the Perspex was delivered it was not what he wanted.
So, at the end of November 1964, grandma and grandad went into Norwich. They bought roofing sheets for the veranda along with some nails and one piece of pipe from Marleys for which they paid £13 9 11. So, in December 1964, grandad went to Dixons to ask them to take back the PVC sheets. They agreed and he had some additional wood instead. The next day, Dixons delivered the wood and collected the PVC sheets and, on the day after that, Marleys delivered the sheets for the veranda and the nails etc.
Marley
There is a major plumbing and drainage solutions company/manufacturer called Marley but I am not sure if this is them. Now,there are currently multiple Marley stockists in Norwich. There is no entry for Marley in the 1960 Kelly’s Directory but, in the 1967 Directory, there is an entry for Marley Tile Co Ltd, at 61 St Stephen’s Street (which was occupied by BrightHouse before it went into administration). I wonder if this was the shop grandad meant. I found a personnel advert for them from 1973 which implied they were a chain with 120 stores. Also, I found a 1972 product advert. However, these details were on the Local Recall website which is no longer active.
More Wood and a Shelf
A few days later, in December 1964, grandad went to Dixons and ordered some wood to make a kitchen cupboard for mum. They delivered the wood that afternoon. The plywood and hinges etc. cost £2 7 4. Also that month, grandad bought a shelf for six shillings which he included in a cupboard for mum. The total cost of the cupboard was £2 13 4 plus screws etc. Grandad bought another piece of wood from Dixons on 18 December 1964 for 3/6 making the total cost £2 16 10 plus screws etc.
Presents
During this period, family members bought each other a range of presents for birthdays, anniversaries etc. Some of these are noted in Chapter 81 but further details are provided here.
Adjustable Nutcrackers
In March 1960, for their pearl wedding, mum, dad and Tricia bought grandma and grandad a pair of adjustable nutcrackers. I recall these as a child and my memories make me think they may have been Crackerjack nutcrackers. I recall them being brown.
Mum Bought Presents Late in 1960
One feature of mum’s presents for others in 1960 was that they were late, presumably because that was the year I was born. In July 1960, mum noted buying grandma a birthday present. In August 1960, mum bought dad a big cup and saucer from Jarrolds as a birthday present.
Leaving Gifts
That same month, mum noted buying a coal hod, a magazine rack and three cups and saucers. She noted that these were presents from Norwich Union in Nottingham. In September 1960, mum bought a can opener with money she got from Sunday School, see Chapter 79.
My First Birthday
In May 1961, mum bought a paddling pool and a runabout chair in Nottingham. The paddling pool was a joint birthday present for me and Tricia, see Chapter 81. That same day, grandma and grandad bought me a walking frame for my birthday, see Chapter 75. In June 1961, mum bought me a special spoon with some birthday money, see Chapter 75.
Birthday Presents for Mum
In September 1961, Tricia and I bought mum a pair of slacks for her birthday and dad was going to buy her a kitchen cabinet, see Chapter 81. In September 1962, mum got a bean slicer, photo album and cake from dad, Tricia, me and Alan. For her birthday in 1964, grandma and grandad bought her a high-speed kettle for £5 15 0. Grandma paid for this on the 18th. She got a discount of five shillings so paid £5 10 0.
Birthday Cards
In April 1962, mum bought birthday cards.
Presents for Others
Sometimes, grandma and grandad bought things for other people. For example, in November 1962, grandma and grandad bought a tray for Rose for 9/6.
Selling Items
During this period, family members occasionally sold items. For example, in September 1963, J Wilkinson’s son took grandad and some lead and scrap metal to Mansfield and they paid them £5 13 0 for this which they split 50/50. That same month 1963, grandad sold his bench drill to Tony for fifty shillings and he sold his saw and planer to a Mr Carr for £18, see Chapter 85. In December 1963, mum sold her knitting machine for £8, see Chapter 85.
Pets
During this period, neither we nor grandma and grandad had any pets but there are several mentions of Jim and Renie’s dog Gyp. Later, this was the name of the sheepdog in the James Herriot book Only One Woof.