Guest 1467- Registered: 30 Jan 2015
- Posts: 149
#1
Can anyone remember the name of the hardware shop in London Rd, opposite the TA centre? We are trying to remember it in the office here!
Guest 713- Registered: 19 Mar 2011
- Posts: 342
#2
It was called "Thomas" a briliant place you could nevert ask for the wrong thing,Shame there is nothing like it now.
Guest 1467 likes this
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
#3
i remember going in there for a pound of nails and a left handed screwdriver.
Judith Roberts likes this
Bob Whysman
- Registered: 23 Aug 2013
- Posts: 1,948
#4
Brian Dixon wrote:i remember going in there for a pound of nails and a left handed screwdriver.
There was something unique about hardware stores of the past that always seemed to smell of paraffin and stocked virtually everything. If you couldn't find what you needed in your own shed load of items that you had saved, 'just in case they come in handy,' they invariably had them!
Hardware shops are the Aycliffe posho's name for shops that we knew as Ironmongers!
Do nothing and nothing happens.
Andy B
- Location: dover
- Registered: 10 Nov 2012
- Posts: 1,829
#5
We also had a small hardware shop in Cherry tree called Newmans?,i think,was next to the chip shop and Woods in Pencester road. Stuff shop in London road stocks some handy bits n pieces.
Guest 1467- Registered: 30 Jan 2015
- Posts: 149
#6
Doea anyone remember Olbys? It was on the corner of Worthington St (now the Dovorian, I think?) Now that was an oldie!!!!
Ian Handley
- Location: Norfolk UK
- Registered: 30 Oct 2013
- Posts: 412
#7
I joined W Wood & Son on the 4th April 1961 aged 15! They had then occupied number 4 Worthington Street since 1896. Previous to William Wood buying the business it traded as Bochams in premises almost opposite Queens Gardens. During the 1960s the buisiness transferred to number 13 Worthington Street on the corner of Queens Gardens, during that period it was brought by Stuart Smith and shortly after we relocated as Woods Hardware to 40-44 Pencester Road next door to Tesco Home & Wear.
During that period our competitors were George Thomas (Ironmongers), Morecrofts in the High Street, Charles Clout - Priory Place and Alfred Olbys with premises on the corner of York Street opposite Clouts, and also further premises in Queens Gardens,
Dover was well served by Ironmongers during that period, we all traded on good terms and regularly helped each other out with stock!
Older readers will recall that the Worthington Street traders put on a fantastic Christmas Light show each year, everyone contributed and I recall on Sunday mornings in early December 1961-4 assisting with the erection of the displays, indeed some of the metal fixtures that secured the decorations across the road that I installed can still be seen above the premises on the South side of the Street.
I left the business in 1978.
Andy B, Guest 1831 and Alec Sheldon like this
Ian Handley
Former Operations Controller DHB Terminal Control (1978-1995)
Dover born (1946) & bred, Moved from area in 1999 - family still living in Dover
Andy B- Location: dover
- Registered: 10 Nov 2012
- Posts: 1,829
#8
Dont see many of the old Ironmongers shops anymore but although not in Dover they have a really good old fashioned one in Broadstairs down near the marine parade called Harringtons.Proper old fashioned on the outside as well as inside.Shopkeeper wears the traditional brown coat and the shop smells of creosote.The sort of shop that probably looked the same 70 years ago. Its well worth a visit if you,re in the area.
Andy B- Location: dover
- Registered: 10 Nov 2012
- Posts: 1,829
#9
On the subject of old shops,another is Turners model shop in London road,hasnt really changed since i used to visit there in the early 70s,still has the same display cabinets etc.My dad used to buy his Radio controlled planes and bits there.
Guest 1467, howard mcsweeney1 and Judith Roberts like this
Ian Handley- Location: Norfolk UK
- Registered: 30 Oct 2013
- Posts: 412
#10
If you're ever in Norwich visit Thorns of Norwich, a real old style Ironmongers just like Woods with a myriad of small interconnecting rooms on numerous levels!
Also near to us in Diss I regularly go in Larter & Fords just to relive the traditional smell! Brings back memories of my youth!
Ian Handley
Former Operations Controller DHB Terminal Control (1978-1995)
Dover born (1946) & bred, Moved from area in 1999 - family still living in Dover
Guest 1467- Registered: 30 Jan 2015
- Posts: 149
#11
Was it Woods that was up London Rd, on the right past the Old Endeavour?
Guest 1467- Registered: 30 Jan 2015
- Posts: 149
#12
Or was it Abbots, I knew a Peter Abbott that owned it (I think he did)?
Terry Nunn
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,321
#13
Yes, it was Peter Abbott. He had a very appropriate personalised number plate!
The shop is now a row of houses.
Terry
Guest 1467 likes this
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#14
Paul Sampson of WCCP looks in here, noticed this thread and kindly sent in a photo of an item in his collection that relates to a business mentioned here. He adds that it is from a water trough and dates back to the 1930s/1940s.
Guest 1467 and Jan Higgins like this
Guest 1467- Registered: 30 Jan 2015
- Posts: 149
#15
Old shops - Alstons (my mum worked in there!), Ludlows, Eddie Crush, Deans, Gladishes, Scrivens, Kings, Co-op furniture, Timothy Whites.....it goes on!
Guest 1467 and Jan Higgins like this