Croft

 

 

  • Number 1 was home of Bricklayer - Mr. Billy Snailham.
  • Number 7 - the Police House - was the home of a " bobby" named Bannister.
  • Number 38 was a Sweet Shop run by Mrs Banks.
  • Number 32? was a Fish and Chip Shop run by Margaret (Maggie) Roberts. As well as being dispenser of first-class Fish and Chips, she was also skilled in the art of midwifery, and helped bring many Croft children into the world
  • Number 18 was a Painting and Decorating owned by Jonatham Gibbons
  • In Number 7 lived the local Bricklayer William Snailham.
  • Number 28 was a local Butcher run by Joe Millington.
  • A Haulage Business run by Philip Birchall was also on Lord Street..
  • Number 6 was the home of the village Sweet Shop and Newsagents which was run from the nid 1930's until the 1960's by Mrs Leigh and her son Norman.
  • Number 20 was the village Store and Post Office run by Mrs Birchall with help from her daughter Eva.

On Smith Lane:

  • At 13 was an Electrician by the name of Austin Banks (son of Mrs Banks in Sweet Shop).

On Smithy Brow:

  • There was a Blacksmith Shop next to the present site of the Horse Shoe. Hence the present name of the "Horse Shoe" pub..
  • Number 1 - Home of Irene Kirkwood's (nee Bell) Granny - Sarah Ann Maines. Irene now lives in George Town, Tasmania, having emigrated in 1964, and she has provided some real valuable historic facts for our web site. Many thanks Irene.
  • Number 2 was a Cycle Repair Shop owned by Walter Maines. His mother had also run a sweet shop from this same premises for a short time.
  • Next to the house called "Rose Mount" were some hen houses and a Potato Merchants business run by James Abbey and Joe Dean.

On Heath Lane:

  • Number 30 was also a Potato Merchants business run by Edward Barton and his son Jack. One of their buildings is still being used today for the repair of cars.

On Mustard Lane:

  • Number 103 was also a Cycle Repair Shop. This was the longest established and was owned by John (Jack) Wheelhouse. He had extensive workshops at the rear of the property.

On Stone Pit Lane:

  • Toffee Shop run by Alice and Fanny Welsby.

On Spring Lane and New Lane:

  • There was an old Unitarian Chapel located on the corner of these two lanes. Sadly it was demolished.

On Dam Lane (Better known to us kids as "round the city") :

  • Jack Collier had a scrap yard.
  • There was also a house called "Cherry House".

 

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