Broadwell Shop 1932
Courtesy of: Terry Oliver. Uploaded: uploaded.
The proprietor Mr Oliver, a former miner is seen proudly standing in front of his newly opened shop. Mr Oliver like so many of his generation was originally a miner. He contracted Meningitis, usually a fatal disease at this time and was not expected to recover. However, being of Forest stock, he had other ideas and proved the doctors wrong. He was however, unable to return to his previous work "down the pit" so his mother had the shop built for him to run. The shop was built by Heal's the Broadwell builders.
David Morris adds : "I attended Broadwell
school, from about 1947 to 1952. I then went to Bells grammer school,
until leaving the district. The shop was used as a tuck shop by the school
children. The small shed to the right of the shop was a barber's shop,
a hair cut, short back and sides, cost I think a shilling. Unfortunately
after fifty years names are long gone. I also remember opposite the school
was a Hotel where I saw my first television, courtesy of the landlord
who was a friend of my fathers. My father, Donald Morris, was the station
master at Cannop".
Bernard Kear adds: "Opposite the school
,to the left of 'Olivers' shop is the Broadwell Memorial Hall and Broadwell
Working Mens Club .The public house set back from this was the Rising
Sun and I believe that Mr Morris was friendly with the then licensee
Mr Arthur Bayham.(Arthur drove an ex US army truck at this time)".
Roger Matthews added (May 2008): "The reference to Mr Oliver's shop
having a barber's shop next to it may be, I think, mistaken. There was one on
Broadwell Bridge, next to the current post office. It was run by Mr (?)
Joe Stafford. It was no more than a little hut - but he gave a very good
and cheap haircut! A new road leading to new housing between where his shop
was and Heal's has been named 'Stafford Place'".
David Williams added (June 2008): "I remember the
barber shop at Broadwell Bridge as stated by Roger Mathews, the barber's
name being Mr Horace Green. I went to 'Bells' with David Morris, and I also remember
riding in his fathers' motorbike and sidecar. I also remember David
coming to my parents' home to say hoo-roo before leaving the district'.
Keith Gunter added (April 2011): "... also attended Broadwell school from approx. 1947 to 1952. I used to have my hair cut by Mr Stafford. He had a small cupboard in his shop and he was a bit of a ventriloquist and convinced us young people that a boy lived in the cupboard. Opposite the school was a shop which sold all sorts of sweets including aniseed balls spanish wood and sherbet. I left England in 1959 and now live in Christchurch New Zealand".
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