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Whickham Shops
Introduction
At the beginning of the twentieth century and up to the 1920s the shops were small and many were part of people's homes, for example:-
Mordue-General Dealer and Haberdasher
Kit Thompson-Confectioner and Newsagent
Dann-Confectioner
Edwin Elliott-General Dealer
Bailey-who baked and sold from his home
Even the Post Office in The Knowles was part of a house.
In the 1930s a terrace of purpose-built shops was erected on the south side of Front Street, just north of Whickham Chase Park. On the opposite side of Front Street houses were converted into shops. Next came General Stores such as Thompson's Red Stamp Stores, Moore's Stores, Law's Stores and the Hadrian Supply Company.
The 1970s saw the demolition of the north side of Front Street from Church Chare to the Spoor Chapel. This included houses, Sam Curry's electrical and TV shop, Rae and Dolly Curry's drapery with ladies outfitting and Henry Taylor's butchers' shop. In their place the shops of St. Mary's Green were built. Another group of shops was built in The Square to the west of the Spoor Chapel.
In the 1980s as shops became vacant they were taken over by Building Societies and Estate Agents. The 1990s saw the introduction of Financial Agencies. The last home/shop, Starks, closed in the early 90s having been established in 1921 in Whaggs Lane.
The main shopping area is still on Front Street from St. Mary's the Virgin Church to Whickham Community Church on Fellside Road. On the Grange Estate is a Post Office with Newsagents, Safeway Supermarket (formerly Presto) and another Newsagents. There are no shops on Fellside Park or Clavering Estates.
The building of the Metro Centre Shopping Mall in 1986 saw a decline in the number of small shops in the whole of the area.
Fellside Road looking
toward Front Street, 1900.
Fellside Road looking
toward Front Street, 1970's.
Fellside Road lies to the west of Whickham and joins Front Street. There has always been a group of shops around the junction.
| 2000 | Previous Owners | |
| David H Gents Hairdressers | Homeseekers Estate Agents | |
| Econofreeze | ||
| Edwin Elliott Grocer | ||
| Marjories Ladies Hairdresser | ||
| Orchid Dress Shop | ||
| Razzmatazz Hair Studio | ||
| Sun Wah Chinese Take-Away | Co-op Grocers | |
| Demolished | Mordues |
Fellside Road at the junction
with Front street, 2000.
The site of William Mordues
general dealer's and the Co-op.
Fellside Road lies to the west of Whickham and joins Front Street. There has always been a group of shops around the junction. The original shops were demolished in the 19?? to make way for the shops which exist today.
| 2000 | Previous Owners | |
| Keith Pattinson Estate Agents | Kitchen & Bathroom Design | |
| Co-op Drapery and Hardware |
Front street, West End, 2000.
This group of shops was built in the late 1950s after some cottages had been demolished.
| 2000 | Previous Owners | |
| Stewart Eye Care | Pat Symons Dress Shop | |
| Offices | Offices | |
| W ayne's Barbers | Barry's Bakery | |
| Walters and Todd Butchers | Wet Fish Shop | |
| Wallpaper & Paint Shop | ||
| barkin shark Fish and Chip Shop | Friars Plaice | |
| Sports Shop | ||
| Dave Younghusband | ||
| Ken Robbins Footwear |
Top of Whickham Bank, 2000.
This group of shops lies just to the west of Whickham Front Street School at the top of Whickham Bank.
| 2000 | Previous Owners | |
| C&H Glass | Davison Antiques | |
| Dodd's Chemist Shop | ||
| Whickham Ale Store Off Licence | ||
| Eggleston's General Dealers | ||
| Lavender Box Ladies hairdressers | Alan Campsell Hair Stylist | |
| Pellets Shoe Repairer | ||
| Empty | Swinton Insurance | |
| Wilson & Ritson Newsagent | ||
| George & May Bailey | ||
| Piccadilly Cake Shop |
Between Front Street
Primary School and the
Bridle Path pub 1975.
This was formerly a row of cottages.">
Between Front Street Primary School
and the Bridle path pub, 2000.
This group of shops was once a mixture of private houses and shops. Although probably they began life as cottages.
| 2000 | Previous Owners | |
| Village Sweet Shop | Bert's Gents Hairdressing | |
| Sun Cradle | Whickham Travel | |
| Blades Hairdressers | Dobson's Sweet Shop | |
| Off the Peg Cleaners | Off the Peg Dress Shop | |
| Muncaster's Cobblers | ||
| Moti Jheel Indian Take Away | Billy Wigham's Fish & Chip Shop | |
| John Davy's Fish & Chip Shop | ||
| Agar's Grocery Shop |
The site of The Square, 1920's,
looking towards Spoor Chapel.
Note the gas lamp.
The Square, 2000
The Square was built in 1960s. For a great number of years most of the land had been derelict, however some stone built houses had to be demolished to give a larger area for building.
| 2000 | Previous Owners | |
| JG's Hairdressers | Ladies Hairdressers | |
| Patterson Solicitors | Wilson & Ritson's Newsagents | |
| Jack Percy Cycles | ||
| Revolver Video | Scott's Pork Butcher | |
| Stanley Racing | Bookless Greengrocers | |
| Post Office | ||
| Post Office | Carricks Bakery | |
| United Newsagents | Hadrian Supply Company | |
| Jamdani Indian Restaurant | Hadrian Supply Company | |
| Wine Cellar | Berkeley Wines | |
| Blayneys Wine Merchants | ||
| Whickham Travel |
The Back Row, 2000.
Whickham Sale Rooms Superstore
was formerly the Miners' Welfare Hall.
The Back Row runs from the Spoor Chapel to Whickham Front Street Primary School and almost parallel to Front Street. At one time there was a row of shops which was demolished and the extension to the Gibside Hotel occupies the site. One of the shops was an office for a taxi firm with parking spaces. This taxi rank still exists today.
| 2000 | Previous Owners | |
| Gibside Hotel | Roberts Drug Store | |
| Home Craft Supplies | ||
| Pellets Shoe Repairer | ||
| Penrose Hairdressers | ||
| Whickham Sale Rooms | Miner's Welfare Hall | |
| Oxley's Fish & Chip Shop | Back Row Fish & Chip Shop |
Whickham Telephone Exchange,
1970, at the bottom left of the photo
is the Gents underground toilet.
Spoor Chapel
with Gibside Hotel at right.
Telephone Exchange, 2000
This part of Whickham extends from the Spoor Methodist Chapel to what is now St Mary's Green. In the earlier part of the century there were a great number of shops on both sides of Front Street. The shops on the south side were demolished to make way for the enlarged telephone exchange. On the south side there was also demolition of the stone built houses.
| 2000 | Previous Owners | |
| Elle Beauty Salon | Hill's Chemist Shop | |
| Thompson's Red Stamp Stores | ||
| McFarlane Partnership | Henry's Hairdressers | |
| Gibside Hotel | Fishburn's Post Office | |
| Lily Butler's Milliners | ||
| Hunter's Fruiterers | ||
| Co-op Fish Shop | ||
| Telephone Exchange | Co-op Chemist shop | |
| Turnbull Butcher with abattoir | ||
| Co-op Butcher with abattoir | ||
| Brown's Fruit Shop | ||
| McGregors Haberdashery | ||
| Pork Shop |
The site of Curry's shops
looking towards the Crown
Hotel now Ye Olde Lang Jack
J H Taylor's Butchers Shop,
just before demolition to
make way for St Mary's
Green shopping centre.
St Mary's Green, 2000.
Walker's Greengrocers and
Florists, 2000.
The shops in St. Mary's Green were opened in the early 1970s.
This was not without controversy as it meant the demolition of some fine stone built houses and in many people's opinion ruined the character of the "village" of Whickham.
Among the buildings demolished were Sam Curry's Electrical, Radio, TV and Cycle Shop. It was here that you could take an accumulator, for a radio, to be charged up. Next door was Rae and Dolly Curry's Ladies Dress Shop and Drapers. Set back a little was Atkinson's Butcher Shop with its own abattoir. This later became Henry Taylors.
| 2000 | Previous Owners | |
| Kwik Save Supermarket | ||
| Ramsey's Cake Shop | ||
| Charles Thompson - Butcher | Factory Meat Shop | |
| R.A. Dodds - Butcher | ||
| Oxfam Shop | Peter Dominic Wine Merchant | |
| Bookless Greengrocers | ||
| Co-op Supermarket | ||
| Home & Gardens Hardware | William's Organs | |
| Margo's Dress Shop | ||
| Baker's Oven | Carricks Bakery | |
| Ruffles Hair Design | ||
| Electrical Shop | Iceland Frozen Foods | |
| Whickham News | Cook's Corner Newsagent | |
| Library | ||
| Dry Clean 2000 | Sunlight Dry Cleaners | |
| Co-op Dry Cleaners | ||
| Whickham Cards & Gifts | The Card Shop | |
| Walkers Greengrocers | Salad Bowl Greengrocers | |
| Martin & Son Butchers | John Taylor Butcher | |
| Henry Taylor Butcher | ||
| Dixon & Spearman Chemist | ||
| Lloyd's Bank | William Low Grocery | |
| Laws Stores (Grocers) | ||
| Laws Stores |
Front Street, Whickham (South East End) (H)
Front Street, Whickham 1970,
outside what is now
Ye Olde Lang Jack pub.
Front Street, Whickham
(south side) 2000
showing the former library
in the background.
The row of shops on the south side were built in the 1930's, by "Pop" Wilkinson. Those on the north side were formerly cottages which have over the years became a wide variety of businesses, from greengrocers to financial advisors.
| 2000 | Previous Owners | |
| Bairstow Eves Estate Agents | Travel Needs | |
| Wool Shop | ||
| A McGregors Haberdasher | ||
| Fernleigh Ladies' Hairdressers | ||
| Diva Ladies Hairdressers | Wool Shop | |
| A McGregor Haberdasher | ||
| Robinson Drapers | ||
| S.K. Handa Chemist | Leigh & Dunn Chemist | |
| H Dixon Chemist | ||
| Moores Stores (Grocers) | ||
| Reed Rains Estate Agents | Leigh & Dunn | |
| Moores Stores (Grocers) | ||
| Library | ||
| Travel Needs | Midland Bank | |
| Donaldson's Sweet Shop | ||
| Flower Design | G.R. Armstrong Confectioner & Tobacconist | |
| Derwent Valley Estate Agents | Ken's Gents Hairdresser | |
| Lloyds Bank | ||
| Leigh & Dunn Chemist | ||
| E Dunn Chemist | ||
| Culey's Bakers | ||
| Bigger Bite Sandwich Bar | Sam's Snacks | |
| Lloyds Bank | ||
| Mc Kechnie's Radio and TV | ||
| Cool Tan | Fezzywigs Health Foods | |
| Lloyds Bank |
Front Street, Whickham ( North East End) (H)
Shops between the
Church Green and
Rose and Crown pub
in the 1970's
Front Street (north side)
1970, with Moores's stores
below the Rose and Crown pub.
Front street looking
towards Church Green, 2000.
The row of shops on the south side were built in the 1930's, by "Pop" Wilkinson. Those on the north side were formerly cottages which have over the years became a wide variety of businesses, from greengrocers to financial advisors.
| 2000 | Previous Owners | |
| Ye Olde Lang Jack Public House | Wilson & Ritson Newsagents | |
| Rose & Crown Public House | ||
| Crown Public House | ||
| Moores Supermarket | ||
| Barclay's Bank | Crown Garage | |
| Barclays Bank | Armstrong Butcher | |
| Charlie Young Butcher | ||
| Ken's Hairdressing | Derwent Valley Cycles | |
| Walkers Greengrocers | ||
| Billy Boyd Greengrocers | ||
| Harry Hutchinson Greengrocers | ||
| Casa Carbone Italian Restaurant | ||
| Newcastle Bakery | ||
| Finance Company | Hugh Stephenson Hardware | |
| Maughans Hardware | ||
| Newcastle Building Society | Grainger & Percy Building Society | |
| Your Move Estate Agents | J.M. Clark Estate Agents | |
| Bindman Solicitors | Northern Rock Building Society | |
| Piccadilly Cake Shop |
Return to map of Whickham Shops
Comments
Thought you might like to know that my parents lived in the flat above the greengrocers on Front Street area H in 1938
Heather
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Thanks for your comment and the information about the flat over the greengrocers shop.
Posted by: Heather Hailes ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.webwanderers.org/nav-commenters.gif)
at December 15, 2006 3:50 AM
Just to let you know my Grandfather Alan Andrew Campbell was the owner of the Crown Garage during the 30's and 40's. He moved to Dublin, Ireland in '46/'47.
Fiona Campbell
Posted by: Fiona Campbell at April 27, 2007 11:19 AM
Thanks for your comment. I don't think we actually have a picture of the garage in question.
Posted by: Whickham Web Wanderers at April 28, 2007 1:50 PM
My partner and I moved into Postman's Cottage on School Lane, The Knowles in November of last year. We have some books 'Bygone Whickham' etc but would be extremley interested if anyone knows any of the history of the house?? Thanks, Lynne
Posted by: Lynne Anderson at August 14, 2007 3:59 PM
We will try and find out something and let you know.
Posted by: Whickham Web Wanderers at August 16, 2007 12:03 PM
Hello
We have just moved into 69 Front Street which is grade II listed. Do you have any maps history or pictures of the house. We would be very interested.
Kind Regards
David Hopper
Posted by: David hopper at September 27, 2007 11:17 PM
I am trying to find out some info on a famous snooker player from Whickham who lived on Clover Hill farm. Ddoes anyone know anything about him?
Thanks,
Davey
Posted by: d miller at September 28, 2007 1:02 PM
Thank you so very much for compiling this page. I arrived here looking for information on Mr McGregor, the Haberdasher. I was wondering if anyone knew what happened to him after his store closed. I have many memories of visiting his shop with my mother in the 1970s, including the rows of button tubes I used to manipulate like some kind of spaceship control panel and the wooden-framed glass cabinets used to display fabrics and sewing items. I can see the place but I can't remember the year it closed. Can anyone help?
Thanks again.
Posted by: HD41117 at March 7, 2008 2:04 AM
Mr. Alec McGregor lives I believe in the McCarthy and Stone apartments on Whaggs Lane.
I remember getting my school shoes from McGregors (his father's shop then), situated where the telephone exchange is now.
I just can't remember when he moved to other end of the village , but spent endless time in the shop with my mother buying her wool. All the little packs with a number on them. One ticket like a raffle ticket was given to the purchaser of the wool and one ticket fastened to the packet of wool so that it could be bought bit by bit.
Such happy memories. When Mr Mcgregor and his wife sold the shop and retired it was never the same again, and did not last very long.
Does anyone remember Edna Arnold. I used to go there for my hair marcel waved for the school parties. She lived in Pudding Poke, just up the side path from the now Village Dentist, and did her hairdressing in her front room.
Posted by: Margaret Cawthorne at March 12, 2008 9:14 PM
hi, the shops next to front street school where c&h windows are now, was once ray stewart jewelers for a while, circa 1980.
Posted by: neil at March 14, 2008 9:57 PM