Oval Shops

[johndawsonjune1955]

The Oval shops. 1960s i think. Looks like that anyway.

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

Here are some photos of the oval shops in front of Kelso gardens - opposite Foundry House. (Which stands on our old playing field)

The shops in photo 3 are going to be pulled down soon - so we have heard.

Can anyone remember the shops from the sixties and seventies?

There was Strakers on the corner...further down a barbers, Doreen's wool shop, a co-op!!!. Then across that gap was Dennis's, Christines chiropodists....Routledge the butchers, the newspaper shop, last owned by Colin Mole and the rest is lost to history.

During the course of time there have been a green grocers, video shop, pet shop, fish and chip shop and who knows what else.

Please help lads and lasses, cos I've got a bad doze of nostalgia.

A bad doze of nostalgia may get confused by a bad doze of my memory! I lived in Coquetdale Place, 1949-1969.

So if we say 1960 and earlier, as you face the shops the left hand group :-

1st. shop I agree with you - Strakers - general dealers.

2nd shop - I think was the Chemists - definately was a chemists as we used to pick Rose-hips and the chemists paid us for them, by weight.

3rd shop - I think was the barber - a DA and anything for the weekend sir.

Cant't remember what was next but definately

Last Shop was the Co-op Store, cos that's where me mam sent one us every day. Divi Number -no idea - Cigarettes =JC.

Right hand group I can't remember the order but can remember a couple of the shops :-

Wakenshaw the Butcher - their son Kingsley went to Bedlington Grammar, early 60's. Think Soulsby and Lynn came after

Shiropodist - me mam went there.

Wools shop but could have been in the left hand group - everything we wore was knitted from there. Even our bathing costumes!

Beadnell's the news agent I think was the last shop. Yes he sold everything else but you had to wait whilst he found it. I am sure he once had a couple of motor bikes to sell.

Need a cup of tea but will continue thinking, and asking other oldies.

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

The Oval shops. 1960s i think. Looks like that anyway.

Definately 60s and I think this picture must be when they were new. There would be one shop before the first on the left in the photo - Strakers, general dealers, I think. The first shop you can see is definitely the Chemists, then the Barbers. Next two can't remember and then the last two were the Co-op.

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

Definately 60s and I think this picture must be when they were new. There would be one shop before the first on the left in the photo - Strakers, general dealers, I think. The first shop you can see is definitely the Chemists, then the Barbers. Next two can't remember and then the last two were the Co-op.

My sister says the first shop was George Swan's - but she was born 1955 and would have been well into the 60's before she was reading shop signs so Straker's could still be the first that was there. She reckons the next shop, the chemists was Leaman's and, like many others, says there was a drapers after Beadnall's.

I have memory of me mam telling me of an Oval lad, Joe, opening a bakers/cake shop - 1970's - in one of those shops between the barbers and the Co-op.

[tonyg]

your sister is right . it was George Swans . the shop next to Beadnalls was Kramers the drapers.

[Reedy]

I think the black and white photo of the oval shops was featured in the Bedlington Guide price 1 shilling.

There's a publishers code OB/5471/CDB/65 which may date the photo and guide in 1965?

[wonky]

ahh !! thats gas,,taking pictures of the oval shops..made me laugh out loud man..happy memories flooding back..i think i remember the motor bike shop and music shop but honestly couldnt put a date on the period..i had an aunt that worked @ don lynns and would often get the big roond mince pies handed over in a broon paper bag still warm..and oiniony..lol.. some times as a lad if we had some pennies we would walk up to the oval from the blacka for a big bag of football chews,spearmint flavour..CHUMS..they were called. get them from the shop on the corner i think. it was a bit dank but the chews were always fresh and minty..i am actualy slavering now..lol

granny bedlington would somtimes send us down for some mutters..lol..jaysus...she loved her pop god rest her.

the oval was always a dangerous place for us young mongrells as we were on percy turf and if you got caught it would usually end up with tears and a bust nose at least..there was one time i remember very well ..when we were heading back to the bank top and were chased by the bad lads over the oval field and i got away but did end up stepping in dog poo and remember clearly wiping it off in the long grass at the bank top..laughing. and to this day i belive the grass is still long..might be handy sometime..lol..thanks for that..

[keith lockey]

ahh !! thats gas,,taking pictures of the oval shops..made me laugh out loud man..happy memories flooding back..i think i remember the motor bike shop and music shop but honestly couldnt put a date on the period..i had an aunt that worked @ don lynns and would often get the big roond mince pies handed over in a broon paper bag still warm..and oiniony..lol.. some times as a lad if we had some pennies we would walk up to the oval from the blacka for a big bag of football chews,spearmint flavour..CHUMS..they were called. get them from the shop on the corner i think. it was a bit dank but the chews were always fresh and minty..i am actualy slavering now..lol

granny bedlington would somtimes send us down for some mutters..lol..jaysus...she loved her pop god rest her.

the oval was always a dangerous place for us young mongrells as we were on percy turf and if you got caught it would usually end up with tears and a bust nose at least..there was one time i remember very well ..when we were heading back to the bank top and were chased by the bad lads over the oval field and i got away but did end up stepping in dog poo and remember clearly wiping it off in the long grass at the bank top..laughing. and to this day i belive the grass is still long..might be handy sometime..lol..thanks for that..

I just live up the road from the Oval shops, Wonky, and when I was a young whippersnapper I used to get all my sweets from Strakers - though it might have been Swans then. The memories and names of those sweets are too numerous - BUT - take a gander at this site and read em and weep.

http://www.aquarterof.co.uk/

Edited May 9, 2013 by keith lockey

[wonky]

aye..youve started somthing now..im off to yorkshire this day week for a few days. some wild camping @ the ribblehead viaduct and a few days in the yorkshire show grounds trading wonky wares..the last time i was driving up the a1 i saw a sign for the haribo factory shop and came out an hour later,50 quid lighter and three carrier bags off lickrish and jellys ect..i just been looking at the map to see how far away from harogate it is..lol

on a lighter note..my granny would give us the empty bottles to take back for the refund @ the oval shops..i remember there was always a smell of perm from the hairdressers...i am sure all my aunties hung out there too as they all had a touch of frizz going on.... the oval was realy a no go area for us and usually we would never enter it alone,always had some form of back up and a few stones in our pockets for extra security.. there was this soft lad that used to hang about with us and he was always getting caught and forced to eat grass ect..it turned out later that he was actually gay and that was probably why he was a bit soft..lol..anyways,,we knew at the time that if we took him to the shops it would usually be him that got caught and bullied. giving us a better chance of getting away. turns out his granny too was from near the terrier and it was happening big time when we were not with him..some folks never learn..lol

ah divvint knah !!..lol back to the pictures..it dont seem to have changed that much..the cars are a bit more modern..

[keith lockey]

Me and my bro used to get our haircut at the barbers down there. My mate once dared me to get a crew-cut. I went home looking like Yul Brynner. My mam went off it, really ballistic. But bro says the barber used to go to St. Mary's hospital & St. Georges and cut the 'patients' hair. Now where's my midget gems and sports mixtures.

[Keith Scantlebury]

My mother worked for Strakers then George Swan, she was there for years, we lived in the airey houses in Waverley Avenue at the time. I will be the same age as your sister Eggy, well she will probably be slightly older than me. Everyone seems to be forgetting the Drs. Surgery in the Oval. Drs. Ivory and Brown before they

moved to the clinic at Guide Post.

Edited May 12, 2013 by keith

[tonyg]

George swan had the shop before Strakers i used to deliver therein the late 50 s

[Keith Scantlebury]

Whatever way round Tony, one thing was for sure, there wasnt a very high turn over of staff, some where there for years and all got on with each other. Wasn't Straker also a George ? I have the names George and Rene Straker in my head for some reason , could be wrong.

Edited May 13, 2013 by keith

[tonyg]

George Swan had two shops the other one was at the winning his wife ran it.

[keith lockey]

Whatever way round Tony, one thing was for sure, there wasnt a very high turn over of staff, some where there for years and all got on with each other. Wasn't Straker also a George ? I have the names George and Rene Straker in my head for some reason , could be wrong.

There was a Rene there, Keith, blonde & glasses. But was she married to George Straker? I still see her knocking about. There was also Rose Winters, I believe she worked there for many years. (I'll check with my bro on these tonight.) With regards to the doctors; many people have remembered the surgery but I cannot recall it. I was probably too young. All we were interested in were sweets, comics and fishing nets to catch darnies & sticklebacks down the woods, and we got those at Swans-Strakers and the newspaper shop.

Edited May 13, 2013 by keith lockey

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

My mother worked for Strakers then George Swan, she was there for years, we lived in the airey houses in Waverley Avenue at the time. I will be the same age as your sister Eggy, well she will probably be slightly older than me. Everyone seems to be forgetting the Drs. Surgery in the Oval. Drs. Ivory and Brown before they

moved to the clinic at Guide Post.

Do not remember a docs at the Oval, only the dentists in the clinic round the corner on the way to Waverley Drive etc. Get your teeth extracted under the influence of gas , free of charge! Remember we had to go to see Dr Brown at the Top End, just off the front street. But I see your doc Ivory gets a mention by johndawsonjune1955 in the 'FamilyTree' topic on this site.

[keith lockey]

OVAL SHOPS UPDATE

There goes the neighbourhood.

Edited July 9, 2013 by keith lockey

[Malcolm Robinson]

So if we are knocking shops down to build hooses where does the people who live in those hooses buy stuff?????

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

So if we are knocking shops down to build hooses where does the people who live in those hooses buy stuff?????

Large Supermarkets on the outskirts of town thus encouraging future growth and employment, part-time.

Knock down shops - employment

Build new houses - employment for all the building trades.

Fill house (affordable rent?) so the new occupants will go off to Keenlysides to buy tools to help install the furnishings bought in the out-of-town retail parks - employmen

New tenants will have to buy a car, to get to retail park, from The Lion Garage. New car = Insurance; road tax; petrol; MoT; child car seat etc. etc - employment

Could ignore retail parks and buy white goods from Foresters - employment

10 new houses = 8 new Sky dishes - employment.

New Desktop PC (yes I am old) - or tablet or iphone - employment

Shop on-line at Amazon - no need to buy car, or go out - unemployment.

[keith lockey]

Large Supermarkets on the outskirts of town thus encouraging future growth and employment, part-time.

Knock down shops - employment

Build new houses - employment for all the building trades.

Fill house (affordable rent?) so the new occupants will go off to Keenlysides to buy tools to help install the furnishings bought in the out-of-town retail parks - employmen

New tenants will have to buy a car, to get to retail park, from The Lion Garage. New car = Insurance; road tax; petrol; MoT; child car seat etc. etc - employment

Could ignore retail parks and buy white goods from Foresters - employment

10 new houses = 8 new Sky dishes - employment.

New Desktop PC (yes I am old) - or tablet or iphone - employment

Shop on-line at Amazon - no need to buy car, or go out - unemployment.

There's only one problem with that hypothesis, Eggy - MONEY! No money, no spendy. And bear in mind the building firms will put a tender in for the work and these sometimes come from Sunderland. (Sorry for swearing chaps.)

Besides, I've heard some intriguing rumours lately concerning what they are going to do with the space. I shall keep you informed. Maybe that intrepid newshound Malcolm Robinson has heard something on the Bedlington grapevine. Watch this space!!

Edited July 9, 2013 by keith lockey

[Malcolm Robinson]

I was just told hooses Keith.

[Malcolm Robinson]

Problem with that thesis Eggy is that one of the deprivation indictors is lack of private transport and new tenants buying the latest high priced gizmos doesn't quite fit the area profile. That apart from having to lug a new washing machine on their backs from the Top End. Although I have to say I am astonished at the amount of taxis doing shopping trips, they must be charging nowt?

Could end up like the Bernicia grants for decorating where you get a grant but it can only be spent in a shop at North Shields or somewhere equally as ridiculous.

Increasingly older population with high levels of IT unfamiliarity, no new desktops there, certainly no tablets etc.

'10 new houses = 8 new Sky dishes - employment.' Employment for about a nano-second then profits for the Digger and American mass media fodder providers.

'Build new houses - employment for all the building trades.' If only we had a sensible policy for social housing we could be offering proper skilled jobs and apprenticeships across the whole county.

'Fill house (affordable rent?)' Social rents now have been derestricted and social providers can charge up to 85% (I think) of a private landlord rent for new tenants, and of course anyone breaking their lease will be classed as a new tenant. If they claim the Nash the bedroom tax could well be a problem but the real problem is universal welfare where all monthly payments are rolled up into one single payment and life is great for a week or so then it's like coming down off a cocaine fuelled high until the next monthly payment. No wonder doorstep lenders and payday lenders like Wonga et all (3000%APR!) are rich enough to advertise on TV! This is going to be a huge problem very shortly!

This looks to me like ripping out the hedgerows to make huge mass farms which are almost fully automated and rely on synthetic addictive's to sustain themselves. Gone self-sustainability through diversity and good environmental practices and of course a lot of localised jobs in food production.

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

I agree with all the replies/comments to my posting. I was just getting a dig in at Amazon that pays it's taxes to an Oval building rather than benefitiing the locals. I promise to stop been cryptic, soon.

[Malcolm Robinson]

No don't Eggy its all grist for the mill.

BTW, have you noticed a change in your title yet?

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

No don't Eggy its all grist for the mill.

BTW, have you noticed a change in your title yet?

I did Malcolm, but missed when it actually switched toTerrier, I would guess at 100 posts. I take it, to save space in the DB, the post area current value (rather than the actual value when the post was made) is retrieved every time a posting is displayed. Any way I suppose the significance in reaching Terrier is that this retired person found a site that maintained his interest (other than IKTS & Fantasy Premier League) more than a couple of weeks. That has to be down to the more senior members continuing on the good work. I thank you all for that.