Forum Topic

hawkins groucers circa 1958

the above was situated in church road w3 would anyone know of the date of its demolition probaly sometime in the 1960's

Clive Lephard ● 5343d38 Comments

Groucers?

Roger Foreman ● 5343d

Where in Church Road were they? A search of old telephone directories does not give an address in Church Road - they have a number of branches in the area, but in Acton they have 35 Horn Lane, 319 Horn Lane and 'The Broadway', Gunnersbury Avenue. In the 1950s they are also listed at Hawko House, Horn Lane (which is next to The Duke of York pub.)

Amanda Knights ● 5343d

There were two Hawkins in Acton one was in Crown Street on the corner where 24-7 is ,it used to have a large Hawk above the shop which lit up, the other Hawkins was further south in South Acton off Bollo bridge road and Parmaston rd where Blackmore tower used to be just recently until they knocked that down as well! Everything that came out of those shops came in paper bags no plastic around in those days.The building in Crown street still exists today, the one in South Acton was demolished in 1967/8.

Ricardo Pelc-Wesoly ● 5343d

they were at the bottom of church road the flat above no 86 is were the read family used to live this opposite the pub that was there cant remember name

Clive Lephard ● 5343d

my mistake

Clive Lephard ● 5343d

I have a book with a photo showing the lower end of Church Road in the 1890s. There was a grocery (Thomas Hayward's) at no.74, and the Prince of Wales pub looks to be directly opposite. The pub building, incidentally, has survived till today.I'm not sure when those buildings were demolished - some time in the sixties, I think. Do you need a very precise date, Clive?Ricardo, perhaps you could help me with my question here:http://www.flickr.com/photos/49428126@N00/6788798317/in/photostreamAny info gratefully received!

Vin Miles ● 5342d

Any chance of knowing the title please? i'm researching the former Royal British Legion site on Church Road and that may be helpful. Does anyone know when theRBL was bulit? What was there previously?

A Tailor ● 5342d

Ah, The Prince of Wales Pub is mentioned here. The British Legion was created in 1921 (the 90th anniversary last year)..and the following is extracted from Kelly Directory for 1911.

Jim Lawes ● 5342d

It's "Acton" by Jonathan Oates, ISBN 0 7524 2637 0.It seems to have been all shops and businesses on that side. I suppose the British Legion building was put up in the sixties or seventies.Jim, thanks for the Kelly's extract. I see that Charles Dadds, bootmaker, was at no. 84 in 1911. One hundred years later his name is still writ large in Acton High Street. http://www.flickr.com/photos/49428126@N00/2393091305/in/set-72157604412263424

Vin Miles ● 5342d

During the 60's to 70's the small shop opposite The Prince of Wales used to be a green groucers owned by the Jeffrey's.

Ricardo Pelc-Wesoly ● 5341d

Spot on Avenue rd looking South. Suzette I believe was a clothes store the building on the corner was Mayfair laundry there was also one in Roslin rd.

Ricardo Pelc-Wesoly ● 5341d

Ricardo, thank you for the info about "Suzette". How long have you lived in South Acton? Do you have any photographs of your own that show the area, or do you know anyone who might? It would be great to unearth some new ones.I have a few more of South Acton, but they are taken from books, so they are relatively well known.Did you know about the forthcoming talk at St Mary's Church hall - "Acton and Ealing in Old Postcards"? It's on Wed Feb 8th at 7.30pm, admission £2.

Vin Miles ● 5339d

If anyone can remeber, the best fish and chip shop was the golden fillet on crown st next to the fruit and veg stall

Glenn Young ● 5339d

Vin i've only been around since the sixty's,my parents inlaws both lived in the area The Avenue rd Junction rd and Sterling rd South Acton. I have an original book on Acton Middx around 1920 print by William King Baker. I don't have much in terms of pictures, I do have books going back to 1880-1890 of South Acton,these were monthy magazines binded into yearly books care of Andrew Hunter-Dunn - The First Vicar of South Acton (All Saints Church) that once stood in Bollo Bridge Rd. There's some good accounts  of the Area and the work our dear Mr Dunn gave to the poor people of  South Acton.In the books are accounts of Births,Marriages,and Deaths, names included!You could try the Metropolitan Archives or the vicar of St Peters Acton Green.Do read the memoirs of Andrew Hunter-Dunn first vicar of South Acton fifth Bishop of Quibec, canadian library source, download the pdf.Keep in touch.

Ricardo Pelc-Wesoly ● 5339d

Does anyone remember if there was a Co-op on the corner of Church Road and Acton High Street? I seem to remember one being there in the 70's but I was quite young at the time.

Andrew Jones ● 5339d

Yes, there was an oddly shaped Co-op there: part on that corner, then another bit going behind something else and coming out further down the High Street! A food section and the rest a small department store (useful for haberdashery, if I remember correctly). Rather shabby when I last visited (a very long time ago), and suffered from fire damage before being demolished.

Lorna Dodd ● 5339d

The first Waitrose store...was in Acton High Street.

Jim Lawes ● 5338d

Indeed there was a large Co-op food store on the corner which carried on around the back of the George and Dragon to the Co-op furniture store on the corner of Mill Hill Grove.Hence the block of flats built on the site are called Co-opers Court (geddit?!!)

Neil Owens ● 5338d

Yes I remember the large coop on that corner...strangely enough i can remember my mums shopper number to this day that you had to give in order to get your coop stamps. It was quite an impressive shop for Acton I used to think.......but Edwards was always my fave dept store...very classy.

T Beme ● 5338d

The Co-op was a two storey department store in the 50s/60s.Later it became a ground floor food store.

Maria Pettit ● 5338d

Name check: or was it Edmonds...

T Beme ● 5337d

Edmonds was on the opposite corner, now the site of Ludlow Thompson.  Two storey clothing and haberdashery store.

Maria Pettit ● 5337d

see what interest my little query has generated

Clive Lephard ● 5334d

This picture was posted on FLICKR by my "Flickr contact" Les Bailey some years back...and what a cyberspace searching joy to see it!By the way there was a notable Edmonds Store in Hounslow High Street too.. but long gone. It was highly regarded.

Jim Lawes ● 5324d

Well remembered, Jim. This sign is on a building on Uxbridge Rd, West Ealing, opposite the end of Coldershaw Rd. It may no longer be visible, as there was building work going on next door when the Google StreetView camera car passed by.

Vin Miles ● 5324d

Church Road revisited!This 1893 Map should be of interest!It's an extract from the old Ordnance Survey Map of area by Alan Godfrey ISBN 0- 85054 319 3

Jim Lawes ● 5319d

I'm being asked "What was the name of the Brewery in Mill Hill Grove"? shown on the 1893 Map.Any answers?

Jim Lawes ● 5319d

The 1907 edition of 'Kelly's Directory' lists at 54 Church Road -The British Beer Breweries Limited (Acton Brewery). It is not in Mill Hill Grove - just the writing. As with the Baptist Church further up the road - it can't be labelled in the right place.

Amanda Knights ● 5319d

Thanks for the Acton Brewery data in Church Road Amanda...and I see that it was mentioned in the 1911 Kellys..posted higher up the thread.So where would Acton Bakeries have been located? I recall that my Uncle used to work at a bakery in St Elmo Road or was it Davis Road in the 1950s.

Jim Lawes ● 5318d

I have found entries for Acton Bakeries in old telephone books. They seem to have had a bakery at 11 The Vale from about 1927. In the 1955 phone book there are a number of shops for them - Askew Road, Bollo Bridge Road, Horn Lane, King Street W6, Old Oak Common Lane and Uxbridge Road W12, but the bakery itself is not listed at The Vale, so may have been at one of the other addresses.

Amanda Knights ● 5313d

I think that sign is in York Road.

Vin Miles ● 5313d

The sign is painted on the flank wall of 234 Horn Lane facing York Road which was one of the Acton Bakeries Ltd. shops in the 1930s.Jim is correct in his recollections. Acton Bakeries had premises at 1 and 11 The Vale, which are the corners of St. Elmo Road, and Davis Road, respectively.

Amanda Knights ● 5313d

Thanks for that research Amanda. So my Uncle Ron worked for Acton Bakeries and I recall as a youngster being allowed to watch him swert(?) cream into chocalate eclairs and then being handed a few to keep me quiet!Yes it was near Askew Road..in the 1950s.

Jim Lawes ● 5313d

Found this one for Hanwell

Nicola Howard ● 5313d

Nicola, there is another picture of this further up the thread. Different angle but same advert!

Amanda Knights ● 5313d

Just checked my flicker.  The picture has had 24 views within 14 hours.  Is this a stroll down memory lane?

Nicola Howard ● 5312d

1930's map of South Acton area.. showing streets and perhaps Schools no longer around.

Jim Lawes ● 5312d

Jim,No map!

Amanda Knights ● 5312d