Photograph Collections:
Elm Grove area
My neck of the woods. I thought it was time to research some buildings around where I live. An area that doesn’t really get much of a mention in the history books.
Sadly I have few photos to show these shops as they were and have to rely on quite recent photos. I would dearly love to add photographs of how they used to look. If anyone has any old photographs of the shops listed below please contact me.
Image: © Carol Homewood
Back then it was a laundry owned by William Huggett and his wife Matilda. Helping out with the family business was their daughter Alice. Also living with them was Matilda's sister Annie. They ran this business until c.1914 when William briefly enlisted in the Royal Sussex Regiment at Chichester. The laundry was taken over by W.A.Mallison who ran the business for the next three years up until c.1917.
From 1918 the laundry was owned by A. Taylor who ran a business here up until the 1940s.
Sometime during the 1940's the building became Dunkerton's Furniture Removals and storage and was surviving until at least the 1970s.
Further research is needed to know when Dunkerton's ceased running a business here but at some point it became the Piano Warehouse.
Sadly there is a planning application being considered to demolish this building and build 7 flats on the site. Let's hope it isn't approved.
INFORMATION ABOUT PLANNING CORRECT AT JUNE 2014.
Image: © Carol Homewood
I need to research this more but from what I remember there was a fire that destroyed it during the 1970s.
Image: © Carol Homewood
Image: © Carol Homewood
During the mid 1940s this shop became Beaumont's Cycle Shop and remained in business here until c.1980s.
Image: © Carol Homewood
By the early 1900s it had become the Model Laundry which stayed in business until the 1940s. During the 1950s it became Homade Bakeries.
From the 1960s onwards the premises became a wood turner's factory which survived up until it's closure sometime during the mid to late 2000s.
It was demolished during 2009 to make way for housing.
Image: © Carol Homewood
William Chisholm previously lived at 11 Queen's Square. He was the Verger of St Paul's Church in West Street. William lived here with his wife Jane and their children. He died in 1871. After his death his wife Jane remained here until her death in 1885. Living at this address with her was Reverend Thornton who remained here after her death with Jane's daughter.
By 1901 the cottage was owned by a Mrs Marchant. By 1906 112 Elm Grove had become a dairy run by H. Guy. Apparently there was access via Luther Street through an arch where the horses would go to the back of the premises. By the mid 1920s H.Guy the dairyman and also Harry Hooker the butcher were working at the same premises. By 1928 Harry Hooker had taken over the premises as a butchers. According to the last owners the animals were slaughtered out the back of the premises.
A butchers was here up until the early 1970s.
Elm Grove Vacuum Centre finally closed it's doors today ( Oct 4th 2014) after 40 years of trading here.
