Shops in Central Box in the 1950s
We have all heard that many shops existed in the centre of the village.
But where were they precisely?
We are indebted to Ruby Eyles who guides us around the shops which existed when she came here in 1954 and to other readers who have also contributed to this article.
Can you add more or amend the story of Box's shops 60 years ago?
Left: One of the few surviving shops (All photos Carol Payne)
We have all heard that many shops existed in the centre of the village.
But where were they precisely?
We are indebted to Ruby Eyles who guides us around the shops which existed when she came here in 1954 and to other readers who have also contributed to this article.
Can you add more or amend the story of Box's shops 60 years ago?
Left: One of the few surviving shops (All photos Carol Payne)
We track the shops down both sides of the High Street, through the Market Place and lastly along the London Road.
We also plan a historic pub crawl through the village and would love to hear from residents about Box's old inns and alehouses.
We also plan a historic pub crawl through the village and would love to hear from residents about Box's old inns and alehouses.
The High Street
Going down the High Street from the traffic lights on the right hand side there were several shops.
Going down the High Street from the traffic lights on the right hand side there were several shops.
The present Chemist shop was once the stables belonging to the Bear. It was owned by the Browning family who used it as a garage, serving cars with petrol until about 1942-45. You can see where the pumps were positioned on the shop forecourt, now a bus stop.(1) Mrs Swift was the lady pharmacist in the 1950s.
A baker, Ben Drew, sold bread and cakes from his cottage just before the traffic lights on the High Street and he made deliveries throughout Box by horse and cart.(2) Ben was an unusual man, not always in full control whilst doing his rounds and relying on his horse to find the way back. A local anecdote recalls that a lady, who had stopped trading with him, later asked to buy a loaf. Ben allegedly replied: I'll see you in Hell first, Madam!
There was a newsagent's shop at the corner of Burtons Lane.(3) When Mrs Eyles first came to the village Frank Bradfield owned it, and lived in the house next door. Later Mr West took it over, and for a short time it became a Vet's surgery.
Just up Burtons Lane is a house now called The Old Sweet Factory.(4) At one time it was a sweet warehouse which Roy Hodges ran for a number of years after he came to the village (I believe) in 1949. It has also been a builders' premises and a car garage but I don't recall it being a factory.
Pontings Shop was at the corner of Queens Square now pulled down and converted into the car park area.(5) It had moved there out of the Market Place before the 1950s. I remember going there to buy groceries. Mr Ponting had a nickname Squeaker and he had to blow the dust off the top of the tins of food before he served you. When Mr Ponting sold his shop it was run by Mr Byfield until it closed in the mid 1970s. The houses on Queen Square were built after 1975, created out of the gardens of the cottages in Burtons Lane.
The Eyles shoe shop was next to No 1 Chapel Lane and was run by Edwin Eyles from the right hand window of the photograph.(6)
I seem to recall an old photo which showed that a sign advertising the shop hung on the opposite side of the High Street outside Millers.
On the left hand side of the High Street, next to the Queen's Head, where the Bay Tree hairdressers is now, was once a butchers shop owned by the Abrahams family in the 1950s and later by Les Lay.(7)
The house now called Millers used to be owned by the Miller family. Harry, John Miller's father, ran the business first and later John operated coaches and lorries from the site.(8) Inside the premises was a vegetable shop operated by John's mother, Amy, and later by his wife, Menna.
The door on the right side of the premises was a small shop rented out first to Webbs the bakers who sent bread from Melksham and later a lady ran it selling women's clothing.(9)
The Manor House was never a shop, but one time it was the scene of a tragedy when a fire in the house caused the death of two young children. I think they might have been aged about 3 and 5 years. They are buried in the cemetery. John Bosley was the village policeman then and he had to deal with the situation.
There was another outlet selling petrol where the Manor Garage is now which had pumps outside on the forecourt.(10) The owner was called Mr Chandler, who lived at the Manor House.
A baker, Ben Drew, sold bread and cakes from his cottage just before the traffic lights on the High Street and he made deliveries throughout Box by horse and cart.(2) Ben was an unusual man, not always in full control whilst doing his rounds and relying on his horse to find the way back. A local anecdote recalls that a lady, who had stopped trading with him, later asked to buy a loaf. Ben allegedly replied: I'll see you in Hell first, Madam!
There was a newsagent's shop at the corner of Burtons Lane.(3) When Mrs Eyles first came to the village Frank Bradfield owned it, and lived in the house next door. Later Mr West took it over, and for a short time it became a Vet's surgery.
Just up Burtons Lane is a house now called The Old Sweet Factory.(4) At one time it was a sweet warehouse which Roy Hodges ran for a number of years after he came to the village (I believe) in 1949. It has also been a builders' premises and a car garage but I don't recall it being a factory.
Pontings Shop was at the corner of Queens Square now pulled down and converted into the car park area.(5) It had moved there out of the Market Place before the 1950s. I remember going there to buy groceries. Mr Ponting had a nickname Squeaker and he had to blow the dust off the top of the tins of food before he served you. When Mr Ponting sold his shop it was run by Mr Byfield until it closed in the mid 1970s. The houses on Queen Square were built after 1975, created out of the gardens of the cottages in Burtons Lane.
The Eyles shoe shop was next to No 1 Chapel Lane and was run by Edwin Eyles from the right hand window of the photograph.(6)
I seem to recall an old photo which showed that a sign advertising the shop hung on the opposite side of the High Street outside Millers.
On the left hand side of the High Street, next to the Queen's Head, where the Bay Tree hairdressers is now, was once a butchers shop owned by the Abrahams family in the 1950s and later by Les Lay.(7)
The house now called Millers used to be owned by the Miller family. Harry, John Miller's father, ran the business first and later John operated coaches and lorries from the site.(8) Inside the premises was a vegetable shop operated by John's mother, Amy, and later by his wife, Menna.
The door on the right side of the premises was a small shop rented out first to Webbs the bakers who sent bread from Melksham and later a lady ran it selling women's clothing.(9)
The Manor House was never a shop, but one time it was the scene of a tragedy when a fire in the house caused the death of two young children. I think they might have been aged about 3 and 5 years. They are buried in the cemetery. John Bosley was the village policeman then and he had to deal with the situation.
There was another outlet selling petrol where the Manor Garage is now which had pumps outside on the forecourt.(10) The owner was called Mr Chandler, who lived at the Manor House.
The Market Place - right hand side
Going into the Market Place there were lots of shops on the right. It was the commercial hub of Box.
Going into the Market Place there were lots of shops on the right. It was the commercial hub of Box.
No 1, Market Place was a sweet shop.(11) In the 1950s it was called The Betty Shop. Children used to buy sweets from there after school. Then Mr & Mrs Haines senior owned it and later it was run by Thelma, Norman's wife.
Keith and Carla Pask ran The County Stores selling groceries for many years.(12) Before, it was run by Mrs Plowman, then by Mr & Mrs Aston. Sometimes Mr Aston put people off by his rather abrupt attitude.
You could order coal and buy wool from the shop at No 3 Market Place.(13) It was run by Mrs Boulton.
Next to it is St Judes, where the extension sticking out was the gents barber's shop.(14) When I first came, the barber had served in the RAF in the war and lots of servicemen used to come here from RAF Rudloe Manor. It was owned by Les Bawtree. Oz Butt had a bicycle shop there in earlier times.
Where the council offices now stand used to be a fish and chip shop.(15)
Frogmore House used to have antiques and possibly they sold them from the house.
Dalebrook House was the doctors surgery in 1954.(16) It was run by Dr Davey and Dr Clarke. They have now moved to the new surgery but I have a recollection that before then they operated from a premises on the High Street.
Frogmore Cottage was owned by Mr Schofield who sold ironmongery.(17) It was later run by one of the Bence brothers (possibly Nigel) who did repairs and possibly sold electrical goods from there.
Keith and Carla Pask ran The County Stores selling groceries for many years.(12) Before, it was run by Mrs Plowman, then by Mr & Mrs Aston. Sometimes Mr Aston put people off by his rather abrupt attitude.
You could order coal and buy wool from the shop at No 3 Market Place.(13) It was run by Mrs Boulton.
Next to it is St Judes, where the extension sticking out was the gents barber's shop.(14) When I first came, the barber had served in the RAF in the war and lots of servicemen used to come here from RAF Rudloe Manor. It was owned by Les Bawtree. Oz Butt had a bicycle shop there in earlier times.
Where the council offices now stand used to be a fish and chip shop.(15)
Frogmore House used to have antiques and possibly they sold them from the house.
Dalebrook House was the doctors surgery in 1954.(16) It was run by Dr Davey and Dr Clarke. They have now moved to the new surgery but I have a recollection that before then they operated from a premises on the High Street.
Frogmore Cottage was owned by Mr Schofield who sold ironmongery.(17) It was later run by one of the Bence brothers (possibly Nigel) who did repairs and possibly sold electrical goods from there.
The Market Place - left hand side
On the left of the Market Place were more shops and workshops.
On the left of the Market Place were more shops and workshops.
Dave Hill still runs RJ Hill Butchers shop here.(18) It is the only shop still existing in the Market Place.
Box Brewery closed before Mrs Eyles came to the village and the chimney of their furnace on the London Road was pulled down. The building was used by Murray & Baldwin to finish the manufacture of tennis racquets where they put strings into the racquets. At one time it had the name Murrays painted on the roof. Later it became Dodds Engineering Shop.
Bences shop (now Benson House) used to sell groceries on one side.(19) It was run by a father and two sons, Nigel and Geoffrey. On the other side of the shop you could buy radios or have them repaired.
Until the 1950s the Chequers was a butchers shop as well as a pub.(20)
The Old Dairy was run by Clem Dyke who sold milk and cream.(21) I never bought from him but he carried on the trade until 1968.
Box Brewery closed before Mrs Eyles came to the village and the chimney of their furnace on the London Road was pulled down. The building was used by Murray & Baldwin to finish the manufacture of tennis racquets where they put strings into the racquets. At one time it had the name Murrays painted on the roof. Later it became Dodds Engineering Shop.
Bences shop (now Benson House) used to sell groceries on one side.(19) It was run by a father and two sons, Nigel and Geoffrey. On the other side of the shop you could buy radios or have them repaired.
Until the 1950s the Chequers was a butchers shop as well as a pub.(20)
The Old Dairy was run by Clem Dyke who sold milk and cream.(21) I never bought from him but he carried on the trade until 1968.
London Road
There were more shops on both sides of the London Road.
There were more shops on both sides of the London Road.
The Comrades Club was a British Legion club.(22)
Between the Comrades and the School was a shed that was a shoe repairers, right in the gap between the buildings.(23) I think it was owned by Mr Killick.
Further along London Road the Post Office was run by Richard Fudge in the 1950s and it had been in his family ownership for over a century.(24) The newsagents next door (Stop Press) was possibly owned by the Fudge family, then Mr Lamb operated it before he went to Cyprus. After him, the Wests ran the shop.
On the opposite side of the road, where they later built Vine Court, was a builders yard.(25) At one time it was owned by the Dyer family then by T Merrett & Sons, builders. When Mrs Eyles first came Richard Best owned it and lived in the house behind.
Colerne View has been many different businesses.(26) At one time it was Mrs Swift's Chemist shop before she moved to the premises where we started this article. Afterwards Mrs Barker ran it as a cafe; finally it was a vegetable shop occupied by Gill Cook.
Rose Cottage was a hairdressers called Snips.(27)
Further along is the Co-op shop.(28) It was extended in my time, but before then, there were cottages on the site next to a clock tower. The cottages were called the clock cottages.
Between the Comrades and the School was a shed that was a shoe repairers, right in the gap between the buildings.(23) I think it was owned by Mr Killick.
Further along London Road the Post Office was run by Richard Fudge in the 1950s and it had been in his family ownership for over a century.(24) The newsagents next door (Stop Press) was possibly owned by the Fudge family, then Mr Lamb operated it before he went to Cyprus. After him, the Wests ran the shop.
On the opposite side of the road, where they later built Vine Court, was a builders yard.(25) At one time it was owned by the Dyer family then by T Merrett & Sons, builders. When Mrs Eyles first came Richard Best owned it and lived in the house behind.
Colerne View has been many different businesses.(26) At one time it was Mrs Swift's Chemist shop before she moved to the premises where we started this article. Afterwards Mrs Barker ran it as a cafe; finally it was a vegetable shop occupied by Gill Cook.
Rose Cottage was a hairdressers called Snips.(27)
Further along is the Co-op shop.(28) It was extended in my time, but before then, there were cottages on the site next to a clock tower. The cottages were called the clock cottages.
Can you add to this fascinating article? We appreciate all additions and amendments if you can correct our story of Box's shops.