Comments on: John Claridge’s Nation Of Shopkeepers

By: Cherub

Cherub — Fri, 29 May 2026 18:37:45 +0000

I love old shops like these. My dad was a miner, he worked down a very old mine that closed in 1969 as it was unsafe (it would flood as it was out under the sea and the men wore oilskins). We had an old fashioned cobblers round the corner from us and dad would send my brother to buy a penny worth of carbide for the lamp on his helmet.

By: Ann Vosper

Ann Vosper — Fri, 29 May 2026 17:36:18 +0000

‘I’d been to a party and it was five o’clock in the morning, but she was open’. Those were the days! Just brilliant.

By: Philip Marriage

Philip Marriage — Fri, 29 May 2026 11:02:23 +0000

Classics of a time long gone . . .

By: ANDY STROWMAN

ANDY STROWMAN — Fri, 29 May 2026 08:51:40 +0000

This is the point I want to make the kids are doing shopping for the Mum and that’s what I recall about my Whitechapel days and others to help .
“ Do me a favour and go round the corner to ‘Arrys and get me ten Senior Services and a box of matches . Thank you very much ,” Mr Shatt to me .having wigged his finger for me to come over during a street football game . My age nine . He would always give the exact money .
Often the shops would sell one cigarette to adults and children .