At the top of Cleves Rd there used to be a grocery shop and next to that was a newsagents and tobacconists.  Mrs Dunkley had the grocery shop and Jessops had the newsagents and Mrs Dunkley, I think her first shop was next to the Ham Tap.  It was a very small shop which she ran with her and her husband and in the summer she used to freeze Tizer and sell ice cubes at a halfpenny each but and then further along (on the other side of the road) what used to be the butchers, that was Frank Birch who was a local figure.  I’ll always remember him wearing leather gaiters and next to him was a greengrocers, Smurdens, and I believe they had an orchard which is now where the Russell School is. It was very, it was very insular really.

It was very much them and us –  I mean Mrs Dunkley obviously used to favour the people with money. I mean I can always remember when sweets came off ration. I mean, I think my first taste of sweets was Smarties and one of the kids, is it Selby House on the Common?  I think it might be as I was saying it’s the first time I’ve ever tasted these.  I always remember this very posh young lady said “oh we’ve had them for ages “.

Used to be the Co-op. In there was the Billet, the Tap.  Now this used to be a little greengrocers called Elsons.  Mrs Dunkley used to have the shop right there.  The two shops that was Frank Burke’s the butchers and Smurdens.  They’re still there.  But Mr Cox he was absolutely crippled with arthritis but he was the most obliging man.  He was there for years, I can remember going there when I went to school here, you know- he was most obliging man.