Ham Parade began in 1937 as part of the Tudor Estate on the condition that “no noisy or offensive trades were allowed”. The first shops included a fruiterer, butcher, grocer, wine merchant, chemist, greengrocer, newsagent and post office, domestic store, ladies’ outfitter, shoe shop and café.
Malcolm Singleton, owner of M&J Hardware, has worked on Ham Parade since 1970 and see high rents and rates damaging the chances of survival of small shops. John Whiting who owned the fruiterers and retired in 2016 after 34 years of trading on the Parade.
Ham Street
There was a butchers shop owned by Frank Birch which was next to a green grocers called Smerdons which later became Dunkleys, a general sweetshop and tobacconist. This was 12 Ham St where the Dunkleys remained until after the Second World War then moved to 31-33 Ham Street which was the site of the original Crooked Billet which moved in 1935 to a site opposite the Brewery Tap. The house now known as the Old Bakery was known as Winson’s Supply Stores in the early 20th century. It became Fieldson’s Stores or the Supply Stores in the 1930’s and after the Second World War it became the London Co-operative Society Stores run by Mr Cox.
Ham Common
There was a small builders yard on Ham Common called Eckett and Ellis.
Petersham Road
In the1950’s there were a number of shops just next to the New Inn. Chinnery’s was a general store with a post office at the back. Next door was Povey’s the butcher, then Morfew’s cobblers, Mrs Spratley’s sweet shop and then the Fox and Goose. A little further along was Saddler’s the baker and then a newsagent and tobacconist run by Mr Carter and his wife.
1971 Street Directory
Parkleys Parade:
1 Timber Supplies
2/3 Young (JR Ltd), grocers
4 Thompson (S), confectioner and tobacconist
5 Lloyds Bank
6 Dorling (W & Sons Ltd), hardware merchants
West Side:
Ham Parade Cars
1 Warner Bros, decorators merchants
Dixon Ward and Co, solicitors and commissioners for oaths (Gate ho)
19 Barclays Bank Ltd
23 Barclays Bank Ltd
27 Thresher and Co Ltd, wine and spirit merchants
31/33 First and Last Café
Ashburnham Road:
2 Friars Pantry, bakers
3 Playpen, baby linen dealers
6 Miller Bert Ltd, turf commission agent
8 Gill, (OG), butcher
10 Bishops Stores Ltd, grocers
12 Westminster Wine (West) Ltd, wine and spirit merchants
14 Laxton (A & E), fruiterers
16 Reliance Cleaners
171 Graham, newsagent
173 Ham Hardware
175 Town Centre Cleaners, dry cleaners
175 Welco Dry Cleaners Co Ltd
177 Mr Bun the Baker
179 Williams and Sons, fruiterers
181 Lilley’s Foodmarket Ltd, butchers
183 Reeves (G), wine and spirit merchants
185 Bishops Stores Ltd, grocers
Ham Street:
1 Bartley and Geldart, physicians and surgeons (surgery)
7 Brown, (William A), monumental mason
11 London Co-operative Society Ltd (groceries)
15/23 Crooked Billet, Public House
31A Ham School of Motoring
33 Dunkley, (Mrs D), grocer
Baggley, (Chas Arthur), MB, ChB, JP, physician and surgeon (Stokes Hall)
63 Andrews and Sons, hardware merchants, ironmongers, paint and pet food
65 Frigidaire Washerteria, laundrette
67 Marcel, ladies hairdresser
69 Blue Peter Restaurant
71 Lee (Southern) Ltd, newsagents
Back Lane:
4 Ham Bargain Centre
6 Squires (D & Son), greengrocers
8 Harrison (Harry), clothier
10 Payne (A E), grocer and post office
12 Elliston (R V), MPS, chemist
14 Bird Shop (The) (Abbley’s)[/lgc_column] <div\></div\>
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