Bohemia Village Voice

The wide range of businesses which existed in Bohemia is reflected in the following list, published in Kelly’s Street Directory of 1920, which was kindly supplied by long-time Bohemia resident Vic Chalcraft. The list will be included in Vic’s forthcoming book Bohemia Remembered to be published later this year.

      The way Bohemia has changed, almost beyond recognition in just over 80 years is quite amazing. A quick tally will show there were six butchers, three bakers, a fishmongers, a carpenter, two boot and leather shops, four decorators, four drapers, two coal merchants, five grocers & provisions shops, and four greengrocers and fruiterers. The most common commodity appears to be confectionery, with no less than nine shops. A café, a jewellers, an ‘international store’, two boot makers, three drapers, and even a basket and chair maker continue the list.  For the
thirsty, there were three off-licences and four public houses. The police and fire station were at one and the same address. One shop sold new furniture and two provided the second hand variety.

COLOURMAN

And there’s more: a laundry, a dress maker, three newsagents, an oil and colourman [dictionary: ‘a person who deals in paints’], a pharmacy, three plumbers, a post office, a solicitor, an ironmongers, a sewing machine shop, only one hairdresser, a piano and organ tuner and repairer, three tailors and outfitters, two boot and shoe repairers, three tobacconists,  two dairies, a carman [dictionary: a man whose business is the transport of goods; a haulier], and of course an undertaker. Have we missed anyone? yes, the window cleaner, the watchmaker, a tea store and a trio of general stores. But who is William C Hopgood at No. 1? A doctor perhaps?

 

BOHEMIA ROAD (EAST SIDE)

No. 1 William C.Hopgood, MRCE, LRCP, LM, L.SAL (Edin).

No. 15 J.H.Weatherseed. Undertaker and decorator.

No. 33. William Neeve. Solicitor and commissioner for oaths.

No 43. Fredk. Franklin. Grocer and provisions dealer.

No. 45. A.J.Burgess. Off-licenced wine and beer stores.

No. 49. Edward Smith. Baker & confectioner.

No. 51. James Horsley. Greengrocer.

No. 53. Wm. N.Jinks & Son. Carpenters and house decorators.

No. 55. Thos. W.Jones, MPS. Pharmacist.

No. 57. The East Sx Window Cleaning Co (sub office). D.Baird.

No. 59. London, County and Westminster Bank (Silverhill branch). G.W.H. Gates (manager).

No. 59 (rear of) Conservative Club. A.S.Clarke (steward)

No. 61. John Banks. Butcher.

No. 63. Gold. Frederick Earl. Coal & Corn dealer.

No. 65. E.J.Crouch. Boot & Leather stores.

No. 67. Edgar Page & Son. Butchers.

No. 69. Frank T.Nix-Lee. Post Office & Newsagent.

No. 71-73. George Smith & Co. Drapers & Milliners.

No. 75. Geo Mence Smith. Oil & Colourman. Geo Peal (manager).

No. 77. King Bros. Newsagents.

No. 79. W.T.Edwards (The London Stores). Grocer & provisions dealer.

No. 81-83. Ward & Co. Tailors & Outfitters.

No. 85. Singer Sewing Machine Co. John Gladman (manager).

No. 87. Herbert Thurlow. Confectioner & tobacconist.

No. 89. International Stores. S.Hayward (manager).

No. 91. Edward A Stapley. Bootmaker.

No. 97. Robert J.Cull. Ham, beef and refreshment house.

No. 99. Miss Annie Porter. Confectioner.

No. 101. Percy J.Butler. General shop.

No. 103. Police & Fire Station.

No. 105. David Crofts. Butcher.

No. 109. James Tildesley. Pianoforte & organ tuner & repairer.

No. 111. W.H.Watts. Watchmaker & jeweller.

No. 113. Herbert W.Dann. Grocer & provisions dealer.

No. 115. E.E.Fishburn. Bootmaker.

No. 127. George Martin. Second hand furniture dealer.

No. 135. Mrs. J.Heard. Greengrocer & fruiterer.

No. 137. Frederick Moyce. Confectioner.

No. 139. Chas. J.Winser. Plumber & decorator.

No. 141-143. G.Russell. Draper.

No. 145. Walter Miles. Second hand furniture dealer.

[… Here is St Paul’s Road …]

 

BOHEMIA ROAD (WEST SIDE)

No. 14. Walter J Carter. Basket & chair maker.

No. 26. Jas. W.Glazier. Plumber & decorator.

No. 28C. A.C.Smith. Tailor.

No. 34. Mrs Catt. Laundress.

No. 34 (rear of). Bean & Chapman. Coal, coke & wood stores.

No. 38. Mrs Cave. Dressmaker.

No. 46. John E.Plunkett. Boot & shoe repairer.

No. 48. Arthur J.Hirst. Draper.

No. 50. John Burgess. Butcher.

No. 52. Bohemia Bazaar. E.Mepham.

No. 54. Harry A.P.Munday. Tobacconist & confectioner.

No. 56. Competitive Cash Stores. H.Hilder (manager).

No. 62-64. J.Cosens. Ironmonger & plumber.

No. 66. F.J. & C.Goffin. Drapery stores.

No. 68. E.Cruttenden. Family grocer & provision merchant.

No. 74. Freeman Hardy & Willis. Boot & shoe manufacturers.

No. 76. The Bohemia Arms. Richard Ward.

No. 78. Wm.T.Stopps. Hairdresser.

No. 80. Eastmans Ltd. Butchers. W.Ware (manager).

No. 82. Douglas D.Harris. Baker & confectioner.

No. 84. Prince of Wales Hotel. Arthur W.Simmonds.

No. 86. Miss Bell (The Sweeteries).

No. 88. Chas. Jinks. Fruiterer & greengrocer.

No. 90. Geo. S.Cruttenden. Dairyman.

No. 92. A. & A.E.Stapleton. Wholesale confectioners.

No. 94. James Boniface. Pork butcher & poulterer.

No. 96. Aaron Cresey. Off-licenced beer, wine & spirit store.

No. 98. Mrs A.Cressey. Baker & confectioner.

No. 100. Miss Usher. Ladies & children’s outfitters.

No. 102. Home & Colonial Tea Stores. G.Crouch (manager).

No. 104. Albert H Castell. Bottled beer store.

No. 110. Chas. Freeland. Boot repairer.

No. 112. Fredk. J.Emmerson. Tobacconist & newsagent.

No. 114. Geo. Gower. Greengrocer & oilman.

No. 116. Hearts of Oak Inn. J.T.Standen.

No. 122. John Morris. General carman.

No. 128. H.C.Jenner. Dairyman.

No. 130. H. Martin. Fishmonger.

No. 148. Wm.J.Hayward. Tailor.

No. 172. Ye Olde Wheatsheaf Inn. T.S.Skinner.

No.         C.Miles. Furniture stores.

[… Here is Cornfield Terrace & Chapel Park Road …]

 

At Magdalen Road

               Hickman Bros. Farm

                 Ivy Cottage

                 Summerfields Farm. Charles E.Williams.