Web Page 3085 7th July 2023 First Picture: Lights Ironmongery

Second Picture: The Broadway with Slapes

Third Picture: Broadway Garage

Forth Picture: Havant Road

Richard Newman’s Drayton Memories Part Two Shopping in Drayton Shopping was usually in Drayton with my mother. Once Dysart Road had been extended this provided a shorter route to the shops and the west side of Lower Drayton Lane contained Privett’s lorry yard behind a long brick wall, an old barn and a lane to Drayton farmhouse. At the top of Lower Drayton Lane, adjacent to the Wellington Terrace “cut off” a squirrel that lived in the large trees On a Monday afternoon we would visit Pinks the grocers (230-232 Havant Road) who had stores all over the Portsmouth and surrounding areas. It was very much a typical grocery with a general counter to the left and a bacon/cheese counter to the right with displays in the middle of the shop. At the back was the managers office (Mr Marshall subsequently succeeded by Mr Southern); this was built of a dark timber with plenty of windows to view the shop and there was a clock in the middle of the frontage. The order would be placed on a Monday – inscribed appropriately on a pink carbon form – with delivery of the goods in a cardboard box in their green van on a Thursday. While my mother debated whether she needed jam, marmalade, Golden Syrup or Quix washing up liquid I would clamber onto the round backed chair and wait patiently knowing that in due course we would catch a bus Bedhampton where I could play on the iron rocking horse in the Recreation Ground. Edwards the greengrocers (at 157) also offered a similar delivery service and Vivienne, the owner’s daughter would call at the house on her bicycle to collect the order each Tuesday. Another cardboard box containing fruit and veg would be delivered on Thursday. Meat was purchased from Street’s but when this became a motorcycle supplier under the ownership of Doreen, Mr Street’s wife, after her husbands death my mother crossed over the road and shopped at Cooper’s. As required she would visit Stewart the chemist (at 246) where there was a distinctive blue enamelled weighing machine. Campions (214), Smith and Vospers (228) or Westons, later Greens (256) for bread and cakes; the Post Office which was divided into a stationary shop run by Mrs Brown the postmistress; Slapes for wet fish and Flemings (234) the newsagent usually to pay for the weeks delivered newspapers. My father would buy his pipe tobacco at Jarmans (244) the sweat shop and tobacconist run by Mr and Mrs Keys, While if I needed a haircut I would be take to the hairdressers run by Jack England in a room behind the sweet shop. Occasional visits would be made to Nappers or Lights (129/131) for ironmongery or garden requirements. Mr Smiths shoe shop (260) if I required a new pair of Start-Rite shoes or sandals (Mr Smith was a Welshman and he and he and his wife kept an elderly cat that would be curled up on the shoe boxes). Wynns toy shop in the wartime Nissan hut formerly used as the British Restaurant and in the same building Mr Jones the watchmaker set up business. There was a shop to the front of Herberts Nursery (served by Miss Herbert) for seeds or plants. We also visited Pocklington’s Nursery a few doors down to purchase cucumbers or tomatoes and would walk down the driveway beyond the house to a wooden shed near the greenhouses where the produce was grown. An old school type bell was hung at the door of the shed and when this was rung the late Florrie Smith (whose father was Cosham’s postman when there would only have been one) would emerge from a greenhouse to deal with the order. Florrie had been in the Land Army during the war and could be seen riding her trusty bicycle fitted with a wooden box over the rear wheel. She had lived her whole life in Cosham and was insistent that it was pronounced Cos-ham and not Cosh-am as had been corrupted over the years. An occasional visit to the doctor would mean a trip to No 183 Havant Road where Dr Ian Partington had his surgery within his house, although he later moved to North End. Dry cleaning requirements were taken to Chapmans laundry (153) the branch being run by a lady called Barbara whilst Denis the chemist a few doors away was sometimes patronised. I always enjoyed bus travel and the Havant Road was served by twelve daytime services per hour, this would be enhanced by with a further more Farlington - Dockyard Services. The Corporation had in 1947 obtained powers to run trolley buses along the Havant Road but this never came to fruition. Drayton also had its own bus route (N022). This was introduced in 1958 between Upper Drayton (Troon Crescent) and Cosham soon after Lonsdale Road had been metalled and used wartime Bedford OB 26 seater buses which had been reseated with horsehair cushions Drayton was referred to as ‘the village’ by many people and was a wonderful thriving community you could always meet someone to stop and chat to. Griff Writes I see in your latest Manor Court blog the article written by Richard Newman that Flint House has been mentioned again. I have researched in years past for any photo's of Flint House without any success but I believe you had one Peter which you published years ago. If only we had mobile phones in the 1950's fitted with camera's the photo's we could have taken. Flint House and the grounds were my playground back then and I can confirm that one Charlie Harris and myself both young 10 year old residents of Station Rd. entered into Flint House by gently removing the corrugated iron that was blocking the window off as a security measure. We went all around the floors of Flint House and I have to say it was in very good condition inside from what I remember. The one thing I do clearly remember though was the line of coat hooks with childrens names under the hooks and that would confirm what I discovered many years later that Flint House was used as a temporary children's home during WW2. Charlie and I went inside Flint House many times and we were always very careful to cover our tracks by ensuring that the corrugated iron security panel was put back and looking as if nobody had touched it. Regards to All Melvyn (Griff) Griffiths. Stay in touch Peter gsseditor@gmail.com