LINCOLNSHIRE LIFE --- VICTORIAN SHOPS.

 

IRONMONGERS.

 

The ironmongers shop is like the hardware store or DIY store of today. This display represents William Shipleys shop in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire UK. The prices in the shop display are those actually charged in 1907. Ironmongers offered a wide range of indoor and outdoor household goods. They supplied a large amount of domestic building goods and many also sold specialist stock. In addition, the ironmonger would have expected to make, modify and repair many items

 

 

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PRINTERS.

 

This is a Victorian printing press made in 1857, The Press was designed in America but made in London and is known as an Eagle Press. Mr Doncaster a Lincoln printer from Silver Street used this press until 1969 when his firm closed. On the walls you can see the types of work produced by this jobbing printer - posters, invitations, leaflets and notices. A jobbing printer did not produce work that required a big run ( quantity ), like newspapers or magazines.

 

 

 

 

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THE CO - OP GROCER.

The co - operative movement came to our region, the east midlands in the 1860`s. Their shops provided a small variety of reasonably priced essential goods such as butter, flour and candles. Becoming members of the society granted customers a share in the shops profits, a principle that still applies today. The Lincolnshire co - operative society was also concerned with education and culture. The co - operative or co-op, as it is known has grown into a modern supermarket and department store operation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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POST OFFICE.

The post office played a very large part in the lives of people in the past. Often the village post office was also the village shop. The telephone exchange in the back right hand corner of the display is an eight - line slipper type. The calls came into the village exchange and were re - routed manually to the desired telephone. Telephones were rare at the beginning of the 20th century and it was exceptional to have a phone. Did you know, originally letter boxes were painted green. In 1863 it was decided that they should be painted red, to be easier to see in the countryside.

 

 

 

 

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THE DRAPERS SHOP.

This display shows what a drapers may have looked like in the 1920`s and 1930`s.The shop fittings originate from a Lincolnshire Tailor. Draper shops were a common feature in many villages throughout Britain in the 2oth century. The goods they sold were mainly made of cloth. Household linen such as tablecloths, bedding and towels were sold alongside items of clothing and underwear, for all members of the family. Sewing equipment such as buttons,lace,wool and pins, were also sold here.

 

 

 

 

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CHEMIST.

The partitions along the side, and display cabinets at the back of this display were acquired from the John Cheshire Pharmacy, 63 Wharf Road, Grantham, Lincolnshire. The counter front came from the Benton Pharmacy in Bardney, Lincolnshire. The many elaborate jars and bottles, and rows of drawers, contained prepared medicines and unprepared ingredients. The chemist weighed the medicines or ingredients on the scales. Liquids were measured in a flask. Solids were ground using a pestle and mortar. Oils and juices were squeezed out of plants and herbs with a tincture press. The chemist also sold general healthcare goods such as inhalers, soap and babies feeding bottles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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to be continued.