NextBackAt the top of Evesham Street, which we knew as Front Hill, was a building, very tall with a long flight of outside steps. The Misses Bellinger lived there and it was a piano shop at the front. Further down Evesham Street I can remember Ledbury's Shoe and Boot Repair Shop, a Builders Yard of which I do not remember name, a Butcher’s Shop then a cakes shop, or was it the Cake shop then the butcher’s? Then there was an Electrical Shop followed by a Sweet Shop.
At the bottom of the hill Miss Jakes (or Dukes) had a Drapery Shop, next a Pram Shop, Ladies Dress Shop, Mr Lakin Butcher’s, and the well known Smokey Joe’s Café who made food for my wedding at Plough & Harrow in 1956.
Smokey Joe's was on the corner of Park Road and on the other corner I think was a Dry Cleaners followed by a Wool Shop, Sweet Shop run by Mrs. Turner, then Mr Jacksons Garage who repaired bikes etc. but very very few cars. He also sold paraffin and small toy motor cars, I know that because my husband had one!
Just before the Junction of Littleworth, which lead to the Printer and the Pitman School of Shorthand in Park Road, was the Evesham Street Post Office. Further down I remember Mr Castle & Mrs Castle had a gentlemen's outfitters, they lived near us in Salop Road, then Gwynne Fruit and Vegetable Shop which was often open in the evenings.
All residents of old Reditch remember the Congregational Church with many rooms, one of which was used by Constance Millward (wife of Sam Millward the Butcher & Grocer) for the Redditch Choral Society, of which I was a member. Constance had a brilliant soprano voice as did her daughter.
Next was, I think, Peacocks, then Perks Grocery, where you could buy biscuits loose from large square tins which had glass tops, and portions of butter patted into shape and wrapped in paper and loose sugar in blue bags.
After the shops was the junction of Worcester Road which lead to private school and to Kingfisher Hall, named the British Restaurant, where you could get a cheap and nutritional dinner.
On the other corner of Worcester road was the Pub, The 'Talbot', then a Chemist, Opticians, Milk Bar and Jones’s the high class Drapery, selling clothes, curtains etc. and Mr & Mrs Jones also lived by us in Salop Road.
I then remember a Fish Shop followed by Cranmore Simmons selling Hardware etc.
Coming down Evesham Street on the opposite side from the Plough & Harrow Pub at the top of the hill was a Fish & Chip Shop, Tolleys I think, followed by a Paper Shop, up two steps to a Drapery Shop kept by Ethel Rogers who also worked for Fritz Heaphey in his shop.
Also up there were a TV Shop, a Furniture Shop and large advertising hoardings followed by Mr Colman, a Grocery shop run by two brothers.
The Gospel Hall was on the bend followed by a Furniture Shop, Bagleys Hairdressers whose daughter was a dancer, Johnsons off License and a Photographers. The Co-
Co-
Across George Street and back along Evesham Street was the Hungry Man Pub. Behind the Hungry Man Pub & shops of Evesham Street was Walford Street. As a boy my husband, who was also Redditch born, remembers helping to deliver bread there and one of the houses had a cage of monkeys inside. The houses were only one up & one down or 2 up & 2 down at most.
Back on Evesham Street, next to the Hungry Man was Sam Millwards Grocery & Butchers Shop followed by a Chemist, Holifield's selling Drapery, curtains etc. Browns the Seed Merchants, arch and shop, Turners selling Wool & Drapery and another Grocery shop and a Pub.
Becky Bates a Paper and Book Shop had a builders behind them run by Charlie and George Bates, Charlie lived opposite us in Oakly Road. Further down Evesham Street was another Grocery Shop, Biggs Fruiterers who married Miss Elsie Siddely Downing the proprietor of School of Dance, and Rainscourt a Food and Delicatessen and Tom Smith who also had a fruit
