Fruitiers

Tom Smith Fruiterers was a lovely airy shop selling both veg and fruit, all nicely laid out on display. Biggs the Fruiterers and Veg shop was owned and run by Elsie Sidelle Downing, the local female impresario responsible for many of the live shows and dancing events around the town. Howard Biggs, her son was a remarkable looking man with protruding eyes the size of golf balls, he used to drive the lorry to market and make local deliveries as I remember. My mother once took me to one of his mother's shows at Webheath Village Hall, where Howard was suitably dressed with top hat, bamboo cane etc. giving a rendition of 'We're a couple of Swells' – funny really as there was only one of him! Still there's nowt so queer as folks as they say, as his next song propounded the idea that he was Burlington Bertie from Bow!.

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