Draper, Grocer, Furniture etc
The
picture on the left shows Mr Richard Waddington standing in the doorway
of his Churchgate Street Shop in the 1920's, also pictured are some of
his Staff : Mrs Leek, Mrs Clark, Mrs Audus, Dolly Moore, Tiny Fordham (
later Mrs Bullman ), Gertie Leonard, and Mrs Musk. Richard Waddington
was Proprietor of one of the best known and respected businesses in
Soham.
At the back of this shop was Waddingtons Warehouse, which was
originally the Soham Workhouse, stock used to be bought in bulk and
housed in the warehouse which enabled them to supply most of the Shops
and Pubs in Soham, at cheaper prices that they could buy from bigger
wholesalers and tobacconists. Through the War years Waddingtons would
take people on trust and supplied many Families with the necessities,
being paid when the customer could afford it. In the early years
everything was delivered by Horse & Cart. Later when Motor Vans
arrived they increased their rounds to include Fordham, Isleham,
Burwell, Wicken & Stuntney.
Between
the Wars, Waddingtons bought
the old Wesleyan Chapel and the Waddington's Furniture Store was born,
later in 1929 they bought the premises of Mr Reuben Long, a Corn
Merchant in Churchgate Street, and turned them into a Shop for Mens
Suits, Boots and Shoes and Drapery. The Furniture Store (the
old
Chapel) was later to become the Soham Carpet & Bedding Centre,
and then the Arc Centre, a Local Community Centre and today is the Viva
Centre. In addition to these
shops they also had another premises in Churchgate Street. The photo on
the
right was taken in the 1920's showing Waddingtons exhibiting at the
Church Hall.
The
photo on the left is of Waddingtons China Shop taken in about 1920 /
30's, the picture shows Mrs Bullman, Dolly Frost, & Mrs Morley.
This was situated in Churchgate Street the opposite side of the road to
their Grocery Shop, these premises later housed the Town Library until
it moved to it's present premises in Clay Street. The War &
Rationing forced Waddingtons Grocery Shop to sell out to Burtons Stores
which closed in 1976 and became Fine Fares, another Grocery Shop that
closed in 1985 and is now a Kitchen & Bathroom Centre. The
other Stores were sold to Duponts that still traded under the
Waddington name, who also eventually sold out and that ended the
Waddington trading name in Soham..
If anyone has any memories of this Shop they would like to share we
would like to hear from you.
Advert dated 1914
Advert dated 1958
