TDLHS member Joanne Taylor interviewed her grandfather, Roy Taylor, in 2005 as part of the Society’s Living Memories Project. In this extract Mr Taylor recalls the Tickhill shops of his childhood. Among the considerable contrasts with the present are the number of grocers and the combination of goods sold in some shops.

‘In 1946 when my parents rented the small off-licence at number 9 Market Place there were lots of individual businesses in the village. In Westgate at number 29 was a food shop owned by Mr and Mrs Herring. Opposite Dam Road was Mr Bates food shop and adjacent to it was his fish and chip shop. Both these businesses have now gone and the premises are now houses. In Castlegate was a fruit and vegetable shop run by Mr Colbeck, and close to it was another fish and chip shop. Next came the Co-op: three shops, the Grocers, Butchers and then the Drapery store (now The Emporium, HSBC Bank and ‘Alison Elizabeth’). On the corner of St Mary’s Gate was Whinfrey’s grocery shop and opposite (across Castlegate) Mrs Winfrow’s Grocery and electrical goods and cycle shop. Next door was Mrs Greenough’s cake shop to the left and Mrs Wombwell’s to the right.

On Market Place were premises owned by Mr Lickiss which sold flowers and had a sign in the window Wreaths made to order. Next door was the Red Lion an old coaching inn, now the Chinese Restaurant then came Mr Timpson’s shoe repairing business, followed by Jenkinson’s Drapery store and seed business (now ‘Mary Mary’). Next was Mr Glasby’s Butchers, now Fentons, then Hunter’s Grocery Shop (now the Floor to Ceiling Fitted Furniture Specialists). Fox’s Newsagent was followed by Mr Dawson’s Butchers which is now part of our building. Eaton’s Butchers was a wool shop, as I first remember, but since has been an electrical shop, paint shop and a bicycle shop. The Chemist’s has been there as long as I can remember but has changed hands several times and the premises have been modernised.

Moving along the Market place into Northgate was Jarvis’ Grocers, now Cooplands and the The Strand hairdressers. The original grocery store was sold and the premises, which are now Spar, were built on the garden at the side. Mr Higgins had a Butcher’s Shop which was opposite the Royal Oak and Mr and Mrs Payne had yet another Grocery Shop on the left of Doncaster Road (opposite Common Lane). In Northgate opposite the Higgins’ Butchers was Mr Lilley’s Grocery Store. He also sold vegetables.

On the Market Place corner, now a Card Shop, was the original Post Office and Telephone Exchange. This later became Mr and Mrs Snell’s Newsagent Shop when the Post Office moved into Sunderland Street. After the Library building in the Market Place was Mr Fanthorpe’s Fresh Fish and Vegetable Shop.

In Sunderland Street, now Lockwood’s Florists, was Jarvis’ Drapers and finally at the bottom of Sunderland Street, on the left before the motorway bridge was yet another grocery store, owned by Mr Lane.

As far as I can remember, this is a list of all the businesses in the village in the 1940s. Many have gone, but we still have a good cross section of Trade and Services and long may it continue.’