The Old Shops of Combe Down

The objective of this project was to capture the memories of Society members and other residents of the old shops in the village of Combe Down, where they were, what they sold, and in particular the quirks and mannerisms of the wonderful characters who ran them.  The original idea came from Ruth Sutcliffe, who organised a Workshop in May 2006 at which residents talked about and then wrote down their memories of the many shops that used to be in the village.  Richard Read took over the project, and with the enthusiastic team of Jane Briggs, Phyllis Brown and Olive Webb sorted all the input and started to interpret the implicit geography and timeline of the many shops that featured in the memories.   Early help also came from Frances Stobart and Rosemary Simmons who started the work of going through PO Directories and Parish Magazines respectively.  Copies of old maps provided by the B&NES Stone Mines Stabilisation Project also helped to clarify place names and the evolution of the village layout.

They summarised their work in an Interim Report to members in March 2008, with 20 copies circulated around the village for review.  That really stirred the memory juices, resulting in an avalanche of further input, not just personal memories but photos and other documentary evidence as well, giving us a wealth of information.  We now know of over 60 locations in the village where a shop has been at some point, and it is very clear that the village of Combe Down was fully self-sufficient for both the necessities and luxuries of life until well into the 1960s, when the pressures from large supermarkets and the increasing availability of private transport meant the end of most, but fortunately not all the shops on Combe Down.

 The research has now (December 2009) been published in the Society’s latest book “Remembering Village Shops”, edited by Richard Read and with a Foreword by Stuart Burroughs, Director of Bath at Work in which he calls the publication “…an exemplar of local historical research, the bedrock of social history, particularly since it has used both first person testimony and documentary sources woven together…”  The book’s 132 pages include all the rich personal memories, put into context with entries from PO Directories from 1858 to 1980 and backed up with over 40 black-and white photos plus many adverts from contemporary Parish Magazines, which in themselves give a delightful insight into how the shopkeepers wished to represent themselves to their customers.  Some of the costs of publication were covered with the support of current local traders who placed advertisements in the old style inside the front and back covers.

 Although the main project is now complete, we know only too well that there is more knowledge out there, so if reading the book stimulates any further memories, corrections, corroboration or completely new information, please contact Richard Read directly or pass any comments that you may have via e-mail to: treasurer@combedownheritage.org.uk

                     Fred Drew and family outside hiw shop 1929

 Fred Drew and family outside his shop in  1929 (courtesy Steve Drew) and Parish Mag advert below

 order “Remembering Village Shops” now

 

8 thoughts on “The Old Shops of Combe Down

  1. My family Moody/Riddle/Hobbs came to Combe down between the 1820’s until the 1860’s. The family epicentre was the Bakery at Isabella House that James Riddle took over from the Sibley clan. The Riddle family were coal miners from Kilmersdon predominantly, Elijah Moody b.1810 attracted as a stone Quarryman in Box to the village no doubt. The Hobbs from Easterton & Market Lavington. Eventually my dad’s uncle Fred Hobbs took over the Bakery until he died, but his wife carried on at the property.

    • My great great grandfather was John Hobbs his wife Louisa Hobbs ( nee Young ) Louisa ran the bakery after John Hobbs died . Daisy Hobbs my great aunt ( daughter of John and Louisa ) then took over the bakery , my mother who married Peter Hobbs ( John & Louisa Hobbs grandson ) can remember Daisy Hobbs riding a horse and cart delivering bread from the bakery around Combe Down. Like so many of the Hobbs family my father and mother were married at Holy Trinity Church Combe Down
      Would be good to hear from you Caroline as there are so many questions I have about the Hobbs family , for example why did they move from Bath to Cheltenham and then back to Bath again ?

  2. Caroline I have just looked on Ancestry, Fred Hobbs who took over the bakery , your fathers uncle is my great grand father Frederick John Hobbs

  3. Great to see far-flung family members brought into contact through a shared interest in Combe Down’s history!

    Simon Caldwell
    (Membership Secretary)

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