STREET WALKING.
SAD THOUGH THE MISSING 10 PAGES ARE , THE MEANDERINGS OF OUR ANONYMOUS WRITER CONTINUE TO GIVE US A PICTURE OF THE TOWN FROM EARLY VICTORIAN TIMES. UNDOUBTEDLY HE MUST HAVE WRITTEN ABOUT MORE OF THE TOWN'S WELL KNOWN FAMILIES AND ONE DAY THIS INFORMATION MIGHT SURFACE. MEANTIME HE VENTURES INTO THE MAIN STREETS OF THE TOWN AND WHERE BETTER TO START THAN AT OUR OLDEST AND BUSIEST SHOPPING STREET WHICH TAKES IT'S NAME FROM CHARLES THE SECOND IN COMMEMORATION OF THE FACT THAT IT WAS HE WHO GRANTED THE TOWN IT'S MARKET CHARTER IN 1660. THIS IS ALSO REMEMBERED EVERY AUGUST WHEN THE LAMMAS FAIR IS PROCLAIMED IN THE MARKET PLACE.
THIS POSTCARD VIEW OF OLD KING STREET WITH FAMILY RUN SHOPS IN ABUNDANCE, AND ONLY HORSE DRAWN VEHICLES TO WORRY ABOUT GIVES US SOME IDEA OF TE TIMES OF OUR ANONYMOUS WRITER.
"WHOEVER VISITED OUR GOOD OLD TOWN WITHOUT HAVING A WALK DOWN KING STREET ? WELL THE FACT IS AND ALWAYS WAS, THAT IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO GET TO ANY PART OF THE TOWN WORTH SEEING WITHOUT PASSING DOWN GOOD OLD KING STREET. IT IS TRUE WE HAVE OUR QUEEN STREET , THE LONGEST STREET IN THE PLACE, BUT FROM ST JAMES' CHURCH TO THE MARKET PLACE IT IS A DOWN HILL AND MONOTONOUS ROUTE WITHOUT ANYTHING WORTHY OF NOTICE.. NOT SO WITH KING STREET, 50 YEARS AGO , AND THAT IN 1890. IT HAS HELD ITS OWN AS THE PRINCIPAL BUSINESS STREET , FOR A CENTURY OR TWO, AND THOSE OF YOUR READERS WHO REMEMBER IT HALF A CENTURY AGO, WILL AGREE WITH ME THAT IT HAS CHANGED FOR THE BETTER , IN FACT IT IS LIKE IT WAS THEN. THE LARGE PLATE GLASS WINDOWS, WITH EVERY IMAGINABLE ARTICLE, USEFUL AND ORNAMENTAL, EATABLE, READABLE OR WEARABLE, TO SUITE THE TASTES OF THIS GENERATION, HAS SUPERCEDED THE THE OLD BOW WINDOWS; AND THE MOST REMARKABLE THING OF ALL WAS THAT IN THE LAST CENTURY THEY HD THY WAY IN BUILDING MOST OF THE SHOPS AND DWELLING HOUSES AFTER THE FASHION OF SINKING A COAL MINE, FOR THEY WERE INVARIABLY TWO OR THREE STEPS BELOW THE STREET. WE HAD A LARGE NUMBER OF SHOPS IN KING STREET 50 AGO OF THIS DESCRIPTION, AND AS I TAKING YOUR READERS WITH ME, AS IT WERE FOR A WALK, WE WILL NOTICE ON OUR WAY THE SHOP OF MR JOSEPH HUMPHREYS, THE TOBACCONIST, AT THE CORNER OF KING STREET AND DUKE STREET; THE CONFECTIONER'S SHOP OF MR J BARNES NEXT DOOR; THE FISH SHOP OF THAT GOOD OLD LADY AND HER LATE HUSBAND MR BROCKLEBANK, WHICH USED TO BE WHERE MR COWMAN'S CONFECTIONERS SHOP NOW STANDS; THE SHOPS OF THE LATE MR WILSON, BOOKSELLER, AND MRS WILSON'S STRAW BONNET SHOP IN LOW KING STREET , NEAR TO MR LOWREYS.THESE WERE ALL DOWN TWO OR THREE STEPS, WITH VERY LOW CEILINGS AND SMALL PANES OF GLASS IN THE WINDOWS; AND LET ME MENTION HERE THAT THE FAMILY OF WILSONS HAVE BEEN TRADESMEN IN THIS STREET FOR GENERATIONS. THE GRANDFATHER AND FATHER OF THE PRESENT MR THOMAS WILSON OF TODAY, WERE SHOPKEEPERS IN KING STREET 50 YEARS AGO. I HAVE MERELY MENTIONED THESE FEW DOWNSTAIRS SHOPS IN ORDER TO NOTICE THEM BY THE WAY.
WE WILL MAKE A START FROM THE GLOBE , HAVING JUST WITNESSED THE ARRIVAL OF THE OLD MAIL COACH FROM CARLISLE, A LARGE LUMBERING VEHICLE. MR . MAWSON WAS THE DRIVER FOR MANY YEARS; THE GUARD, WHOSE NAME I FORGET, WAS A SHORT, STOUT MAN WITH RED COAT AND GOLD LACE, AND A GOLD BAND ROUND HIS HAT, WHICH GAVE HIM A VERY IMPOSING APPEARANCE. MRS M KINLEY'S GLOBE HOTEL, WAS A WELL CONDUCTED HOSTELRY, AND ALTHOUGH WE HAD NOT JIMMY DYER OR THE SALVATION ARMY, OR THE BIG LAMP TO ATTRACT AN AUDIENCE IN FRONT OF ITS PORTALS, STILL WE HAD MATTHEW DOW, THE GENUINE POET, AND HIS FIDDLE , SINGING THE FREAKS OF " NELL FLAKERTY'S DRAKE " OR " UP JUMPS THE HERRING, THE KING OF THE SEA." OR SOME OTHER OF HIS ORIGINAL BALLADS. SOMETIMES HE WAS ASSISTED BY HIS TWO SONS AND NOT ONLY WAS THE HUMOROUS WORDING OF THESE BALLADS ORIGINAL AND INTERESTING , BUT THE MANNER IN WHICH THE TRIO DISTORTED THEIR FEATURES, IN ORDER TO PRODUCE THE SINGING , WAS A SIGHT NEVER TO BE FORGOTTEN.."
THE ROADS INTO WHITEHAVEN AT THAT TIME WERE EVEN WORSE THAN OUR MULTI POTHOLED ROADS OF 2010 AND TRAVELING BY COACH MUST HAVE BEEN BOTH UNCOMFORTABLE AND DANGEROUS. CONSEQUENTLY , IT MUST HAVE BEEN A RELIEF WHEN THEY FINALLY DREW UP AT THE LIKES OF THE GLOBE HOTEL. COACHES TRAVELED TO AND FROM FROM WHITEHAVEN AT REGULAR INTERVALS AND SOME OF THEM HAS DISTINCTIVE NAMES LIKE..THE ROYAL SAILOR..THE DEFIANCE..THE ENGINEER... THE VICTORIA...... OF ALL THE COACH FIRMS THE WHITEHAVEN CAB AND POSTING COMPANY SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN THE BEST ORGANISED. THEY WERE BASES ON TANGIER STREET ROUND ABOUT WHERE WETHERSPOONS IS PRESENTLY SITUATED. ONE MANAGER OF THIS COMPANY MADE SUCH AN IMPRESSION ON HIS CONTEMPORARIES THAT A MONUMENT WAS CREATED I HIS MEMORY AND CAN STILL BE SEEN IN CASTLE PARK.
THE FISHER MEMORIAL.
WHITEHAVEN CAB COMPANY.
"PASSING THE GLOBE, THE FIRST SHOP WE SEE IS THAT OF THE LATE MR ROBINSON WILSON, WITH ITS LARGE BOW WINDOWS, SET OUT WITH ITS SUGAR ALL DOTTED OVER WITH NUTMEGS AND OTHER SPICES, ITS SHELVES LADEN WITH WITH EVERY ARTICLE OF GROCERY TO TEMPT THE BUYER. THIS RESPECTED TRADESMAN WAS AN EXCEEDINGLY CLEVER PENMAN, AND AS SUCH DURING HIS LEISURE MOMENTS WAS NEVER IDLE. HE PRODUCED SOME WONDERFUL PEN AND INK WORKS OF ART, ONE OF WHICH , THE ASCENSION, WAS EXHIBITED IN THE FINE ARTS DEPARTMENT OF THE GREAT EXHIBITION OF 1851. IT WAS INDEED A MARVELOUS WORK AND OCCUPIED YEARS IN ITS EXECUTION. HE , LIKE MR SPENCER WAS AN EARLY RISER AND IN THE SUMMER MONTHS MIGHT BE SEEN INDULGING HIMSELF IN THE CRICKET FIELD WITH QUOITS AS EARLY AS FIVE O' CLOCK IN THE MORNING. PASSING THE SHOPS OF OLD MR WILSON AND JOE BIBBY, WE MUST NOT OMIT TO MENTION THE BUSINESS OF MR BENJAMIN CLARKE, THE SHOEMAKER . THE LATTER GENTLEMAN MAD A PAIR OF WHITE SATIN SLIPPERS , BEAUTIFULLY STUDDED WITH GOLD HEADED NAILS WHICH WERE, AFTER BEING ON VIEW FOR SOME TIME , ALSO EXHIBITED AT THE GREAT EXHIBITION, AND AFTERWARDS PRESENTED TO HER MAJESTY; AND IT WAS DURING THE TIME WHEN THE EARL OF LONSDALE WAS POSTMASTER GENERAL THAT MR CLARKE RECEIVED THE APPOINTMENT OF QUEEN'S MESSENGER, AND REMOVED TO LONDON."
CRYSTAL PALACE WHERE THE GREAT EXHIBITION TOOK PLACE 1851.
HOW GOOD IT IS TO KNOW THAT OUR TRADESMEN NOT ONLY REPRESENTED WHITEHAVEN AT ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF QUEEN VICTORIA'S REIGN BUT ACTUALLY PRESENTED HER WITH A GIFT.
"MR WHITE THE VENERABLE AND MUCH RESPECTED TRADESMAN OF TODAY, AFTER MR CLARKE'S REMOVAL, TOOK THE KING STREET PREMISES IN WHICH HE RESIDED UNTIL VERY RECENTLY. THE BLACK LION WAS KEPT BY MR AND MRS JACKSON AND OPPOSITE WAS THE SHOP OF MR CARR, THE VETERINARY SURGEON. IT WAS HERE WE HAD THE FIRST POLICE STATION AFTER THE PASSING OF THE NEW POLICE ACT WITH MR SUPERINTENDENT FLETCHER AT THEIR HEAD AND HE WAS SUPERCEDED BY MR CLARKE, WHO FILLED THE OFFICE AFTERWARDS FOR MANY YEARS. "
THE POLICE STATION IN QUESTION OCCUPIED WHAT WE ALL REMEMBER AS MARK TAYLORS SHOP
AND THE BLACK LION HOTEL STOOD ALMOST DIRECTLY OPPOSITE. NOTE THE LION FIGURE. WHERE
BURTONS SHOP NOW STANDS WAS THEN OCCUPIED BY MR HOLLOWAY'S SHOP.
" CORNER OF LOWTHER STREET AND KING STREET WAS THE SURGERY OF DOCTOR WYLIE NOW THE HANDSOME JEWELLER'S OF MR SPITALL. HAVING ALREADY PASSED THE EXTENSIVE WHOLESALE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PEARSON BROTHERS, WE WILL NOTE THE LITTLE SHOP AT THE LEFT HAND CORNER OF KING STREET AND LOWTHER STREET, OCCUPIED BY MRS WILSON AT THAT TIME WITH EVERY CONCEIVABLE ARTICLE OF STATIONERY AND TOYS. THIS SHOP WAS AFTERWARDS TAKEN OVER BY MR HOLLOWAY, THAT ENTERPRISING TRADESMAN OF TODAY, WHOSE BUSINESS NOW FORMS SUCH AN IMPORTANT FEATURE IN THE TRADE OF OUR PRINCIPAL STREET. NEXT TO THIS WAS THE PROVISION STORES OF MR MAGEE, ALL OF WHICH STOOD ON THAT EXTENSIVE PROPERTY WHICH WAS REBUILT BY MR WILLIAM BURNYEAT, NOW THE SHOP OF THE LONDON AND MANCHESTER WAREHOUSE CO. AND MESSRS FORSTERS BUTCHERS PREMISES. "
"THEN WE HAD THE "HOLE IN THE WALL". ON ONE SIDE WAS THE SHOP OF MR JOHNNY TAYLOR AND ON THE OTHER SIDE THAT OF MR JOHNY DIXON BOTH WHOLESALE AND RETAIL MANUFACTURERS AND DEALERS IN COTTON CHECK AND HOSIERY. THESE SHOPS WERE EASILY DISTINGUISHED, LIKE MANY BOTHERS, BY THE FACT THAT THEY WERE LIGHTED BY TALLOW CANDLES. FEW TRADESMEN USED GAS. THE OLD ROUND OIL LAMP IRONS REMAINED BUT TRADESMEN OF 50 YEARS AGO STUCK TO THE OIL LAMP AND CANDLES IN THEIR WINDOWS. NEXT WE HAD THE SHOP OF MR BELL, TALLOW CHANDLER, A VERY REMARKABLE GENTLEMAN IN HIS DAY; HE WAS VERY INGENIOUS; HE DID CARVING FOR THE HEADS AND STERNS OF VESSELS; HE HAD, LIKE MR WALLACE OF DISTINGTON, A GREAT LOVE FOR THE ANTIQUE, AND AT GREAT PAINS AND COST COLLECTED TOGETHER A WONDERFUL MUSEUM, WHICH WAS SOLD AT HIS DEATH. NEAR TO THIS TRADESMAN WAS THE OLD PACQUET OFFICE AND MR MICHAEL KESWICK'S HOSIERY SHOP; AND THE OLD GLOBE HOTEL ( NOW THE ALBION ) WHICH USED T BE KEPT BY MRS GRINDALL. "
I ASSUME THE "HOLE IN THE WALL " WAS A PUB SINCE THE CASH MACHINES HAD NOT THEN BEEN INVENTED. IT WAS ONE OF TWO PUBS IN LOWER KING STREET , THE OTHER BEING THE ALBION SEEN IN THIS POSTCARD IMAGE.
"THEN THERE WAS DOCTOR PRITTS, SURGEON TO THE ROYAL CUMBERLAND MILITIA WHOSE SON SAMUEL RECENTLY DIED AT ST BEES. IN THIS PART THERE WAS ALSO THE JEWELLERS SHOP OF MR COX ( WHO WAS ACCIDENTALLY KILLED DURING THE CONVEYANCE OF A LOCOMOTIVE FROM BRANSTY STATION TO PRESTON STREET, PREVIOUS TO THE COMPLETION OF THE TUNNEL WHICH CONNECTS THE FURNESS RAILWAY AND THE LONDON AND NORTH WESTERN LINE TO CARLISLE; ALSO THE SHOP OF MR DAWES, JEWELLER. THE FIRM OF WILSON AND KITCHIN, THE FOUNDERS OF THE WELL KNOWN CHEMIST AND DRUGGIST BUSINESS WHOSE OLD PREMISES REMAIN AS A REMEMBRANCE OF THE PAST WERE TWO VERY WORTHY AND MUCH RESPECTED TRADESMEN. THE WELL KNOWN BUSINESS OF MR C.D. GORDON , IN CONJUNCTION WITH HIS BROTHER, THE LATE MR JOHN GORDON, WAS THEN , AS NOW, A LEADING FEATURE IN THE TRADE OF THE TOWN. THE GORDON FAMILY COMMENCED BUSINESS HERE IN 1799. THE TWO SHOPS AT ONE TIME WERE ONE BUILDING AND IT STOOD ALONE. IT WAS THEN THE CUSTOM HOUSE, WITH WINDOWS LOOKING UP AND DOWN THE STREET, BUT IT WAS AFTERWARDS ALTERED INTO TWO SHOPS BY THE LATE DR. WYLIE. I AM GLAD TO SEE THE NAME OF GORDON, WHICH, BY THE WAY IS A FOOD ONE, STILL ADORNS AND IS LIKELY TO DO SO FOREVER THE ESTABLISHMENT IN LOW KING STREET AS IT DID 50 YEARS AGO. THEN WE HAD MR J. THOMPSON, THE DRAPER , THE FATHER OF THE PRESENT ARCHBISHOP OF YORK ; MR TYSON; MR BUCKHAM; MR PEARSON; AND MR PRODOW ALSO EXTENSIVE DRAPERY ESTABLISHMENTS....MR BARKER THE HATTER AT THE CORNER OF ROPER STREET AND MR CONQUEST ALSO IN THE SAME BUSINESS. HAVING , I THINK, NOTICED MR WHITESIDE'S AND FISHER AND STEWARD'S THE SPIRITS MERCHANTS , WE MUST NOT FORGET MR WALES, THE TOBACCONIST , AN OLD AND HONOURED NAME AND WHOSE BUSINESS IS STILL CONDUCTED BY HIS SON. OPPOSITE TO THE BUTCHER MARKET ENTRANCE STOOD THE SHOP OF MR JOSEPH LONGMIRE, CHEMIST AND DRUGGIST. THIS TRADESMAN WHO I AM GLAD TO SAY, IS TODAY HALE AND HEARTY, THE PINK OF CHEERFULNESS AND ENJOYING EXCELLENT HEALTH IN HIS RETIREMENT, AND ALTHOUGH NOW BORDERING ON THE AGE OF 80 WAS AT THE TIME OD WHICH I WRITE, LIKE MRS SAUL, A HOUSEHOLD FAVOURITE. HIS ADVICE AS TO THE TREATMENT OF AILMENTS, SPECIALLY AMONG CHILDREN, WAS EAGERLY SOUGHT AFTER BY ANXIOUS MOTHERS. HE CARRIED ON THE CORK CUTTING BUSINESS, AND AFTERWARDS THE SODA WATER AND LEMONADE BUSINESS, WHICH IS STILL CONDUCTED BY HIS SON. MR LONGMIRE Snr WAS THEN , AND IS TODAY, A KEEN SPORTSMAN .
AS AN OTTER HUNTER IN THIS NEIGHBOURHOOD HE HAS NO LIVING EQUAL. HE KNOWS EVERY CORNER, ROCK OR CREEK IN EVERY RIVER IN WEST AND MID CUMBERLAND WHEREIN IS LIKELY TO BE THE HIDING PLACE OF THE OTTER; AND SUCH IS HIS LOVE FOR A GOOD DAYS SPORT, AS IT WAS HALF A CENTURY AGO, THAT ONLY A FORTNIGHT AGO HE WAS TO BE SEEN OUT WITH THE NEW PACK ALL DAY AT GREY SOUTHERN, AS FRESH AS A DAISY. LONG MAY HE LIVE T ENJOY HIS RETIREMENT FROM BUSINESS, AND MAY HE YET ENJOY MANY A HAPPY DAYS SPORT IS THE WISH OF EVERY ONE OF HIS OLD ACQUAINTANCES AND TOWNSFOLK."
AT THE CORNER OF THE GREEN MARKET WAS THE SHOP OF MR WILLIAM LYON, GROCER. OUTSIDE OF THE
'ROUNDHOUSE ' (the market place JAIL )
SITUATED INSIDE THE GREEN MARKET THIS
WAS WHERE THOSE WHO FELL FOUL OF THE LAW IN THOSE
DAYS WEE LOCKED UP PRIOR TO FACING THE LOCAL MAGISTRATES
AND A POSSIBLE STRETCH IN CARLISLE JAIL.
WAS THE VEGETABLE STALLS OF MR DAVID TODD, OF BRANSTY GARDENS; MR MANN OF CORKICKLE; HANNA PAGE THE THE BIG WOMAN; LIZZY TYRELL, SALLY KELLY AND OTHERS. BEHIND WAS THE SHOP OF MR CALLANDER AND HIS BIG TOM CAT I WELL REMEMBER ALWAYS SAT PERCHED UPON THE COUNTER . IT WAS THE LARGEST SPECIMEN OF THAT DOMESTIC ANIMAL I EVER SAW. WE HAD THE SHOPS OF MR JAMES CROSTHWAITE , PRINTER AND STATIONER, MR RICHARD GORDON, BRAZIER; MR SPITALL WATCHMAKER; MR JOHN PEILE IRON MONGER; MR HUTCHINS, IRON MONGER; MRS SAUL AFTERWARDS MRS BURNYEAT, DRUGGIST; MR WHTTLE THE FOUNDER OF THE PRESENT LARGE IRONMONGERY AND FURNISHING BUSINESS; MR SPENCE THE TINMAN; MR MILLS THE SHOEMAKER. THE OLD FISH MARKET STOOD UPON THE GROUND NOW THE REFUGE SCHOOL; MR ISAAC LEECH THE GROCER; BETTY WHITELOCK'S SWEET SHOP AND STALL IN FRONT OF WHICH WAS PERHAPS THE BEST KNOWN ESTABLISHMENT IN THE MARKET. IT WAS HERE THAT WE YOUNGSTERS IN THOS DAYS SPENT OUR COPPERS PURCHASING OUR TOFFEE, NELSON BALLS, MINT ROCK AND COMFITS, SWEET BUTTONS AND GINGERBREAD. THOSE WERE THE DAYS NOT TO BE EASILY FORGOTTEN, AND IT IS CERTAINLY GRATIFYING TO NOTE THAT THE NAMES OF THESE OLD TRADESMEN STILL LIVE AMONG US THROUGH THEIR CHILDREN. MAY THEIR BUSINESS INCREASE IS THE EARNEST WISH OF MORE THAN AN OLD NATIVE.
FOR THOSE YOUNGER THAN MYSELF CALLANDER &
DIXONS STOOD OFF THE GREEN MARKET WHERE THE
CUTE SWEET SHOP IS NOW. THE REFUGE SCHOOL
BUILDING STILL STANDS BUT SERVES A DIFFERENT PURPOSE TODAY..
IF THE AUTHOR COULD SEE THE SITUATION NOW HE WOULD BE QUITE HEARTBROKEN
TO SEE HOW THE MARKET HAS SHRUNK TO LESS THAT HALF IT'S ONCE THRIVING SIZE &
SO MANY SH0PS NOW STAND EMPTY.
HE VISITS TANGIER STREET NEXT !!!!!!!
PS....SHOULD YOU WISH TO READ MORE ABOUT WHITEHAVEN'S COACHING DAYS THEN I DO RECOMMEND SHIRLEY THORNHILL'S BOOK... " THE ROYAL SAILOR STAGECOACH."