Shopping In Victoria Road
Victoria Road became very popular due to its proximity to the Ferry Terminal and New Brighton Station which had opened in 1888. In Johnathan Bennison's 1835 map of the district the only building standing in Victoria Road was the New Brighton Hotel which looked out across sand-hills and scrub to the sea. The hotel-keeper in 1840 was a 63 year old widow named Isabella Graves who would later take up the tenancy of the Ferry Hotel at the bottom of Victoria Road a few years later. Isabella was landlady of the Ferry Hotel for a short period until she died in February, 1852, aged 75, and is laid to rest in St. Hilary's Churchyard. Thomas Longdon would take up the tenancy of the New Brighton Hotel. Born in Bakewell, Derbyshire in 1802, he came to New Brighton from Liverpool in 1843. The hotel became prosperous in the mid 19th Century at a time when other buildings were emerging on Victoria Road. Longdon remained proprietor until his death in January, 1859, age 56. He was succeeded as proprietor by his widow, Mary. She successfully ran the hotel with her two daughters, Frances and Elizabeth, until their departure in the mid 1860's.
The hotel was once called Lacey's and today is known as Peggy Gadfly's, which is meant to refer to the original one-legged diver who used to draw the attention of passengers disembarking from New Brighton ferry-boats in the early part of the 20th Century by plunging into the river from the end of the Pier for the prospect of a few coppers. However, it would appear that Peggy's surname has been spelt incorrectly; his proper name being Peggy (or Pegleg) Gadsby. Update: Currently the pub is closed after a drugs raid in August 2012..
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Tithe Map of c1841 showing the only building on Victoria Road is
'New Brighton Hotel'
(click the picture to enlarge) |
The Ferry Hotel, at the base of Victoria Road, opened in c1850 and was in a favourable position to attract customers as it was the first building passengers would come across after alighting from their ferry-boat
After Isabella Graves death her 26 year old great niece Ann Graves took over the tenancy of the Ferry Hotel. In 1857 the hotel was taken over by the notable architect Stephen Eyre who designed St. Albans Church with J.A Hanson in 1852-1853. Eyre remained at the hotel for 10 years and was succeeded by Miss Ann Tennant, a 30 year old, who changed the name of the hotel for a short period to 'Royal Hotel'. In 1869 Ann left to take up duties at the Magazine Hotel, Magazine Brow and was replaced by the one time proprietor of the Queen's Hotel, Conway Street, Birkenhead, George Mason, who changed the title of the hotel to 'Royal Ferry Hotel'. George was a wealthy shipowner and was elected a member of the Wallasey Local Board in 1870. After George retired in 1879 his son, Edward, became the proprietor until 1889 when he left to take up the tenancy of the Queen's Hotel in Conway Street and in 1892 was elected as a member of Birkenhead Borough Council, becoming Mayor of Birkenhead in 1897-1898. It is worth noting that Mason Street, off Victoria Road, and formally known as Black Diamond Street, takes its name from the family. Today the hotel is now residential flats but had recently been a nightclub called Chelsea Reach and Club Royale.
There were, of course, other hotels and public houses in Victoria Road such as the 'Commercial Hotel' (renamed the 'Ship Hotel' in the 1950's and latterly modified to the 'The Ship Inn'), the Lifeboat Hotel, the York Hotel and the Railway Hotel, which were initially private residences, shops and/or cafes that dated back to the 1840's and 1850's when the left hand side of the road, leading up from the Ferry, was first built up.
Prior to 1850 new buildings on the left hand side such as Fort Terrace, Rock View Terrace and St. George's Terrace were erected and were soon joined by Woodville Terrace and Crosby View during the 1850's. In 1860 the first building on the right hand side appeared and was erected on the corner of Waterloo Road and named Napoleon Buildings. It remained isolated for some time, being straddled upon both sides by sand hill and scrub, until the 1870's when Queen's Buildings and Imperial Buildings were built adjacent. During the 1860's Brighton Terrace and Seaforth View appeared on the left hand side, whilst Havelock and Richmond Buildings had joined Napoleon, Imperial and Queen's Buildings upon the opposite side by the late 1870's.
With the new buildings in place and cheap excursions made available for the working class, Victoria Road, in the 1870's, began to become quite popular with both visitors in the summer season and locals (there was an increase in both population of New Brighton and house building between 1850-1870). Wages were rising in real terms in this period and in 1871 saw the creation of the official Bank Holiday.
During the mid to late 19th Century a road that is a little more than a third of a mile in length had such a varied and well-balanced in commercial premises. There were:
Grocers and provision dealers, bakers, confectioners, wine and spirit merchants, fruiterers and greengrocers, fishmongers and poulterers, butchers, sweetshops and milk dealers;
Milliners, drapers, tailors, dressmakers and ladies' outfitters, hosier's and hatters, art and needlework dealers, dyers and cleaners, and boot and shoemakers;
Chemists, tobacconists, newsagents, stationers and booksellers, photographers and hairdressers;
Toys and fancy goods, china and glass dealers, ironmongers and chandlers, watchmakers and jewellers, cycle dealers, furniture dealers and antique dealers;
Two banks, a post office, printers, estate agents, dentists, chiropodists, circulating library and pawnbrokers;
Cafes, refreshment and tea-rooms, restaurants, pubs, hotels and boarding houses - as well as two private schools for boys and a billiard hall. |
All of which were later joined by two cinemas in the first quarter of the 20th Century; namely the Court Picture House (or 'Picturedome' as it was originally called), which opened in 1912 and situated adjacent to Napoleon Building, between Windsor Street and Waterloo Road, and the Trocadero Picture House, opened in 1922 and located upon the right hand side of the road, near to its junction with Belmont Road.
Some of these businesses listed began a long tradition of trading in Victoria Road that dated back to the 1850's when the first shops appeared at the base of the road near to the Ferry Hotel. Gradually more shops extended up the road during the next two decades. By the last quarter of the 19th Century Victoria Road became a vibrant scene with shopkeepers who had traded in the resort for many years and were also the mainstay of the community. It may be worth looking at some of these traders in detail :-
Francis Storey was born in about 1845 in Ireland and opened his toy and fancy goods shop in New Brighton in the early 1870s. Later Francis would go on to represent the district in the Wallasey Urban Council, formed in 1894, which Francis was Chairman in 1903-1904, and on Wallasey Borough Council (founded in 1910). Between 1912-1913 Francis held the office of Mayor of Wallasey and in 1920 became the first Freeman of the Borough. Francis lived at 'Elmswood' in Atherton Street and even had a ferryboat named after him but sadly he passed away before the boat came into service. Meanwhile his second son John Gladstone Storey, born in New Brighton in 1882, would follow closely in his father's footsteps in the retailing business, as a fancy goods dealer in Victoria Road, and in politics as a local Liberal Councilor upon Wallasey Council. John, too, being elected Mayor of Wallasey for the year 1929-1930.
Frank Fawcett Scott was born in Seacombe c1857 and opened his butchers at 38 Victoria Road (later renumbered as 83) in the late 1870s. Just like Francis Storey, Frank also served New Brighton on the Wallasey Urban Council and the Wallasey Borough Council. Frank also became Mayor of Wallasey between 1917-18.
In 1900, at number 90, we have Henry Spencer's drapers and small ware dealer. Henry was born in Liverpool in about 1828 and first opened his shop in Fort Terrace at the bottom end of Victoria Road in 1858, moving to newly built premises in Napoleon Buildings, on the corner of Waterloo Road. He the moved to the adjoining Queen's Buildings, when they were built in the 1870's, where the business remained until well into the 20th Century.
Mary Spicer ran a refreshment room at No. 3 Bickley Parade and is worth a mention due to the gruesome murder of her two sons by her partner Felix Spicer in May 1890. The full story of this tragic episode can be read here : 'New Brighton Tragedy'. She was to leave New Brighton by the mid-1890s.
In 1865 is listed George Goodman, a Royal Navy pensioner, who was born in Saltash, Cornwall c1818. He arrived in New Brighton (via Brighton. Sussex) in about 1860 to take up duties as a coastguard. He soon abandoned this profession however in order to open a fishmonger and poulterers' shop. George was also to invest in other businesses in the resort such as becoming a proprietor of a temperance hotel and refreshment rooms in Victoria Road as well as operating a pleasure-boat service upon the river during the season. Also, George's wife, Mary Ann, who also was born in Saltash c1821, was similarly active in New Brighton's service industry at this time as a lodging house keeper, and she controlled a number of apartments in both Tollemache Street and Union Terrace during the 1870s and 1880s.
Also listed in 1865 is Whitham Bell's Grocers. Whitham was born in Colne, Lancashire c1829 and opened his shop in 1861. He soon incorporated the sale of wine, spirits, ales and porters. During the 1870s, Whitham's father, Thomas (born in Thornton, Yorkshire c1798) then took over the business with Whitham's younger brother, Lister (born in Addington, Yorkshire c1837). By the 1880s the shop was passed on to Lister's son, Lister M Bell, by which time Lister Snr was concentrating his attention on the alcohol section of the business. In the 1884 local trades' directory Lister Snr is listed as the proprietor of the Marine Hotel; a position he held until 1886 when the family appear to have left the resort. Their former premises on Victoria Road was later converted into the 'York Hotel', a popular hotelry which served customers until its closure in the mid 1960s.
Miss Alice Hind was born in Preston c1827 and was probably responsible for introducing the very first confectioners and refreshment rooms in Victoria Road in the early 1850s, and she ran this business successfully until 1871 when New Brighton born Henry A. Ducker (1851-1890) succeeded her. This business was later to become The Criterion Restaurant before operating as a public house in the mid 1950s. Alice continued to live at No.5 Victoria Road until 1904 when she moved to Tranmere. Henry's mother, Mary Ann Ducker (born Liverpool c1818) kept lodging houses and apartments in both Egerton Street and Tollemache Street during the 1850s, 60s and early 70s before branching out into retail trade with a toy dealers and fancy repository, in Rock View Terrace, Victoria Road in 1877. After ten years Mary turned her hand to the catering trade by opening two refreshment rooms in Victoria Road, which she continued to manage until 1898, the year of the last recorded reference to her in New Brighton.
In 1890, at No. 9, was the restaurant and dining rooms 'Whittaker', and was ran by the founders daughter. In 1859 Matilda Whittaker, born Northampton c1819, opened a 'tea, coffee and refreshment room' on Tea Pot Row with her husband Joseph (born Great Bolton c1809). In the early 1860s Joseph also set up a Photographic Room on the same premises. Sadly, Joseph died in 1865 but Matilda remained at Tea Pot Row, and, indeed, moved on to Woodville Terrace, Victoria Road in 1871 and opened a rather select restaurant and dining rooms which continued to operate most successfully until the early 20th Century. Her daughter Mrs Alice Hayes, born in Egremont c1846, took over the premises in 1885 but retained the "Whittaker" family name for business purpose.
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Victoria Road, 1890 |
Another established restaurant on Victoria Road in 1890 was Webster's at No. 6-7 (No. 13-15 when properties were later renumbered). Hannah Webster was born in Macclesfield, Cheshire c1817 and came to the resort in 1843 with her husband, Edward (born Yorkshire c1802). Hannah had six children who were all born in New Brighton. Hannah unfortunately became a widow in 1858 and at the same time was running a small refreshment room from their home at 'Blue Cottage', which stood detached and adjacent to Tea Pot Row near the shoreline. With children's age ranging from one to fourteen years old, Hannah managed to keep Blue Cottage going and even expanded the business in 1873 by opening a dining and refreshment room next door to Matilda's Whittaker's premises. Hence 'Webster's" soon became very popular eating place in the resort for visitors alike, and Hannah herself, by this time well into her eighties, was still at the helm at the turn of the 20th Century, after 40 years in the trade. Hannah's last reference in New Brighton was in 1900, but the new owners decided to keep the name of "Webster's" for another ten years due to the popularity of the restaurant.
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Victoria Road, 1910 |
Shopping In Victoria Road
1920's
In the 1920's Victoria Road was quite a shopping area in itself, in addition to the the many restaurants and gift shops which catered for the visitors in the summer months.
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1910 |
1911 |
The proprietor of the Royal Ferry Hotel in the 1920's was Charles Bagnall. A large round glass lantern hung over the main entrance. Not far away from there was, at one time, another public house called Mason's Ferry Hotel. Coming up Victoria Road was the confectioners owned by Mrs Alice Kingham which later became Fowden's Restaurant, and, next door, was Mrs Richard's who had a tobacconist shop. Four restaurants were next which caught the trade as the visitors came off the ferry boats. In later years we had Ducker's Criterion Cafe in this part of the road. Butler's was another popular cafe. Mrs. E. Horton opened a cafe at No. 11 which was continued on by William Horton, who opened other shops in the road in later years. There was three lots of people with the name of Humphreys in Victoria Road, the cafe (which later became Tom Peat's), the tobacconist and, next door, Henry Humphries Lifeboat Cafe. 'Madame Olga' set up a palmist and clairvoyant at No.16 in the 1930s.
The Commercial Hotel was next to 'Smith's Cafe', where Jack Kitchen was licensee and in later years the public house was renamed 'The Ship'. Peter Dudley's well-known restaurant was at No. 31. They were in business for many years and the business was carried on by Reg Duffey. The establishment was originally owned by Columbus De Giovannini, who then called it 'The Swiss Restaurant'. Mrs. Sarah Walker had the 'Liner Restaurant', later 'Evans Cafe'. 'Lawton's Cafe' opened later at No. 27. Mr. Moss had the jewellers and the Victoria Hall became the 'Empress Ballroom', under the care of Mr. Henry Kingham.
The amusement arcade on the ground floor came later. The 'Hamilton Cafe', which was run by the sisters Misses Lucy & Helen Heslim, was later taken over by Mr. Read. Miss Lee had the drapers shop with Lacey's bakery shop next door. Comberbach and Company were the wine and spirit merchants on the corner of Albert Street. Henry Smith was the ironmonger and George Bohm the German pork butcher. During the First World War the windows of George's shop was smashed and his sausages pulled all over the road. His son left school and on the first week at work fell off his cycle and fell under a bus and was killed.
Among the other shopkeepers on this side of the road was William Organ the tobacconists at No. 67 who were in business for many years and, next door, Mr. Mack who opened a shoe business in what was the old sweet shop. A Mr Harold Glue had the cafe where Woolworth's opened their store.
Mr Evans and his son had the drapers and next to the pork butchers run by Mr. Ellison was the York Hotel, where Bob Hodgson was landlord. On his death his wife, Wilheminia, took over the licensee and Noel Breeze became the popular landlord. Next door was Dewhurst the butchers, who later crossed the road to No. 84, taking over the premises of the British & Argentine Company. There were two fishmongers, Moloney and Gittins, which later became Sayers in one shop and the Maypole in the other. Samuel Henderson took over Arthur Latham's grocery business and proved to be one of the most popular grocers in Victoria Road. Leonard Harrison was another favourite grocer, he was at No. 115. Bert Taylor had the New Brighton Hotel for many years. The hotel was once owned by Leonard King and boasted two billiards tables. Huxley's had the hotel at one time, catering for private and commercial people, providing first class accommodation to motorists and cyclists. For 2s. 0d. they offered an excellent cuisine. Many years later, this large hotel was renamed the Neptune. Mr William Hardy had the jewellers higher up the road. He was a member of the old Wallasey Council and served as Mayor of Wallasey between 1954-1955. He was in business for many years.
The Co-operative Society had their store and cafe at No. 103 and they later enlarged their premises by taking over other shops and carried out modernisation. Mr Payne from Wallasey Village was the manager. The premises became New Brighton's first large grocery store. The cafe was above and could seat one hundred and thirty people.
The Railway Hotel is on the corner of Grosvenor Road and was often referred to as 'Dunger's' because Tom Dunger was landlord. At the side of the building were steps leading down to a small bar with a long seat on the opposite side of the room. Among other shops were Edgar Hodgson the butcher, Knowles', Daveys and Chesters' the electrical and music shop who sold a wide selection of gramophone records. They also had a recording studio and Mr. Chesters played the electric organ at various functions.
Killitt's were the grocers on the corner of Rowson Street. A couple of other shops that were there in the 1950s were Mrs. Crosby's gift shop and Towneley Davies, the stationers.
On the right hand side of Victoria Road, starting at the bottom, was Storey's fancy goods shop on the corner which faced the drinking fountain by the ferry. On the site previously occupied the Bon Marche, this was a popular shop with the visitors because they could purchase a large variety of goods such as postcards, buckets and spades, celluloid's windmills, flags to put on top of sandcastle's, rock to take home and a host of 'present from New Brighton' gifts.
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Avondale Cafe (1959 photo) and advert (1962) |
Above Storey's shop was the Avondale Cafe, which was owned by Mr. Rawlinson Peskett who also had the Douglas Cafe on the corner of Virginia Road, where the less well-off could take their own food, providing they bought a cup of tea.
There was the Waiting Room for the tramcars and the 'horse shoe' where the tramcars could turn around, and the track ran as far as the Tivoli Theatre.
Among the shops in this part of the road was Mr. William Brice the dairyman, George Parker's fish and chip shop, Edwin Wilson the outfitters and Joe Mumford the photographer who always had an interesting show of photographs in the window and Mr. Alfred Booth the chemist. The sweetshop at No.28, Eulah Ltd., always had a crowd outside as people watched in amazement as a machine with two arms stretched and folded soft toffee cream over and over again. Laid out in display in the window in front of the machine were all the little empty boxes which were used to put the creams in. At No. 34 was Arnold Chadwick's tobacconist who sold a good selection of pipes and leather goods and other gifts - he eventually moved across the road. His was the last shop in the road to sell goods with 'New Brighton' printed on.
George Stoneall the fisherman had his shop in the block for a long time and then there was Pegram's the grocers and Mr. Arthur Livesley was the dentist at No. 42 and No. 46 later became the 'The Sun Rise Cafe' after the Second World War. Triplett's the greengrocers was next to Barclay's Bank where Mr. J.L.W. Solley was the manager.
Though we are mainly dealing with shops in Victoria Road as well as looking at various hotels and public houses, it is, however, worth noting that next was the Trocadero picture house. It held nine hundred picture-goers and was opened by the Mayor of Wallasey, Alderman Augustine Quinn on 1st June, 1922 at 3.00 pm, and the first performance was presented that evening at 6.00 pm., the main feature being 'Perjury'. The cinema had a 'symphony orchestra', conducted by Mr. Besvoby. The cost of admission ranged from 6d. to 1s. 3d. The Gaumont British became owners in 1928 with Mr. Robin Jones as manager. Before it became a cinema it was the site of Albert Hall and a number of lock up garages. The first Baptist Pioneer Mission was started in these premises in 1890. The Albert Hall was also used as a billiards hall for a time before it was sold to the cinema company. The cinema closed down on 22nd September, 1956 and became a supermarket.
Mrs Sarah Higgerson had a cafe next to the picture house and on the corner of Belmont Road was the stationers and Avison's grocery at No. 68, then Emily Todd had the shop. Walter Buxton had the greengrocers and Mrs. Denham (milliner) and the chemist, Mr. John Crofts, was on the corner of Richmond Street. The opposite corner was where the Davies Brothers, who were ironmongers, had their shop. This shop became T. Gribbon's, the popular greengrocer. Mr. Charles Fry had a branch of his pawnbrokers business by the British and Argentine Meat Company, with Mr. Douglas Murdoch as manager. Mr. Brown was the greengrocer and S. Panter Brick was the draper next to the tobacconist. Lunt's the bakers were next to the Court Picture House, which was run by the Mersey Halls Limited. It had opened on 16th December, 1912 and was one of the smallest cinemas in Wallasey; Mr. C. G. Scarborough was the manager in the 1930s. It was not a very popular picture house as regards as attracting people from other parts of the town but it came into its own when Mr. Whilma Wilkie of the New Brighton Palace bought it and completely modernised the cinema, putting in the very latest equipment but after a long period of success, like other cinemas, it was forced to close on 22nd March, 1969.
Mrs. Martha Fitzgerald was the postmistress at the New Brighton Post Office. This post office used to open on Sundays between 8.30 am to 10 am. Mr. James Theckston ran the chemist shop next door and during the First World War he was the postmaster at the Post Office. Mr. Wilberforce was a chemist on the other side of the road at one time and he crossed the road and opened a business on this side.
Higher up were other shops, including Worthington's the tobacconists, with a hairdressers behind. Mrs. Dickson, the ladies outfitters, Bill Borland (boot maker), Borland's fruit shop and Mrs, Hess (millinery). Perhaps this part of the road should have had the name of Bank Corner as there were three banks at one time. On the corner was the red brick built 'City and Midland Bank' and the 'Liverpool Bank and 'Martins Bank' on the other (now the Tallulah's bar). On the opposite side of the road as one went up the hill was the Manchester and Liverpool District Banking House.
Shopping In Victoria Road
1970's
The 1970s would start to see the decline in Victoria Road as far as being highly commercial with the fall in both local and tourism trade. Most people either wanting to travel to town centres for shopping or, during the summer months, go on holiday abroad where the weather was more reliable. Many of the household names that generations had grown up with started to see these long established shops close.
The Royal Ferry Hotel would soon be transformed into a night club but during this time Leonard Patten was the licensee. Eric Rowlands was the manager of the Criterion, replacing Mr. G. Wilson, and Bob Collins Cafe was at No. 11. Sheffield Restaurant was at No. 17 with Mr. J. Jou the proprietor and sisters Christina and Jean Randles were licensee of the Ship Hotel until 1976 when Alan Smith then became the landlord. Continuing along we had Lawton Confectioners, Mrs Taylors Toy Shop and the long established Duffey Restaurant, owned by Reginald and Amelia Duffey who had been at No. 31 Victoria Road since the early 1920s when first opened by Mrs. Mary Duffey. Next door was Paddy's Cafe, then Europa Cafe under the management of Mr. Lee White. The Empress Snack Bar & Restaurant was once at No. 37 but by 1972 had become the Golden Sovereign which advertised the latest fruit machines, pin tables and children's rides. During the summer season the Golden Sovereign opened every day from 9am but in the winter only opened at the weekend. By the early 1970s Arnold Chadwick's Tobacconists had closed after more then 30 years of trading and the shop was replaced with Colley's Gift Shop. Next door was Edith Morris Drapers, then the New Delhi Restaurant with Tracadero Snack Bar on the corner of Albert Street with Edward Clark as the manager.
Woods Grocers once stood on the opposite corner of Albert Street in the late 1960s. Bohm Pork Butchers continued trading into the 1970s as well as Organ's Newsagents. Mack's Shoe Repairer was next door then Woolworths at No. 71-73, which had opened a store in Victoria Road in the early 1950s. The grocers Four Seasons was at No. 77 and Hammer's Amusements was at No. 83. Sayers had a shop at No. 85, the Wine & Spirits Co-Op was at No.89 and on the corner of Mason Street was Barclays Bank. All these buildings between Albert Street and Mason Street have since been demolished and new housing now occupies the site.
The Neptune Hotel stood on the opposite corner of Mason Street and John Holland was the landlord in the 1970s. The Neptune would later change it's name to Lacey's. As we move along up Victoria Road we had Henry Jones Bookmakers, Hardy's Jewellers, Grocery Co-Op and Silver Slipper Restaurant was at No. 111. E.Price Butchers was at No. 115 and Gribbon'a Fruiterers & Greengrocers was on the corner of Grosvenor Road.
Landlord of the Railway Hotel in the early 1970s was Thomas McCabe who left in 1980 and Ken Pickett became the new proprietor. Other shops included Guest the Butchers, Lillibet Children's Wear who were No. 125 and Cosmo Cafe was next door. Hutton had the newsagents and then there was Lune Cleaners. Further along was Chesters the electrical engineers. In the late 1960s Mr. Ashman was a Turf Commission Agent on the corner with Rowson Street. A Turf Commission Agent was someone who placed bets on behalf of owners or trainers with bookmakers.
Starting from the bottom end of Victoria Road, on the left hand side, was Wallasey Power Boat & Ski Club which had been Horton's Corner Shop. Brice the Caterers was at No.6 and next door was Samuel Worthington's Fancy Goods. At No. 10 was Maxim's Restaurant and further up the road was Gregon's Chemist. In the 1960's Kowloon Restaurant had been at No. 65 but in the early 1970s had moved to No. 28. It's neighbour was the long established Midland Cafe run by the Creedon family who had been trading in the resort since the 1930s. No. 38 was Albert Cox and his Fancy Goods shop and at No. 40 was George Stoneall Fishmongers who had been trading on Victoria Road for fifty years.
In 1966 Jardines Confectioners use to be on the corner of Belmont Road at No. 64 but moved by the 1970s to No. 70. Costigans were at No. 68. Cooke Chemist was on the corner of Richmond Street and Stubb's Hardware, who sold garden equipment, stood at No. 78 on the opposite corner. The confectioners Golden Tea Pot was next door. No. 84 was Dewhurst the butchers. Further along, after Windsor Street, was Kendall's newsagent then Peter Antoni's Hairdressers who also had an establishment in Seaview Road. Mr R. Wilberforce had the chemist and on the corner of Waterloo Road was New Brighton Taxi's.
The other side of Waterloo Road is the Post Office and next door was Band's Fruiterers and Greengrocers. Further along was another Fruiterers & Greengrocers - J.W Moss. The self service launderette, Benedix, was at No. 118 and on the corner of Rowson Street was the Midland Bank.
