John Carlier (with help from his sister Anne Wood, Brian Carman, Glenda Harrison and Barbara Adams) has put together a fascinating insight into the traders and businesses around in the village in the mid twentieth century.

It is interesting to note how much the village has changed from those days to the one we live in today.

If you would like to add any further comments please feel free to get in touch. See new comments and additions at the bottom of this page.

Alfreton Road

The Water Works Superintendent – Mr Bagguley.

Additional activity was charging accumulators for those in the village who did not have mains electricity.

Carlier Brothers – Moved to the brewery building when the garage was demolished to make way for the (short lived) dual carriageway which ran into the village as far as the Toll Bar.

Builders – Morris and Frank Mitchell

Frank Camp – various enterprises. Father of Alan Camp of A.B. Camp and Sons

Ferguson – Haulage (mainly coal) – Garage was on the site of what is now Daisy Hill Stores

Lilian – ladies hairdresser – 102 Alfreton Rosd – rented a room from Mrs Brunyee

Bates – blacksmith and farrier. On site of current blacksmiths

Pykett – Plumber (Glenda Harrison's dad)- No central heating in most houses so plenty of burst pipes in the winter. To watch Bill Pykett “wipe” a lead joint was to see an artist at work.

Bosworth - butcher.

Carman – Newsagent – Many of todays “grown ups” must have been a paper boy or girl for the Carman’s. The paper shop is now the Little Kitchen and still supplies newspapers. There was also a Mrs Reeve who had a newsagent's business covering the Leas, The Chase and Whitaker Lane. When she retired the Carman’s bought  her business.

Williscroft Grocers (later Coopers)  – a small wooden building opposite the newsagents. This is the area now known as Croft Corner. Did the “croft” come from Willis “Croft”.

The picture below shows the grocers shop during the floods of 1930’s.

Co-op Store – two separate shops (grocers and butchers). Later Val Hammersley acquired the butcher's part and ran a hair salon. When Val retired the Co-op became the modern store it is today.

Ashforth – Fish and chip shop (now the Cafe and possibly about to be a Greek restaurant). This building was the original Co-op

Dr. Collins (she took over from Dr. Morrison who left to join the army at the outbreak of WWII) The surgery was held in a house between the school and New Street. There was no waiting room so everybody heard the details of other peoples' problems. Quite an education!

Edith Fox- Haberdasher and Draper -one room in Danesbury House which is just below Baines Hall.

Baine’s Hall – Originally a Methodist Chapel – now a private residence.

 Wright – Greengrocer – occupied the building which is now March Hair. Mr Wright had his own little lorry which was unusual at the time.

Frearson – grocer- situated in the front of one of the cottages between March Hair and Jack o' Darley Bridge.

Alton – Grocer and cafe. They had a monkey in an outdoor cage. Premises is now a private house near  T'owd Lane at the northern end of the village.

Summerside -Grocer – Quite a large shop on the Chase.

Duffield Road

Norman Thums – Coal merchant and unofficial taxi Service.

Bill Cruise - Fabrication and (for a short time) petrol station

Alf (Pop) Carlier – The brewery . Off licence. On his death the  licence was transferred to the Toll Bar Stores.

J.O.(Jack) Carlier -The Brewery – . - Car repairer – Machine Shop – Ex WD Trader.

Tropical Fish Breeder and Beetroot Pickling factory!

Peckwash Mill – Military webbing manufacturer and later glove manufacturer.

Coley – Market Garden – Rigga Lane – The Outwoods was owned by the Coley family. Their gardener Jim Brown ran a business from the garden selling flowers, bouquets and wreaths.

Station Road

George Thums – The Poplars Mens Club – Closed down when the police found an unlicenced penny slot machine on the premises. The locals claimed that here had been a misunderstanding and that the police should have gone to a very dodgy club in LONG Eaton!

Dowdings Mill (also know as Cudlip’s Mill and Brook Paper Mill - see Brook Paper Mill Fire in Newspaper Articles)

recycled scrap paper into, amongst other products, toilet paper for armed services. Some of this found its way into many village WC’s.

Jackson – cobbler -operated from a very small stone “shed”  half way down on the north side of the road.

The Town

Walters – Undertaker and ironmonger – coffins were transported around the village on a barrow consisting of wooden frame on two bicycle wheels. No fancy limousines in those days!

Thums – Butcher – the window of the shop is now filled in with red bricks.

Mason and Price –  doctors - rented a room in Church Farm

Fred Marshall – Greengrocer – beautiful stone building where the chemist and Appletree surgery now stand. The original building was the Kings Head which, for some dreadful reason, was demolished to make way for what stands there today.

Farms & Farmers

Oakdens – Elms  Farm - Now farmed by  John Salt.

Redferns – now demolished. Situated between Station and Church Lane.

The Furlongs – now operated by Barry Fitch.

Thums Farm (also know as Church Farm) - corner of the Town – now a private residence

Park Farm (also known as top Farm) – Thums, then Redferns – at the top of Vicarage Lane – now a private residence.

 Walters Farm– Opposite Church Farm – now private houses.

 Baileys Farm – Opposite Baines Hall – now a private residence.

 Johnson’s Farm – Moor Lane – next to GEM Concrete – now a private residence.

Public Houses

The New Inn – Duffield Road-  Landlord Arthur Cave followed by Norman Thums.

The Queen’s Head – Alfreton Road – Landlord – Phil Richards followed by Russ Bloor.

The Anchor – Alfreton Road  - Landlord - ? Alton now a private residence.

A  stained  glass window on the building depicts an anchor. This is thought to be the location of the hatch where liquor could be purchased for consumption away from the premises. This was know as an Off-licence or “Offy”.

The Bell and Harp – Alfreton Road – Landlord Lol Rice followed by Arthur Bacon.

The pub was formerly called the BELL HARP which is a musical instrument in its own right. It is suspected that the premises became the BELL AND HARP simply because of people not being aware of the meaning of the original name.