South Yorkshire Times November 23, 1968
At a Glance Guide to Wath on Dearne’s Shops ad Services
Although you may not have realised it the face of Wath is being changed. Slowly but surely eyesores are being removed and while the historic features of the township are being retained much is being done to improve the facilities and generally to develop the town. One of the aims of the redevelopment plan is to provide Wath with a compact, efficient, safe and attractive shopping centre for the future, and a traffic free pedestrian shopping precinct is visualised.
That, however, is in the future; what of the shopping facilities in Wath now? I found that the atmosphere of what used to be the -Queen of Villages- has been retained in many shops with family businesses and personal services in even the largest of the stores making it a pleasure to shop in Wath. And what’s more practically every item a housewife or family needs to purchase can be obtained at Wath, whether it be food, clothes, furnishings or hardware.
Probably one of the longest established businesses in the Wath and West Melton area is the butcher’s and confectioner’s shop of W. Cutts in High Street, West Melton.
Mr. Cutts has been in the shop for 35 years, and his father had a well-established butchery trade before him. On the confectionery side the accent is entirely on fresh home-made food.
Pork pies, meat pies. Cornish pasties, sausage rolls and cakes are made freshly every day in the premises at the rear of the shop.
Home cooked meats are also sold, along with potted meat, sausage and bacon, all processed on the premises. At week-ends fresh cream sandwiches and large cakes all also sold, Mrs. Cutts has also made wedding cakes and birthday cakes to order,
A delivery service for meat is always appreciated by the housewife, who is saved the trouble of carrying the heavy joints of meat along with the rest of her shopping, and a delivery service is run by Cutts on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturday.
Another speciality of this family concern which although on a small scale, is intent on providing fresh meat and confectionery, is catering for parties, weddings or other functions.
Another family business, though on a larger scale, provides everything for the home decorators. Frank Calladine and Son, of Sandygate are always ready to help the home decorator in choosing paints, paper and materials.
The Dulux Matchmaker machine which has been installed in the shop, enables a customer to achieve lust the right shade of paint he or she is looking for. By mixing paints 300 different colours can be achieved.
Viewing mirror
How many times have you looked through a wallpaper pattern book or looked at a roll of paper in the shop and thought “Well it looks all right, but what will it look like on the wall of my dining room? — Almost every time you have bought a paper I should imagine.
Well now if you buy your paper from Calladines your problems are solved for a viewing mirror has been installed. This is a somewhat ingenious machine, you choose your paper, then look through the viewer and you see the paper as it will look on a wall with the paper repeated five times.
People seem to have a lot more spare time on their hands today and consequently more and more people seem to do their own decorating, and Calladines cater for all tastes in home decor.
Dressmaking is another hobby which people are turning to in their spare time, and for all haberdashery requirements May Taylor, of High Street, provides a wide range of most goods. Knitting has always been a popular pastime and most well-known makes of wool can be obtained at May Taylors, whether it be for delicate baby wear or a chunky Aran sweater.
Of course if you are not too keen on making your own clothes, then May Taylor also provides a large variety of clothes.
Dresses, skirts, cardigans, blouses, for all sizes, including children’s wear, can be tried in the fitting room at the back of the shop. The younger generation are particularly interested in their clothes, and are continually wanting to keep up with the fashions (as most mothers will have found out to their dismays), and recently May Taylor has been stocking a larger variety in teenage wear, which has been very popular. May Taylor’s business has been established in Wath for well over 20 years and she has earned a valued reputation for an individual service in the shop for wools (which can be laid away), hosiery, haberdashery and clothes; and fancy goods have now been introduced into the business.
Fashions are not only evident in the clothing trade, but also in hairdressing, and Gail Utley, a newcomer to Wath, is well up to date with the latest styles, at her salon in West Street.
By no means a newcomer to the hairdressing business, Gail has been employed at two Barnsley salons and has also worked at Wombwell. She has diplomas for perming, tinting, and hair styling. Of course everyone likes a change, and women particularly find this from time to time in their hairstyle, but thanks to Gail, you no longer have to take a step you might regret later by having the style changed permanently. If you just want a different style for a special occasion you can hire a hair piece or wig.
Gail hires out the hair at prices from 10s. for a weekend, and she promises, with Christmas approaching, she will be reducing the fees.
Although she has been in Wath only a month Gail has found she has been kept busy and the wigs have proved very popular.
Well there it is, that word has finally crept out — has it taken you by surprise, I hope not for Christmas is less than five weeks away.
Christmas shopping can be tedious but it can also be very enjoyable, especially if you are buying for the children. Toys, they say, are often bought to amuse the parents as much as the children, and among the large selection of toys at J. White’s, in High Street, there is sure to be something which will please the mums. and dads as well as the boys and girls.
Anything from pedal cars down to the small Matchbox cars are available, along with games, educational toys and construction kits.
Mr. and Mrs. White took over the business about 15 months ago and also took over the booking agencies for Yorkshire Traction, Sheffield United Tours and Butlins.
They have a very wide range of hardware and kitchen items including Pyrex ware and many gifts suitable for wedding presents. When you are giving a present; Whether it be for a birthday, wedding or Christmas I always think the wrapping is just as important as the gift, and at S. and J. Lloyd’s in Church Street you can see a wide variety of gift wrapping paper, ribbons, tapes and rosettes with which to adorn your gifts.
Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd, both former employees of the “South Yorkshire Times”, took over the newsagents, tobacconists and card shop a year ago and since then they have introduced – several -new lines.
Pipe smokers in Wath will find all their requirements, as there are numerous pipes, lighters and over 20 brands of tobacco in stock. A ‘filling station’ is also provided for cigarette lighters.
There are cards for every occasion and all ages, with special numbers which can be stuck on to the cards up to 100. Boxed cards are also available.
Toys, books, games, watches and fancy goods have also been introduced.
There is also a wide range of sweets and chocolates with many large boxes of chocolates for Christmas.
A fourth soon
A relatively new business in Wath is the shop of Trend Furnishers in High Street. The firm started in Wombwell about two years ago and they now have three branches, with another due to open in Conisbrough.
Trend provide free estimates for fitted carpets and having their own fitters they can guarantee that the carpet is delivered and fitted within three days of ordering. An additional attraction is that with every fitted carpet bought Trend provide a bedroom carpet free.
Easy terms are provided with no deposit and two years to pay on all the furniture and carpets The Wath shop, opened wide selection months ago, has a selection of carpets and up-to-the-minute furniture to suit all modern tastes.
With the re-development in Wath one of the areas scheduled for clearance is West Street, and this will eventually affect the premises of Wath hairdresser Mr. P. Murtagh.
Mr. Murtagh has been in the hairdressing business in Wath for 41 years, opening six days a week from 8.30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
He naturally concentrates on cutting men’s and boy’s hair, but he has always cut women’s hair as well, if requested, So far he has not been asked to provide any girls with the new short crops but he added: “I am expecting them any time.”
Mr. Murtagh is now thinking of just working a five day week. “I have worked so long I think I have earned it,” he said. He opens for just a few hours on a Thursday and is now thinking of closing all day.
Mr. Murtagh, as vet, has no idea when the shop is due for demolition and so has not decided whether to carry on his business in Wath in different premises.
The Motorists’ Bargain Shop in Barnsley Road, is every motorists’ dream — every car accessory you can mention is available. “If cars use them, we have them” his the claim.
There is a special fitting service, and any make tyre is fitted while you wait, with radial ply tyres a speciality. Many car enthusiast are probably at work all day and so the shop caters for their needs by being open from 9 am to 9 pm and all day Sunday as well.
Exhaust systems, batteries, pistons, fog and spot lamps’ plugs and cables are usually in stock for any motor vehicle in addition to wheel trims, bucket seats and seats covers and well known makes of oil,
The Line family have been its the grocery trade for many years and now Mr. and Mrs. P. Line have the shop in Burman Road. Mr. Line took over the shop from his father 3 ½ years ago, and the family have now had the shop in Wath for 15 years.
Previous to that Mr. Line senior had two shops in Maltby. Being in the business so long they know the customers’ wants and provide an excellent variety of tinned goods, meats, fresh fruit, biscuits and sweets
They stock Gunstone’s pie’ and sausage and Walls’ food, a large selection of frozen. foods, including ice cream, and top grade Danish bacon, and they also cut their own hands and bacon.
An additional line is pre-packed coal and coke.
With Christmas approaching they have a special display of tinned biscuits, sweets and chocolates in Christmas packs
Old Established
Mr Peter Flavell took over the family furniture business from his father in 1956, the business dating back in Wath to 1900, although the firm was originally started in Kilnhurst in 1873 by Mr. Flavell’s great.
Extensions to the Wath shop were completed in 1962 and now there is an extensive display of furniture, carpets, household linen and hardware. Mr. Flavell said the firm deal in good quality items, which are not necessarily the most expensive, The firm give a discount for cash and hire purchase with free credit terms is also operated
Three piece suites, dining suites are displayed throughout the shop and you are able to choose your carpets and curtain to match at the same time.
A business also handed down through a family is Clark’s hairdressers, of Church Street. Here 24-years-old David Clark gook over the business from his uncle seven years ago.
Hairdressing is of course, the main business. With two members of staff, cutting, blow waving and styling are carried out, and as a special feature a rocking horse is provided on which small boys can sit while their hair is cut.
Young men are particularly keen on having their hair styled in the latest fashions, and so are the young women,
David estimates that he has about 20 female customers who have their hair cut in the short crop styles now being worn.
Fishing Tackle
A large range of fishing tackle is also sold at the shop; this was introduced three seasons ago, and, being the only shop in Wath to sell fishing requirements this line has proved very popular.
A varied amount of toys our also stocked and it is hoped that Father Christmas may be visiting the shop next month.
The photographic business of F. S. Hargreaves and Son has built up gradually since the war and now, with shops In Barnsley and Wakefield town centres the Wath shop has kept the traditional family service with Mr. and Mrs. Hargreaves usually in the shop to provide a personal service for the customers.
In addition to the immense range of photographic requirements Hargreaves also operate an audio visual department catering for most of the educational needs for schools in the North of England.
1,000 Miles Weekly
About 1,000 miles are covered every week to schools under nine education authorities for the servicing of machines and other audio visual requirements.
The firm maintain a high quality in. photographic processing, by handling the photographs themselves. “We are one of the few photographic firms left who have their own dark rooms for the processing of films,” said Mr. Hargreaves.
For 17 years Silvesters had general store in Thurnscoe, but for the past two years they have had the newsagents and general store in Burman Road, Wath.
Mrs. Silvester said it was her first venture into the newsagents’ business and although it was very hard work, she was enjoying it.
One particular line which Mrs. Silvester says she is trying to concentrate on is cards. She has built up quite a stock of cards for every occasion.
Special introductions in addition to the normal stock for Christmas are annuals and Christmas decorations. Christmas means a turkey for most families and Mr. Jack Palframan, who has taken over at the Church Street shop of W. Palframan Ltd., has 10,000 turkeys at his farm which will be ready for Christmas sale.
For 27 years Mr. J. Fairham was Managing Director of the Company, and Mr. Palframan said they had been very sorry to see Mr. Fairham leave the shop. Mr. Palframan is Chairman of the Company and took over at the shop a week ago. There are five employees at the shop, who are also engaged in the bakehouse and delivery service.
In addition to the wide range of good quality meat Palframans make their own pork pies, and baking is done on the premises; they also cook their own hams.
They operate a delivery service to all areas and supply hotels and public houses with pasties and pork pies.
“We try to give our customers the best of service and civility,” Mr. Palframan said.
Service has also been one of the key words for the business of Edward Smiths, of Melton High Street, a firm whose records go back as far as 1730.
They stock a wide range of fashions for men, women and children, soft furnishings, carpets and bedding.
In the soft furnishing department Smiths are particularly noted for their curtains which are made up on the premises to the size required by the customer, and the new stretch covers for chairs and three piece suites are proving very popular.
Smiths also specialise in fitted carpets, having their own fitters to guarantee a perfect fit. A large car park at the side of the premises is a boon to customers, as is the small tea room, where a cup of tea is always acceptable. An added service is a late shopping night on Wednesdays when the shop is open until 7 p.m. The shop closes all day on Thursday.
Roy’s radio and television business has been well established in South Yorkshire for some years, and the Wath branch was opened about 4 years ago.
Manageress at the shop is Mrs. M. Warren, and she can give customers personal attention in choosing from a wide range of electrical appliances and furniture.
Many of the tape recorders, record players, radio and television sets and other electrical goods can provide ideal gifts especially for Christmas.
All terms of payment are operated at the shop — hire purchase terms, cash credit and also Provident cheques.
And after sales service is guaranteed by the firm for goods bought from the shop.
Dinner wine no longer seems to be a luxury only to be had when you go out for dinner or on a special occasion, and Warburton’s in Sandygate have range of over 40 dinner wines from Italy, France, Germany and Spain.
The shop in Sandygate has only been run by Warburton’s since 1958 but they also have the shop in Melton High Street and the firm have been established in Wath for over 40 years.
The Sandygate shop is a general grocery and wines and spirits shop while the West Melton shop is a general grocery store and retail con-. tectioners.
“If you eat it we sell it”, seems to he the motto adopted by the firm as they have a vast range of all grocery and confectionery items: A regular delivery service is operated on Wednesdays and Fridays but special deliveries can be made on other days.