Market Jew Street 1922 to 1939

Halfhidden

Untouchable
Administrator
These are the memories of Jack Pengelly.
Written in 1988 of his memories of Market Jew Street, The Terrace, Albert Street, St John's Court, Gas Lane and Market Place 1922 through to 1939Market Jew Street
The Terrace.
1 H & F Smith, Gent’s Outfitters.
2 Rowe, gent’s outfitters
3 Small shop which was one of the early Penzance Co-op Grocers, They had no bakery at the time and Larkworthy’s made and supplied them with bread which my father Mr Sam Pengelly made and delivered.
4 Oliver's Shoe Shop.
5 Bon Marche, Roberts.
6 Thomas, Sweets and Tobacco. Used to open seven days a week, also fined many times for opening on Sundays - how different it is today.
7 White and Peters, later Miss Peters alone.
8a Pascoe Butchers. Many staff and large delivery round.
8b Red Line Shoe Shop well known for shoes by Hamptons.
9 Barclays Bank which has been rebuilt.
10 Gibson’s Photographer later became Kemster Grocer also selling wines and spirits.
11 Williams the Chemist later became International stores, grocers
12 Smith's Shoe Shop later became Boase, Fruiterer.
13 Heard’s Piano Shop. A section of the Terrace rails were removed when loading and unloading pianos.
14 Bennetts Jeweller Mr Bennetts looked after the town clock in Lloyds Bank dome before it went electric.
15a Stanley's Toy Shop
Arcade Steps leading into Bread Street. Phillips Pram and Toy Shop.
16a Traglown Chemist later became Anne Collins.
16b Tancocks Outfitter later became Shaw & Wood Outfitters.
17a Home & Colonial Stores, Grocers. Had a country round and delivery.
17b Goss Grocer, they moved to Causewayhead than it became .Keeler's Opticians,
18 Wilton and Nicholls ironmongers, delivered goods in country districts and Isles of Scilly,
19 Lawely Optician and Photographs
20 Carpenter: Sweets and confectionery
21 Marchant’s Leather goods and repairs,
22 Bowmaker’s, Fancy Shop and Wools.*
23 Dugdale Butcher, became a part of James Drapers and Ladies Shop
24 Drew’s Fruiterer,
25 Beare butcher. They had a slaughter house in Bread Street with a rail for bringing meat into the shop.
26 Axworthy's, draper and ladies fashions
27 Drew's Fruiterer his brother kept this shop.
28 Honey’ s wools and fancy goods.
29 Singer Sewing Machine Shop Pearce family,
30 Arthur Rogers Butcher
31 Miss Gendall, Toys and Fancy Goods Later became Treglown, Chemist
32 Jacobs, Draper
33 Mrs Paul, Bakers & Café Later became Larkworthy and changed several times
34 Central Hotel then became Manaton Baker
35 Knees China Shop.
There was an opening into Wood Street next.
36a Misses Rawle (Sisters) Sweets and Confectionary. They later moved to the corner of St. Johns Court and again to Albert Street,
36b Opie’s Photographic Studio.
37 Rogers, Butcher. Had large clock over the shop front
38 Davies Baker, High class wedding cakes and decorations,
39 Eastmans Butcher
40 Spargo Pork Butcher, later taken over by Opie, Chemist.
41 Redruth Brewery Shop
Next opening was Adelaide Street.
42 Hicks, Sweet Shop
43 Durrant’s Paper Shop they handled all incoming daily papers.
44 J. Ney, Dairy with milk delivery.
45 Cornish Arms Public House
46 Miller, small fancy goods shop
47a Miss Rawle new shop. Sweets and Kunzle Cakes
Next opening was St, Johns Court – with many small houses
47b Polglase, Chemist,
46 Richards sweet shop, taken over by Jackson antiques.
49 Jackson Antiques
50 Rowe bakers, delivered in the town. Later taken over by Jackson
51 Hall dairy had a large delivery round
52 Coles large old store sold second hand furniture, etc,
53 Williams gent’s outfitters.
54 Hicks, Hairdresser ladies and gents, now only ladies
55 Railway Hotel
Market Jew Street Contd.
We now cross the road and move up Market Jew Street, Shop corner was W.H. Smith, Books and Newspapers Madame Wells, ladies high class clothes shop
Opening into -T.F. Hoskings Yard., General Farm Supplies
69a Penzance Garage, agents for Ford cars.
Richards, Gents Hairdresser - had barbers pole
Coombe Sweet Shop, later became Battens.
72 Penzance Cafe which went around the comer. Later became Rust Wholesale Fruit and Veg and then J.H. Bennetts.
Walk around Into Albert Street.
Small Shop, you had to go up steps to enter, also a house. These were altered and became the new toilets.
Now cross the road on the corner of Albert Street and the Wharf.
Micholls & Michells, Coal Merchants.
Double fronted house now changed to shop,
Rowe, Baker, became Eddy's
Miss Findlow, Herb Shop.
You have now entered the bottom of Market Jew Street
75 Penzance Garage Shop on the corner became part of J.H. Rowe, Ironmongers.
76 Edwards, Butcher.
77 Ludlow Shipping Office also Labour Exchange.
78 J.H. Rowe, General Ironmonger and all types of supplies
79 Billy Calf oils, ropes etc.
80 Williams Basket Shop most made of canes.
Small house the front room changed and became Bob Bennett s, he started a Gent's Hairdressers.
Double fronted house where a Mr Blewett lived, he worked at Penzance Gas Works.
Trudgeon’s Photographic Shop, known as Sticky Backs.
New Dry Cleaners run by Trudgeon’s daughter and her husband.
Richards Cafe and Restaurant.
Joe Denley Scrap Metal Yard. Later rebuilt and became Jenkins Monumental Shop. Next door Bennetts moved up and started a ladies and gents hairdressers.
Congregational Church, set back from the street. Now Knees Stores.
Army Navy Stores, Mr Stokes.
Hendy’s fish shop
Opening to Gas Court, many small houses in here.
Trudgeon’s small general shop - you had to go up steps to enter the shop.
Next was a large granite house on the corner of Gas Lane and Market Jew Street.
Mr Cornish had heavy horse and cart haulage business there.
Gas Lane on side, with many small houses
Penzance gas showrooms and offices were next,
95 Trevail's gent’s outfitters, well known for suits made on the premises.
96 large double fronted granite house. Mr Blewett , then Mr Edwards and Mr Morrison, Dentists
There were large door to Miss Pool's house and gardens, the gardener was Mr Williams who lived in Daniel Place. Their daughter married George Luke who worked on meat marketing. The front was known as The Hole in the Wall Public House.
99 Holmans Cycle Shop. This is a preserved building which has changed many times
100 Opening to Holmans Motor Cycle Shop - at the rear Plumbers Shop.
101 Holmans Garage and Petrol Sales.
102 Boase, Fruiterer & Game, later moved on to the Terrace.
Next was an opening to. the labour exchange and Hockings banana store.
104 Became Y.M.C.A. with two shops under which became Penzance Holiday Guide and Martin and Edwards opened a gent’s Hairdressers.
Miss Jening’s Restaurant, well known for school children’s lunches.
Luke, Butcher.
Miss Eva, Toys, etc.
Prince of Wales Restaurant - Newton and Veal.
Then an opening to a Court of small houses which were pulled down when Woolworths was built and opened.
Prince of Wales Public House which had horse stables at the rear for people into town on market days.
Radbourne, Tobacconist and Cigars.
Burgoynes Sweet Shop, then Avis florist[FONT=&quot][/FONT]
Bridger, double fronted Book Shop.
111 Davey's, Wine and Spirit Shop bottled beers at the rear in Jennings Street.
113 Main Post Office.
Bailey's, Bakers and Restaurant.
114 Three Castles Inn - rebuilt and became Pearks Stores.
Foss, hairdresser then became Trelawney butchers
Sampson jewellers
Star Inn.
Next was New Street.
Peasgood, Chemist. Overhead Negus, Photographer.
Henry Lawry, Ironmonger.
Howards seed and Pet food shop.
Mortimer's Cleaners. (May have been an opening to a Printer at the rear.).
Chirgwins, Grocers.
Chirgwins Bakers with Restaurant over.
Opening to rear of shops and Chirgwins bake house.
H. & F Mitchell, drapers. Later moved to Alverton Street,
Mitchell's high class jeweller.
Hugo gent's outfitter.
Then an opening to rear stores and small buildings. 
12 Scobie Bassett, Tobacconist for many years.
13 Meek, Furnishers
 
6 Thomas, Sweets and Tobacco. Used to open seven days a week, also fined many times for opening on Sundays - how different it is today


Apart from the struggle with the Sunday opening laws continuing throughout the forties and fifties Bosher found himself to be at the centre of another national bone of contention – seaside postcards. Most saucy seaside post cards were the work of Donald McGill and sold in all seaside towns. The postcards were of bright colours and were usually displayed outside shops on a revolving display stand to catch the eye of passing holidaymakers. These stands were harmless fun to some – but understandably caused offence to others and consequently divided public opinion. The early nineteen fifties brought in a new government which decided that public morals had deteriorated through looking at immoral art and literature and promptly censored many books and set up “Watch Committee’s” all over the country to judge, amongst other things, which post cards were fit too display in public. These committees had the power to have a shop raided and stock confiscated, which could well put someone out of business.
Over the country local trials of publishers and distributors took place and in 1954 Mcgill was charged and found guilty of violating the Obscene Publications Act, which put an end to any ambiguity in seaside cards for many years.
At this time Bosher could never be sure whether his display stand was within the law or which cards were classed obscene – a right carry on.

In retrospect I guess that if all the old banned postcards were displayed today they would be within the Obscene Publications Act but taken down for not being politically correct.
Like Jack Pengelly said, “how different it is today”
 
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