Tributes to market trader Viv
TRIBUTES PAID TO MUM WHO HELPED RUN BUSINESS FOR 50 YEARS
TRIBUTES have been paid to a Derby market trader of more than 50 years who has died at the age of 77.
Vivienne Whilde ran the Draycott Confectionery stall with her husband Pete and was well known to customers visiting markets across the city and wider county.
Mrs Whilde, who was born in Ashbourne, died on Wednesday, February 10, at the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham.
She met Pete in the early 1960s when he was first establishing the family-run business, selling sweets from stalls on the Cockpit Hill and Morledge outdoor markets.
The couple, who were married for 54 years, worked together to grow the business, trading from markets in Little Eaton, Beeston and Ilkeston over the years, as well as at Derby Market Hall.
They had two children, Philip and Steven, who now play key roles in keeping the stall, which stocks sweets, cakes, biscuits and bread, running at the Allenton and Ilkeston markets.
Pete said that his wife most enjoyed the customer service side of the business and became friends with dozens of regulars who visited their stall.
He said: “She was very into the social side. She became friends with all of the regulars, a lot of people knew her.
“She had a simple outlook on life and was quite happy to talk to people. People would come every week and she really enjoyed that.
“She ran the business when I had two hip replacements, but she was much more into talking and meeting people than the buying stuff and the details of it all.”
The couple first met in 1964 and got married two years later before starting a family while continuing to grow the business.
Pete recalled how his wife juggled looking after two children while still working on the stall three or four days a week.
He said: “We met when I had just started on the market after I took over from a friend’s stall on the Saturday. “We started courting, as we called it back then, and in 1966 we got married and we had our first child two years later, in 1968.
“While she had the baby she would help on the market sometimes.
“She became full time as soon as our youngest was 14, but she would always be there three or four days a week.
“There were long days, getting up at six in the morning, finishing in the evening.
“We didn’t have a social life as much, but we put food on the table. She taught our kids some manners, ‘can I get up from the table, please and thank you.’ The market is all the kids have ever known. They’ve both got their own lives now, own houses, so I think when I get up to the golden gates and we’re asked what we did, I think we contributed in our own way.
“We’d like to thank all the customers past and present – they were friends more than customers.”
Draycott Confectionery continues to be operated by Mr and Mrs Whilde’s children Philip and Steven, and trades from Allenton and Ilkeston market.
A spokesperson for Derby Market Hall has paid tribute to Mrs Whilde in a post on the market’s Facebook page.
The tribute reads: “We are sad to announce that Viv Whilde has passed away.
“After trading on many markets over the years with her husband Pete on Draycott Confectionery she will be sadly missed. RIP.”
Mrs Whilde’s funeral will be held at Bramcote Crematorium today. Due to the current Covid-19 restrictions, the funeral will be for close family only.
She had a simple outlook on life and was quite happy to talk to people.
Pete Whilde