Cake shops and toy stores - a few of your favourite things
REMINDERS OF SEAHAM’S SHOPS WERE SPOTTED BY MORE THAN 34,000 SUNDERLAND ECHO READERS
Fabulous Nicholson’s cake shop and the toy store with the latest Hornby trains. They were just two of the memories for Echo readers when we asked them to recall this old photograph of Church Street in Seaham.
More than 34,000 of you took an interest in our post which appeared on social media and there were dozens of you who wanted to tell us more.
It was Brian Slee who got us off to a great start when he said: “I know Grey’s isn’t showing, it’s Maxwells in the picture, but I just loved looking in Greys window as a lad.
“The right hand side by the door as you went in the shop had the latest Dinky Toys or Hornby trains .... I used to window shop there all the time, simply loved it. Sometimes got a car etc or gave my parents my “Santa’s order”!!”
Ann Smith told us: “Not that long ago, I can remember when the whole of Church Street was open to traffic and you took your life in your hands crossing the road before it was pedestrianised. The Sunderland and Shields was once Boots the chemist before the new shop was built.”
George Smith recalled the days when he took on a daunting repair task. “If you look carefully there is a rediffusion cable crossing church street. I was sent up onto the roof of the building to secure it to a chimney stack after a storm.. No safety gear, just a ladder and me.”
Our thanks to Liz Savage who said: “Aw what a fabulous photo and great memories. My mam absolutely loved Nicholson’s the cake shop and also she loved Ayre’s shops. The one pictured here in Church Street and the other shop round the corner in Adelaide Row. My uncle Horace (shepherd) worked as a delivery driver here right up until he was 77yrs old! Remarkable man.
“I remember Crawford’s the cake shop, well, too. Great pic!”
We also thank Julie Hall for telling us: “First thing that came to mind when I saw the photo of Ayres was the lovely delivery man & his van. x”
And Liz Savage replied: “Yeah he was no bother at all.”
Colin Branthwaite commented: “I was a regular
as a kid 50’s and
60’s. I remember the
shops well, particularly
Milburns shop.” He added: my dad a miner to everyone in the street and me mam complained it took twice as long to do the shopping because of his gassing. I’d love to go back to those days.” Stephen Mcglenen was very helpful with his reply. He told us: “Just where the 3 car’s are was a jewellers Harold’s. Got Linda’s engagement ring there.” Liz Metcalf recalled: “When I left school in 1974 I started work in Speeds, its now the prize bingo.”
Thank you also to Paula Lovesameme Holmes who said: “My mam used to work in the bakers at the top.”
Debra Winlow said: “My Mam worked in Crawfords, now I’m working down the road. How things come round.”
And Debbie Richardson reminisced: “I used to work in R.A.S Browns Chemist opposite woolies In the early 70s, happy days.”
Another shop to get plenty of comments was Ayres.
Linda Frater used to work there when she left school while Connie Watson said: “Yes.. Lovely cooked meats in Ayres shop.. Church Street was much better then.”
Naomi Readman said: “Yes! My mother used to do her shopping at Ayres. Happy memories.”
Julie Cole shopped at “Ayers and Nicholson’s” and Billy Harrison added: “Me dad had a typewriter shop next to Ayres.”
Ann Clarke said: “I can remember working at Duncan’s in the 1960s” while Janette McCourt said: “Wish Church Street was still like this.”
Janis Quigley described the reminder of Seaham as “very precious and special memories of going there now that I am living in Northern Ireland.”
Carole Wallace recalled: “My Mam worked in Nicholsons” and Anne Hemsley T’assell said: “Remember them well. School at top of street.”
Plenty of people said they would love to see a return to those good old days, such as Diane Robinson who said: “It looks better then than it does now” and Ian Sutherland who commented: “So much better then.” And Paul Garnett reminisced: “All good all gone.”
Thanks to everyone who shared their comments and if you would like to add your own, email chris.cordner@jpress.co.uk.
“My mam loved Nicholson’s the cake shop” LIZ SAVAGE