Mrs Thurley's Sweet Shop
A transcription of this audio clip can be found below.
Mrs Thurley ran a sweet shop and tobacconist from a wooden hut in West Way (formerly known as Kneesworth Road) in the 1940’s and 1950’s.
“The shop at the top of West Way was run by Mrs Thurley who lived at Number 1. She used to sell sweets, chocolate, lemonade and Tizer, also cigarettes and tobacco. It was very handy as we lived outside the village.“
Doreen Clarke
The hut can still be seen on ground near West Way.
Daphne Pepper also remembers Mrs Thurley’s sweet shop. Click on the ‘play’ button on the audio bar at the top of this page to hear Daphne talking about it.
Mrs Thurley lived in the first house at West Way and she used to have a little sweet shop opposite. There was a gateway there that led into Norman’s field. He used to let her have a piece of the field and she used to have a sweet shop. When you wanted anything you used to go and knock at her door and she used to come over and serve you. She did have other things as well; I mean butter and things like that which she had in the house but the little place over the field was definitely for sweets. It was like a little wooden shed with steps up to it and it was there for a long time. In those days you could leave everything in that shed overnight as I don’t ever remember anything happening because we would have known. (Transcription by Gloria Willers)
Comments about this page
Hi Brian, Would it be possible to be a digitized copy of the picture of Frederick and Beatrice either by email directly to me or by you posting it on this site?
Frederick and Beatrice Coe were my mother’s parents, my Grandparents, although by the time I was born in 1944, my Grandfather had died. I believe at one time they lived in Melbourn and their cottage burnt down one evening along with quite a few others. I’ve often wondered if that is why they ended up in Meldreth in whatever house was available. I have photographs of both Frederick and Beatrice hanging on our family picture wall in my lounge. Beatrice had a sister called Kate and I am still in touch with her daughter Daphne who lives in Welwyn Garden City and is now in her mid 80’s.
Hi Brian, Who were Marion’s parents? I have a Meldreth based William Thurley and Grace Brown in my tree. William had a brother, Frederick, who married a Beatrice Coe. Were these two Marion’s parents?
Just browsing the website and came across this. Mrs.Thurley was my mother’s Aunt, my Mother being Marion Walbey (nee Thurley) and she and I used to visit Aunt Grace and Uncle Bill at No.1 regularly in the 1950’s on our way to also visit my grandparents, Charles and Mary Walbey at No.7. I can remember the stock of sweets etc. and I usually got to pick which one I would like to set me on my way.
This hut was on wheels and I was told that it was in the field opposite Number 1 West Way. Does anybody else remember the shop? Do you remember Mrs Thurley selling sweets and cigarettes at the Atlas?
Add a comment about this page