My mother was born in Cannington and was working in Minehead. They married in 1933.
My father worked his way up to become the manager of the newly opened Coop in Quirke Street. It was half way up on the right hand side going up. I think it was where Ken Harrisons motorbike repair shop once was. His assistant there was a lovely lady named Mrs Baker, whom, I believe lived in West street. I was too young to know her by anything other than Mrs Baker.
He joined the AFS (Axillary Fire Service) during the war and was stationed in Minehead and Bridgwater. He saw service and fought terrible fires in Bristol and Exeter. The picture, above right, was taken outside the fire station in Market House Lane. This is now the CAB (consumer advice bureau). My father is centre back and the only others I know are; Mr Franklin third from left bottom row, Mr Sillet next to him and Doris Merrett next to him - she also worked in Floyds behind the haberdashery counter. Mr Franklin was the Coop Insurance man. The air raid siren was later used to call the fire brigade. It was up behind the town clock for ages after the War. There was quite a celebration when bells were installed in the firemen’s houses instead of that horrible siren going off.
At some point ( around 1945) the coop moved from Quirke Street to Friday Street where my father was also the manager, with Mrs Baker and also I believe Eric Causey and Clary Cook worked there at some time. Later, the shop next door was acquired by the coop and became a furniture shop, with the manager, a Mr Pierce. Further down Friday street (I think it was where Friday print is now) the coop opened a mens outfitters with the manager, Mr Brown.
The Coop premises are now Andrew Priddys photographers shop. The yard is still there with a homebrew shop to the left of the yard.
In 1952 my parents embarked on a business venture, and bought the Fish and Chip shop in Quirke Street (no.16) from Mr Butcher who came in to start with, to show them the ropes. This was the only chip shop in Minehead at the time. There was one in Brook street Alcombe which was then owned by the Winter family.
Wilf Mockridge worked here full time and was also the full time gardener for Dr Bain in Parkhouse road, and Mr Duffle of the Red House Hopcott road. He was the owner of the Dorrien restaurant with his partner Ken Lee.
The café side of the chip shop had 6 tables and was always full. Shirley Phillips helped there for a long time as a waitress before going to a teachers training college. She subsequently became a headmistress and lived in Trull, near Taunton. She married Charlie Atkins who lived in Friday street. He was working at the Post office, starting off as a messenger/telegraph boy, then postman to counter assistant and eventually working at the Taunton main Post Office.
Some other people that worked for my parents were Queenie Hobbs, Mrs Sillet and Joyce Salter, from Bampton street. My mother new Joyce from their time working together, during the war years as ‘clippies’ on the Buses.(picture bottom centre). Incidentally - The bus station was in the Avenue where the Cooperative (now Leo’s) supermarket was later built. My parents eventually built up such a good reputation that there were sometimes queues all the way down Quirke street and even into Friday street ! The picture (bottom left) shows my mother sat outside the café part of the chip shop in about 1955.
After about 10yrs, around 1962 they were decided to sell and get a less busy business. They sold to a man from up country that had recently come out of the forces. I cant remember his name. He sold the shop and it was subsequently converted into flats.
‘CUM-N-ZEE’ . Tony Ridler and his brother-in-law Peter Yendole bought the other shop and started the sheepskin shop. Later a building was built to the right of my mother’s shop and that became a bookies. At this moment in time it’s a toy shop. My mother moved the gift part from the Bluebird shop to this shop and my father could then stock more groceries. They continued with the 2 shops until they retired.