Sarah
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Somerset County Herald and Taunton Courier. Saturday 22 Nov 1958
Page 10 Column 5 and 6
THE CHANGED FACE OF TAUNTON
By H. J. CHANNON
ADDRESSING the Taunton and Bridgwater Bankers' Institute a few weeks ago, the Town Clerk of Taunton (Mr. K. A. HORNE) said that more and more towns were being robbed of their individuality by the multiple stores. “There is a danger that we shall become like America, where the chain stores make towns look exactly alike,” he commented. He pointed out that these views were his own and not those of the Corporation.
These remarks cast my mind back over the 55 years I have lived in Taunton. I recall some of the old family businesses that have been replaced by multiple stores.
Changes in North-street
Let us look at some of the changes that have taken place in North-street since 1902. At that time the Castle Hotel faced North-street. When a schoolboy, I heard Parliamentary candidates speak from the verandah over the entrance. Benjamin DISRAELI had spoken from it. Now a multiple shop, Montague Burton, with billiards rooms on the first floor, occupy most of the site.
On this side of an attractive shopping street the long-established firms of Crossman's, outfitters, E. Goodman & Son, printers and stationers, Hepworths, clothiers, and W. & A. Chapman, drapers and furnishers, are still there.
The Fleur de Lis Hotel stood where Charles Hart & Sons, jewellers, have their business. Next door to the Fleur de Lis, E. J. TYLER, the famous Somerset slow bowler, had a tobacconist shop. F. B. Wickenden, cooks and confectioners, gave way to Maynard's Restaurant.
Half Moon Inn
On the opposite side of the street, Toller & Collier, grocers, preceded Moor's Cafe. In 1890 Farrant & Willcocks carried on their profession as surgeons in a house approached by several steps, where the Maypole Dairy Co. now have a shop. The music warehouse of J. E. MINNS will be remembered by many Taunton people. The firm manufactured pianos and organs. The District Bank are erecting a large building on this spot. Taunton will soon lose the 400-year-old Half Moon Inn. George Oliver (Footwear) Ltd. will move here as their premises at 31, Fore-street, are incorporated in the Lloyds Bank rebuilding scheme. Maynards, confectioners, occupy the site of a former 6½d bazaar. The main Post Office was at 9, Hammet-street, in 1902. The present building occupies in North-street the sites of the former Spread Eagle Inn and J. SCOTT, jeweller.
MacFisheries, fishmongers have the site of W. POTTER's hairdressing and hosiery business. The British Home Stores stand where W. E. COUSINS florist and fruiterer, J. H. BALE, bootmaker, and E. A. GOODMAN, ironmonger, had their shops. P. V. PEARCE was a tailor where now Barclays have a bank. The Midland Bank occupies the site of the old Nag's Head Hotel. The Parade Hotel is still there. J. R. MORGAN had a boot and shoe depot on the site of the present National Provincial Bank. The County Stores, grocers, were known as Barter & Duder in 1902. Hammett & Co., printers and stationers, are still in North-street. The Devon and Cornwall Bank occupied the site of the present W. H. Smith & Son, booksellers. Boots Cash Chemists are still with us.
“Jimmy” STANDFAST
Then I recall the names of some well-known tradespeople who, at the beginning of the century, were prominent on the Town Council. The names of James STANDFAST, J. P. SIBLEY, A. J. SPILLER, W. H. WESTLAKE, George HINTON, H. J. Van TRUMP, stand out in my memory. James STANDFAST, a contentious by far-seeing man who lived up to his name, once Mayor of Taunton, a coach builder in East-street, was a thorn in the flesh of the Town Council.
In 1890 the Council was planning Corporation-street, not then a thoroughfare. Opposite the Municipal Building there were a few business premises, including the Old Angel Inn and the shoe shop of H. G. MASSINGHAM. MASSINGHAM had an electric light power station behind his premises, and it was his enterprise that made Taunton the first town in this country to have its streets lit by electricity.
“Jimmy” STANDFAST opposed the Corporation-street plan “tooth and nail.” He argued that it would be better to demolish Bath Place, so that East-street and Park-street would be linked up by a perfectly straight road. This view was adopted by Mr. Thomas SHARP in his “Plan for Taunton,” published in 1948. Mr. STANDFAST always referred to the new Corporation-street as “Squint Street.”
Next week we will not changes in Fore-street and High-street.