Shoe Shop/Bridge Mission

A Memory of Woodford Bridge.

Looking at this picture brings back memories of the Bridge Mission. You went down a alleyway, I think beside a tie factory and a shop called Grants. Because I had very small feet, the kind Mr Grant got my shoes in specially. They were always very small, tight and pointed, and were very painful to walk in; but because he went to so much trouble, I never said a word. The Mission, I was in the Girls Brigade there. It was originally run by a Mr Werninck, and then my own father ran the Sunday school, Tom Stow.


Added 04 February 2013

#239962

Comments & Feedback

Hi Valerie, if you were in the G.L.B. around 1946 to 1950, do you remember a Margaret Hyde??
It was interesting to see a mention of the Bridge Mission and the Wernincks. We moved to Woodford Bridge in 1949 to a brand new council house in Hazeleigh Gardens and for quite a while went to the Bridge Mission to services and Sunday School. I think my mum may have helped with the GLB there as I believe she had been a Captain in the GLB at South Woodford Baptist Church in George Lane, before I was born. I was a cadet at the Bridge Mission for a while I think though my memories are rather hazy.
I didn't remember the shoe shop's name but I am sure my early pairs of shoes would have come from Grant's in the very early 1950s. I remember Gunton's nearby - I am pretty sure they were the shop that sold bikes, and I saved for my first proper bike - a BSA - which we bought from them. I used to save pocket money and Christmas and birthday money in a post office savings account at the local post office. There was a haberdashers shop in the same area which we used a lot. I think it was run by 2 ladies who seemed rather elderly to me then.

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