Top Of The High Street

A Memory of Bovingdon.

The account by Anne Broomehead is partly correct but jumbled, having lived in Bovingdon since 1960 and worked for Mr Grainger as a paperboy, and knew Ted Gadd like an old "uncle", this is the correct version. The paper shop was where the travel agents stood before giving way to demolition, and it was behind this building that the wooden shed stood where we collected our papers to take out on our "round". The papers were marked up for delivery by Molly Smart. Apart from Mr and Mrs Grainger Harold and Joan, and Mr and Mrs Gadd Ted and Clarice, other people to work in the top paper shop included Doris Gilbert and a young Angela Saunders. Across the road the fruit and veg shop was owned and run by Bruce and Betty Ward, with assistance by Wendy Wilson. Next door was the Graingers toy and card shop (it never sold papers) who were assisted by the kind Mrs Fiddler. The Wards and Graingers jointly purchased the land and built these shops. Bruce Ward owned another fruit and veg shop in Northchurch, after selling the Bovingdon shop, that briefly was a car parts shop before becoming a Chinese take-away, he returned to Northchurch to run his other shop. Iris Williams Hairdressers was formerly a hairdressers run by Mrs Dollymoore and next to that a grocers shop owned by Nellie Murdock for whom my dad delivered orders on a butcher's bike for her. The Wards that run the fruit and veg shop in the centre of the village was Timmy Ward and no relation to Bruce and Betty. Local history can get muddled so I hope this helps.