Wally Kilminster Shops

Yes how I so well recall the attraction of 'Wally Killminster' your own account describes it perfectly.

They sold load of chemistry apparatus, including all the chemicals to mix and make all sorts or compounds ! I vividly recall buy test tubes, bunsen burners, crucibles and having to save for weeks to eventually be able to buy their most expensive item a 'Glass Retort' at a cost of 15 shillings currently 0.75p I had to clean a lot of cars on a Saturday and Sunday morning to earn that sort of money.

A truly wonderful shop and I'm sure remembered and loved by many.

Nigel Callaghan

I have vivid memories of these two shops. I only used to live a quarter of a mile away and I also spent all my paper round money there. In the 60's the model shop was run by a very courteous man called Laurie and occasionally aided by a gent called Len Hooley who I believe arranged the window and had a connection with distributor/manufacturer company Ripmax models, still around and going strong. I think the sports shop was the first shop Wally Kilmister opened while making his money at motorcycle Speedway racing but I'm not sure how the connection between sports shop and model shop came into being. My mother was born in 1923 and she knew Wally. He was in the shop when mother took her to the shop to buy her some new tap-dancing shoes. Mum used to see and cheer him on at the speedway meetings and would ride her little fairy cycle right into his shop just to see him! and he'd greet her with a cheery "Hello Blondie!" She was good at playing the accordion and later he arranged for her to play to the crowd over the P.A. during the intervals on several occasions.