Among the items donated to my local heritage group Auld Earlston is a photocopy of the first edition of " "The Earlston Comet", published Saturday October 10th, 1891.
Old newspapers are fascinating documents. They
enable us to "experience" events as they were recorded in the press of
the time, featuring "Local, District, London and Foreign Intelligence". The advertisements can often be as interesting as the news.
As was the custom at the time, advertisements were given space on the front page for maximum impact.
So what were Earlston people being encouraged to buy in 1891?
Taking centre stage were promotions by the drapers and clothiers in the village, and we get a good description of what the well dressed man or woman would be wearing in the late 19th century.
Thomas Clendinnen & Sons, Drapers, Milliners and Clothiers announced their:
ANNUAL AUTUMN SALE,For the whole of their stock, replete with all the latest novelties in Plain and Diagonal Serges, Homsepun, Twist, Knicker Checked and Striped, Dress Tweeds,
Ladies Jackets, Braemar and Russian Cloaks,
Trimmed Hat and Bonnets in Newest Style
White, Scarlet and Shetland Flannels
Gentleman's Tweed Suits - Made to Measure- From 37s.6p
New Melton and Diagonal Overcoats from 30s.
All garments carefully made and finished - Perfect Fit Guaranteed.
In the 1891 census, 32 year old draper
Thomas Clendinnen lived on the High Street with his 72 year old mother
Jane named as head of the household. The drapers was very much a family
business that included Thomas, his mother, his sister Marion, and
brothers Henry and Charles.
The constant desire is to supply goods of Reliable Quality"The largest and cheapest collection of Autumn and Winter drapery goods to be seen in any warehouse in the South of Scotland.
suitable for all classes of the parish."
[Note that phrase "All classes of the parish" - you could not use that now!]
Also in the field of fashion was David Wallace, with:
"An Immense and Magnificent Collection of every New and Fashionable Dress Material....which for Variety, Superior Quality, Good Taste and Moderate Prices is unequalled in Earlston.
Tweeds in Cheviot, Homespun, Harris and Grampian makes, latest styles and newest mixtures, Black materials in great variety.
The latest novelties in Millinery, Flowers, Feathers etc. Bonnets composed of Velvet and Jet, from 10s.6d to 25s. The latest novelty in hats is Gladys in French Beaver, trimmed with Feathers. All orders for this Department made up in the most Fashionable and Tasteful Manner."
Note the reference to "black materials" - at a time when formal mourning wear was still the custom. Somehow the name "Gladys" does not quite conjure up to me an image of a French beaver hat with feathers!
Draper David Wallace was listed in the 1891 census as at the High Street with his wife Ruth, two young children Robert and Ruth, and eldest son Henry described as a Draper's Apprentice.
Occupying
the same premises in 1901 was 25 year old draper George McDonald.
Unmarried he was living at 15 Station Road with his father John, a
saddler, mother Jane and two brothers David and James who were also
saddlers. George must have been an enterprising lad, as at the age of
15 in the previous census of 1891, he was also listed as a draper.
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Background Information:
According to the 1901 census, the population of Earlston was 1677. Shops in the village included:
6 grocers/spirit dealers/ironmongers, 3 butchers, 2 bakers, 5 tailor/drapers/ clothiers, 3 watchmakers/clockmakers/'jewellers, 1 confectioner, 1 chemist, 3 dressmakers/ milliners, and 1 fishman & earthenware dealer.
According to the 1901 census, the population of Earlston was 1677. Shops in the village included:
6 grocers/spirit dealers/ironmongers, 3 butchers, 2 bakers, 5 tailor/drapers/ clothiers, 3 watchmakers/clockmakers/'jewellers, 1 confectioner, 1 chemist, 3 dressmakers/ milliners, and 1 fishman & earthenware dealer.
What was striking was the number of women in business - Miss Jane Douglas,
confectioner; Mrs Margaret Kerr & Mrs Jane Readman grocers; Miss
Margaret Mcdonald, Miss Jane Wood & Miss Isa Tennant. dressmakers
& milliners; Mrs Agnes Smith, baby linen, Mrs Isabella
Winchester, draper, and "in charge of the telephone call office" Miss Isabella Aitchison.
Thirty
years later in 1931 saw listed: 3 grocers/ironmonger, 1 butcher, 1
baker, 3 tailor/clothier/drapers, 1 watchmaker, 3 confectioner, 1
chemist, 3 milliners/dressmaker, and 2 newsagents.
Today we are left with 2 convenience stores, a butcher a baker, chemist, flower shop, sweet shop, 3 pubs/hotels, 2 hairdressers, a beauty salon, a craft shop, an electrical shop, a cafe, a tearoom and a fish & chip shop.
How times have changed!
Shopping Saturday is one of many daily prompts from Geneabloggers.com encouraging writers to record aspects of their family history.
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The
Crippen story aroused enormous public interest at the time - See more
at:
http://www.historytoday.com/richard-cavendish/execution-dr-crippen#sthash.Rvy7ZSbM.dp
Interesting. I like looking at ads in old newspapers too. I wonder if the first family lived upstairs over their shop. on Shopping Saturday - Advertisements in 1891
ReplyDeleteThank you Kristin for your comment. Yes, you are right, in Earlston many shopkeepers at this time lived above their shop.
ReplyDelete