Everyone I knew at the firm was honest, but wind back a few decades and there are a more than a few stories to tell about Walton’s. Take errand boy William Lawson aged 16, imprisoned for six months in 1864 on pleading guilty to a charge of embezzling several sums of money whilst employed at their Barnsbury branch.
And the firm themselves were prosecuted some years later by London County Council for unlawfully employing one Charles Baillic above the weekly hours permitted for workers under 18, contrary to section four of the Shop Hours Act. A further fine was imposed for allowing the card-bearing notice of the act to be partly obscured by brushes when the premises at 100 Queen’s Crescent were visited.
A series of summonses were also issued for minor food irregularities involving adulterated coffee, orange wine and olive oil, the olive oil stated as “not being generally known to the public”; whilst only one case was proven, an otherwise unblemished record in food retailing was, perhaps, slightly tarnished.
8 thoughts on “Wednesday Picture: A personal history of a grocery chain in Kentish Town”
Fascinating. My parents had two grocery shops in Kentish Town – Hoyles.
They moved away in about 1960.
Where were the two shops located?
Hello Des,
Great to find someone who not only worked for W.H & P but is also interested in the firm’s history. Did we ever meet? I joined the Company around 1974.
Kind regards,
Mike Walton
My Father managed the store in East Lane North Wembley for a number of years, and we lived above the Shop until 1967 when I left home to get married. My Father also ran Wembley,then Ickenham then finally just before he retired Brookmans Park
Hi Mike, I also worked at WH&P. Branch 5, Court Parade Wembley, under Peter Duckworth and Roger Woods. I then went on to manage branch 19, Field End Road Eastcote, until it closed in 1981. I look back at those days with fond Memories; Happy Days!
from Anthony Abrey: I worked in both Golders Green W H & P manager Mr Webb and Falloden Way manager Mr Bull for about four years in total then left to join the
Civil Service. I enjoyed every moment. Doe anyone have a photo of either of these
branches?
Great read. My grandad & great uncle (Reg & Eric Saunders) had a dry cleaning shop on Kentish Town high road from 1957 until 1985. My great uncle who’s 84, still tells me great stories about the area, they new everyone, as we all lived in Willis Rd near the baths. It’s now an army surplus shop.
The chap in the picture is Lenny goldsmith .