Quick question: Art shop just off West Street

[ellenaitch]

Thinking about it, the shop didn't locate to the bottom of the Moor; it was beyond that, to what a think was the bottom of London Road, as you say Purdyamos. It was right on the corner, near a Black & Decker shop, as I recall, though the details are a bit sketchy.

 

Hecate, I think you mean Whitehead's which was just on London Road. The old man there used to sell everything arty and it was all over the place. Tiny boxes and pots holding bits and pieces.

 

Anyway, if that's where you mean, it's now called "Craft Haven" and is run by a great bloke called John who used to work at Hobbycraft. They run craft classes and have card-making demonstrations.

 

As for Andrew's, I went to the City Grammar School and used to spend hours in Andrew's. Years later, they began doing classes upstairs and I went to Pergamano for a while, but I found I hadn't the necessary patience required!

 

I also remember the handwritten closure notice in the window.

[Asparagus69]

It was Andrews. In 1944 Andrew's youngest son, John who was set to inherit the business was shot down over France and killed and a successor was never realised, so the family continued to run it until they reached retirement and was eventually sold to WHSmith who continued under the name Andrews for a while. My paternal Grandmother was John's sister.