Back in 1971 when the main Post Office on Canvey was in the purpose built building in Furtherwick Road there was a Post Office strike. These photos show Canvey Islanders queuing for their pensions and benefits and they look very well behaved and in good spirits. The Salvation Army are on hand making cups of tea.
The buildings far right at the top are long gone to make way for the Knightswick Centre. The buildings middle back are still standing. Can you make out the names of the shops and do you remember them?
Is you mum, dad, Nan etc in the queue? If you recognise anyone please comment below.
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my grandad Merry is in the 3rd photo down he is the one with the hat on looking directly at the camera.
Hello
The building in the third picture with Maypole written on it was Canvey’s first supermarket built around the latee 50s and the tall building in the distance along Knightswick road was Sylvia Shentons hairdressers
Regards
Sparrow
3rd picture; On the corner Renee’s Lady’s Fashions( old Barclays Bank) Warwicks newsagents/tobacconists, out of shot Eardley Burbridge (Pegleg) Barber and Hoyles Butchers. 4th picture; Going towards Knightswick Rd as Sparrow says; the Maypole, behind the striped side awning, a greengrocers owned by a tall Welshman who always wore a grey warehouse coat. On the corner of Waarden Rd,completely out of sight, the Eastern Electricity showroom. These buildings replaced Strutt’s Stores and high up on one of the walls is an old looking sign saying Strutt’s Corner. Other side of Waarden, Mr Plant’s drapery, haberdashery, baby clothes then Shillum’s grocers,Alfie Smiths hardware, paraffin etc, Ware’s Glass and finally Galbally’s DIY (for a bit of commision Mr Galbally would change a cheque if there was too much of a queue across the road at Barclays)
Hello
Nice to share your memories Graham. The tall welsh man was Glynn Evans who was somehow related to Joyce Kimber who worked there.
Regards
Sparrow
Hi Sparrow, Thanks for jogging my memory re Mr Evans’ name.
PS.I’ve just checked the sign and it is actually a concrete plaque embedded in the brickwork above the door of the former EEB showroom. It states; STRUTTS CORNER 1960. The date might just apply to that particular building but I think all that block were built around about that time.
PPS. If anybody is interested in sharing more memories about the development of Furtherwick Rd come along to the Archive meeting on Wed 31st May at the Memorial Hall. Graham.
I’ve just seen the comments over a year on and thought I would explain. My Grandparents, Ted and Mert Kimber, had owned the old Strutts Stores which was on the site from before the War when they moved down from Walthamstow. My grandmother was originally a Strutt and the family had a Sweet Shop and market stalls in Walthamstow. They sold part of their land for the Canvey Post Office and yard to be developed, part to the Maypole, and the rest was developed as 2 shops with flats above, one each for their 2 daughters and families. My dad was Glyn Evans, my mum Jess and they had the greengrocer and we lived above. Joyce was my Aunt and they lived in the flat next door and they rented the shop downstairs to the electricity board.
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