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In August 1870 Mr Thomas F. Willis opened his new family butcher shop at these premises. In the same month he was a ticket agent for the grand annual Conservative Fete, featuring the band of the Cotswold Rifles and balloon ascents for the brave.
Mr Willis, who also had shops in the High Street and in Winchcombe Street, lived here in Bath Road and offered meat at reduced prices after 6pm on Saturday evenings. When the shop came up for sale in 1876 it was advertised with a marble front, a private yard, a stable and a pump of good water.
In the early 1880s Mr. George Noon, a boot and shoe maker started a trade here that was to last for almost 100 years. Little is known about Mr Noon but by 1883 he had relocated his business to Oriel Terrace. In 1890 there was a blacksmith’s forge in the building behind the shop.
Elizabeth and Frederick Skinner established their footwear business, F.W.Skinner, in these premises when George Noon moved, in 1883. Frederick, born in Cheltenham in about 1858, was the son of Francis and Caroline Skinner, whose family ran a china and glass business in the High Street since 1830. Frederick, a performer and professor of music, was the organist at Cambray Baptist church for 26 years. Elizabeth, who was the boot and shoe dealer, was born in about 1859 in the Somerset town of Wincanton. The building was owned by their neighbour Charles Phipps, until his death, and was then sold by his trustees to Mr Skinner.
Frederick Skinner was the eldest of three brothers, the youngest of which, Francis, was also in the retail shoe business.
Francis Skinner married Marie Leyshon in Cheltenham in 1883 and soon afterwards opened his own shoe shop in the High Street. They had three children, including a son, Hector. However Marie suffered with ill health, as a result of which the family sold the High Street shop and moved to Cheshire.
During the First World War Hector served in France, where he was gassed during the Battle of the Somme. He met and married Muriel and returned to Cheltenham, buying back the family business in the High Street, which had been sold some years before. Francis, now a widower, returned to Cheltenham with Hector and Muriel.
Meanwhile in Bath Road, Frederick continued his business, assisted by Miss Mugford. Elizabeth died in 1922 and Frederick 10 years later. Since they had no surviving children, the business passed to their nephew, Hector, and the name of the Bath Road shop changed to H.L. Skinner.
In the 1930s a good pair of shoes would have cost about 1 guinea (one pound and 5 pence), whilst ladies fashion shoes were from 8s 11d (45 pence) and slippers 2s 11d (15 pence).
Peter, Hector’s son, assisted in the business when he was old enough. As an errand boy he took customers shoes to the repairers on his bicycle. After the Second World War the shop changed name to H L Skinner and Son. Many people will remember Miss White, who was with the Skinners for a very long time.
After Hector’s death in 1967 the Bath Road shop closed, but Peter continued running the High Street shop until 1975, when he retired.
This shop was bought in 1971 by Mr and Mrs Malvern, who ran it as a haberdashery and wool shop, trading as Spin-A-Yarn. After 18 years Mrs Malvern retired from the business and these premises were leased to the Red Cross, to become one of the first charity shops in Bath Road. In 2000 the main shop moved next door, to be replaced here by the Red Cross Bookshop.
Researcher: Marilyn West
Updated: Stuart Manton (Jan 2018)
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