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41-43 Great Norwood Street (formerly 19 & 20)

The street numbers have changed at least once since this property was built in the later part of the 19th century. We know that for many years this was a grocers in the hands of the Palmer family. By 1891 Richard A Palmer traded here as a grocer and he was succeeded in about 1908 by J. Arnold Palmer. ​In November 1911 the corner shop, 20 Great Norwood Street, was offered for sale. It came back on the market in 1914, when the fixtures and fittings were also advertised, including a marble slab and mahogany counters.

The next recorded business at these premises was J.A. Gilchrist, Cycle & Motor Cycle Depot. James Arthur Gilchrist opened his shop in about 1919 and traded here until 1923. He is the 3rd person from the left in the photograph of the shop, which occupied both 19 and 20 Great Norwood Street.

1922

By 1924 Mr Gilchrist had moved on and worked at St James Garage, in Back Montpellier Terrace. At the time of his death in 1960 he lived at 62 Upper Norwood Street.

Photo courtesy of Susan Davis
Echo, 11th June 1926
Echo, 23rd July 1928

By 1926, 19 & 20 Great Norwood Street were occupied by Mrs E Tilley, who ran the Cash Drapery & Clothing Stores and sold men’s suits for as little as 18s 11d (about 90p). This then became the Norwood Cash Drapery Stores and, in 1928, Hook’s Cash Drapery and Clothing.

1931

From 1938-43 this was the sweet shop of Mrs Mary Chapman, who had previously been in the Bath Road (see our Local Memories page for 166 Bath Road (the “Big Fish”) for more details.

Mary Chapman, Great Norwood Street, 1943 (photo courtesy of Marilyn West)

​By 1961 the shop had become a carpet dealer owned by Mr P.Drabble, who was here until at least 1975.

Antique & Modern Fireplaces

Researcher: Stuart Manton (October 2020)

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