Harvey's Stores

click Shops for other retail outlets

THE PROPERTY

This brick and flint cottage on Lower Road, Loosley Row was built in 1864 by Henry Janes (Click Henry & Mary Janes).   The cottage had a bread oven and grocery shop.  There he lived with his wife Mary and their children were born there.    By 1881 Henry had built for himself a new bakehouse (click The Bakehouse) in Lacey Green on the corner of Goodacres Lane.   He let the Loosley Row premises to a grocer, who by coincidence was named Thomas Harvey, but unrelated to A. W. Harvey (the name above the shop).   When Henry died he left the Lacey Green bakery to his son Hezekiah.   The Loosley Row Shop and Lane Cottages, Loosley Row nearby, he left to his daughter Annie.

Drawing by Miles Marshall

FLOYD’S STORES

Annie was married to George Floyd (click George & Annie Floyd) They had two daughters Daisy and Annie.

Harvey's Stores, Lower Road, Loosley Row did not get this name until 1935 George Floyd died and his daughter Emily and Son-in law Arthur Harvey took over. It had previously been known as 'Floyd's Stores' Click Emily & Arthur Harvey

Research by Miles Marshall

EMILY INHERITS. It was Emily who eventually took over the business.   Arthur moved into the shop but continued working as a builder for White Bros. in High Wycombe until George became ill and Arthur took over the coal and carrying side of the business, while Emily ran the stores.

Mr A Rutland of Whiteleaf View, Shootacre Lane, Princes Risborough provided the following coal bill bought of Thomas Harvey, Coal Merchant and Mealman of Loosley Row, dated 14th January 1897 :-

10 cwt (half a ton) of coal 11 shillings (55p).

When George died in 1935 the name of the shop was changed to “A W Harvey”.

POST OFFICE. The sub-post office was added to their other activities in 1945. (this was the 5th post office. Click Post Offices of Loosley Row and Lacey Green) Emily and her mother Annie still ran the shop.  During the war Arthur had to work in an aircraft factory in Princes Risborough.   He still delivered the groceries after factory hours but the carrier business had to go.  After the war he worked at Bomber Command until he retired in 1973.

Arthur died in 1980. Ted Janes, editor of Hallmark wrote :- " Mr Arthur Harvey, The Stores, Loosley Row. I suppose there are few people who can remember Mr and Mrs Harvey running the shop and post office, assisted by daughter Edna. Mr Harvey delivered the groceries on Friday evenings when he had finished his own employment.

But what I remember is his pluck in the last few years of his life, struggling with his crutches up the Loosley Hill to get his pension or have a drink at The Whip. I remember thinking when the Parish Council decided to erect a seat on the hill what a boon it would be for Mr Harvey. Alas he died before the seat was erected.

EDNA. Arthur and Emily had a daughter Edna in 1935.   She lived and worked at the shop.  After her mother died in 1962 she took over, with some help from her father.   She had married Donald J Bailey and they had one son.   With both men working she carried on for eight years but as her father needed more care she decided in 1970 to have a sale and close the shop for good.