The Grocers of Lacey Green & Loosley Row
From Lacey Green History
GROCERY STORE KEEPERS research by Joan West
THOMAS DELL
1775 – 1836 In 1775 Thomas Dell set up shop as a baker and chandler in a premises later called Vine Cottage in Lacey Green. click Thomas Dell snr & Ann Dell for their life story
JOHN CARTER & BETSY DELL
At least from 1821 – 1836, his grandson John Carter Dell and his wife Betsy ran the shop as a grocer and beerseller (not necessarily as a pub, but to take away) at Vine Cottage Lacey Green
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JESSE WARD, ALFRED WARD MARY ANN WARD & HENRY ALLEN in Lower Road, Loosley Road.
1841 – 1945 By 1841 Jesse Ward had a general store, selling grocery, carpentry and it was also a post office. His son Alfred and wife Betsy worked there, as did their daughter Mary (Polly), who took over the shop in 1904 and the Post Office in 1906. Polly married in 1913 and she and her husband, Henry Allen, ran the store, adding pocket watches & second hand books to the shop. They retired in 1945 and the shop closed. The store was demolished and replaced by a new house called ‘Green Pastures’.
For more details of these years click Jesse & Ruth Ward, Alfred & Betsy Ward: 1879 Ward versus Ward (court case): Henry & Polly Allen : Post Offices of Loosley Row and Lacey Green
JACOB & REBEKAH DELL
1841 – 1861 In the census of 1841 Jacob and Rebekah Dell are listed as Shopkeepers at Darvills Hill. They may have been grocery store keepers. In the census of 1851 and 1861 they are listed as shopkeepers in Lacey Green. They lived at ‘Lieu de Repos’, later called ‘Highlands’ then ‘Ardengrove’. They were known to smoke kippers there, making a very ‘fishy’ smell.
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JOSEPH & JANE FLOYD & JABEZ & SARAH JANE DELL
1961 – 1901 In 1861 Joseph and Jane Floyd started a grocery store in Church Lane, Lacey Green on rented land. Their daughter was Sarah Jane married Jabez Dell in 1868. The following year he purchased the shop. In the census of 1901 Sarah Jane, aged 70, is listed as grocer and tea trader. After Sarah Jane it became a private House, now called ‘Green Hedges’
click Green Hedges for the story of this property
click Joseph & Jane Floyd for their life story
click Jabez & Sarah Jane Dell for their life story
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HENRY JANES. click Henry & Mary Janes for the life story of Henry Janes
1864 – 1970 In 1864 Henry Janes built a house in Lower Road, Loosley Row. He was a baker and also sold groceries, even though the Ward family’s premises was just along the road. In 1881 he let the shop to Thomas Harvey from High Wycombe.
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ANNIE & GEORGE FLOYD. Annie Floyd inherited from her father Henry Janes in 1889 and continued in this same shop. click George & Annie Floyd for their life story
They added to the groceries with home cured hams and bacon.
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EMILY & ARTHUR HARVEY continue in this same shop.
It was George and Annie’s daughter Emily who took over from them. She married Arthur Harvey in 1930 and he joined the business. After George died, the store bore the sign W. H. Harvey above the door. The range of goods was expanded. Fresh fish was brought from Wycombe on Fridays, they were agents for garden seeds and stocked decorations at Christmas time.
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Emily and Arthur had one daughter, Edna. She helped her mother in the shop, her father and husband running other services. After her mother died Edna carried on alone until 1970 when she closed the shop for good
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ELLEN BROWN click Belle Vue Cottage no 1 for more about this shop.
1891 Census. Ellen Brown, widow, is listed as a grocer and shopkeeper at no 1, Belle Vue, Main Road, Lacey Green. In 1901 it is no longer listed as a grocery, but continues as a sweet shop by Ellen and then by her daughter Min.
Photo below.
WILLIAM & RUTH ANDERSON click William & Ruth Anderson for more of this family. In the census of 1891 and 1901 William and Ruth are listed as having a grocers shop on Upper Woodway, the last property going down, on the left bend into the long stretch of Woodway. William had a small farm. Their shop also specialised in chicken and fish
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HERBERT & ALICE WITNEY click Herbert & Alice Witney for more about his shop
1911 census. Herbert and Alice Witney grocers shop on Upper Woodway.
This was in the other half of the property where William and Ruth Anderson had their shop in 1891 & 1901.
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HAROLD & EMILY HICKMAN click Hickmans Stores for more about this grocery stores
1924 – 1946. Hickmans Stores, Main Road, Lacey Green. Built by Harold Hickman in 1924. This stores was the 1st and only one to sell petrol. Harold died in 1946, leaving it to his wife Emma.
BERT & MAY DELL click Hickmans Stores for more about this grocery business
1946 – 1986. Rented by Bert Dell, Harold and Emma’s nephew. In 1964 Emma died, leaving the Stores to Bert Dell. He and his wife May ran it until they retired in 1986.
1986 - Bert Dell sold the stores to Thomas and Barbara Norris. Thomas Norris sold it to Derek and Maureen Woodbridge. They added newspapers and wine to the stock. About 1995 the shop closed as a grocers shop
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ARTHUR LACEY (TOEY) & WIFE
1934 -1950 At some time during these years, Arthur Lacey (Toey) opened a small grocery on the Main Road in Lacey Green at the ‘Crooked Chimney’, just up the road from Hickmans Stores. The shop was attached on the north side of the house. In the photo the house is on the left, the shop extension is out of the picture.
His wife ran the shop. It didn’t stock much, mainly sweets and tobacco.
However Toey did cook fish and chips, to order, on Fridays, in a shed at the back. Their children delivered the orders.
click Arthur (Toey) & Louisa Lacey for Toey's life story.
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JACK LAWRENCE & HIS WIFE
click Jack & Mrs Lawrence for more about this grocery store.
1934 – 1937 Jack Lawrence, of Hill Croft, Loosley Hill, Loosley Row, started a round selling milk and eggs from his small farm in 1934.
Soon it was a comprehensive shop with groceries and hardware, his eggs and milk, with a delivery round.
He took over the Post Office in 1952.
In 1963 it was reduced in size as Mary, their daughter took over, stocking less grocery products. It was closed in 1997
click Mary Lawrence for Mary's life story.
COMMUNITY STORES
Community Shop Project by Tony Molesworth
Well we finally made it! Lacey Green Stores opened - its doors to the public for the first time on Thursday 16 July 2008.
There was a steady stream of visitors, including of course the inquisitive souls who just wanted to see what it was like. But also a useful number of shoppers who kept the till going (and occasionally confused the operator who had only learned how to use the till a couple of days previously).
So many thanks to all our customers who gave us such an encouraging start.
The room in which the shop is housed is small, although we think that we have achieved an effective layout, and made good use of the space available. We are still working on some additions to the fixtures and fittings that will provide additional shelf space.
At present the shop will be open on Mondays and Thursdays from 08.30 to 1 pm, but we hope to be able to extend the opening times and days.
If we could open every day, we would be able to increase the range and variety of products and services, and, for example, to provide newspapers on a regular basis.
We have a good team at present and the time involvement for any one person is quite small – on average about 5 to 6 hours every 4 weeks or so. To operate with longer opening times we will need more volunteers to help. If you would like to join the team please contact Tony Molesworth (01844 344975), or Angela Roberts (01844 347603), or just drop into the shop and tell us (after buying something of course).
The shop provides basic foodstuffs and household goods. We obviously can't provide everything, but we will do what we can to ensure that your requirements are met, wherever possible. Your feedback to us would be welcome — what would you like us to stock, what opening hours would you prefer, anything else? Preferably, leave a note in the shop.
Just a final note, thanks to everyone that has contributed to the successful opening of the shop. No names — you know who you are! It would not have been possible without your support and enthusiasm, which | hope will continue into the future.
The following is an excerpt from the obituary of Tony Molesworth written by the Editor of Hallmark in 2018 - "It is true to say that without the commitment of Tony Molesworth the Shop Project may never have got off the ground. With the backing of the Village Hall Committee the shop opened in 2008 and has been running for ten years. Tony kept a close eye on the sales and was keen to analyse the results of each day's takings department by department. No mean undertaking for a shop measuring 8ft x 12ft.
2023 Londis opened in the property which was originally Hickmans Stores. click Londis for more.