Friday 21st July 2023
Michelle Ashley writes:
Hi, I was wondering if you could help. I know a gentleman who remembers a cobbler’s and maybe some shops near the area between Sambourne School and Christ Church, Warminster, in the 1950s or 60s. Is there anywhere I can get any photos /information on this? Or is it in any of your books?
Danny Howell replies:
Hello Michelle, thank you for your enquiry. There was indeed a cobbler’s shop at the lower end of Boot Hill, Deverill Road, between Christ Church and the junction with Fore Street.
The cobbler was Herbert Christopher, who was known to all his customers as ‘Mr. Christopher’. In the 1920s his business was in a shed on the west side of the road, but about 1930 he acquired a shed/small shop on the opposite side (east side of the street) and he then ran them as two shops. The one on the east side was his very well patronised cobbler’s. I can remember going there when I was a child in the 1960s, with my father when he needed to get my family’s shoes repaired. It was fascinating to see Mr Christopher working, with the shoe on a last, a little hammer or shears in one hand, with the shoe nails held between his lips. The cobbler’s shop on the east side no longer exists – some houses were built there not so long ago.
You ask about books. One of my books – Warminster In Old Photographs – features two pics – one of both of Mr Christopher’s sheds/shops and some details are given in the captions. That’s on page 16 of Warminster In Old Photographs. Another of my books – Remember Warminster Volume Five – features a brief recollection by Abner Brown about Mr Christopher and his cobbler’s business. That’s on page 84 of that. On the same page is an advert for ‘H. Christopher’s Boot And Shoe Stores, Deverill Road, Warminster’ from a 1933 Warminster Directory. Both books are available for lending from Warminster Library.
I hope this answers your query and will be of interest to the gentleman you mention in your message. Regards, Danny Howell.