Civic Square

Arthur Bond's Shop

Civic Square, around 1930
A published post card

My grandfather, Arthur George Bond, had a shop at number 13 in the late 1920s or early 1930s. It would most likely have been a gent’s outfitters as that it what he had in Dartford before he left there. I cannot tell from the picture which was his shop.

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  • This photo of Civic Square before the floods as it is on one level in photo.

    By susan mccrory nee malthouse (10/02/2018)
  • Wasn’t the Gent’s outfitters called MacWinns?

    By Percy Dalton (26/04/2015)
  • Number 3 Civic Square was World Stores.  My dad was Shop Manager there from 1957 to 1963.  We lived above the shop and I can remember the railings and steps at the front of the shops being put in.  There was also a wool/drapery shop further along the row that had a hairdressers in the back.  Batas shoe shop was next to World Stores at number 4 and number 2 was the Gas showrooms.  There was also a hardware shop further along where my Mum used to get the paraffin from for our heater.

    By Jan Gomme (18/02/2015)
  • Bata shoe shop was no.4 Civic Square. Next door to that ( going away from Pigg’s ) was a gentleman’s outfitters. Can’t remember the name but it was managed or owned by a Fred Goodwin. This would have been in the 60’s maybe.

    By Richard Bennett (31/01/2014)
  • Regarding the shops in St Chads Road There was a hairdressers in that block The name I can’t remember Before Williams took over the newsagents it was run by a Mr and Mrs Cheenys The Orient off licence by a Mr and Mrs Hills.They had shop for many years.I knew Eric Bland who had grocers shop very well I also remember his father before him The land next to the fish shop was previously a small transport cafe with parking space for trucks and cars etc If we were lucky and chose the right day we could get apportion of peas pudding for three pence that’s old money Further along by the school there was Harts a butchers the manager was George ,his cashier was Winnie Seaman whose family owned Seamans which was once in Calcutta Road The grocers was Cokers run by sisters Dolly and Rene I knew them both very well I was in there most days Stones the sweet shop was formerly owned by Barretts who was there for many years He was still there when I left school in 1955.Further along past Christchurch Road. We had Beckleys on the left next was Lowes a newsagents although it changed hands along the way we had Barbers which was a butchers and then George’s a green grocers .On the opposite side of the road there was Larkins a hardware store they always had goods hanging from the ceiling kettles etc and always a strong smell of paraffin Along that block was Frosts a wool shop Davies the chemists before they moved to the premises by the traffic lights.There was Berrys a shoe repairers Stan Browns the barbers Hammonds a fish and chip shop On the end was Digbys they sold train sets Dinky toys .Meccano sets They also had a single petrol pump I believe they did motor car repairs too Along further on the left was a hairdressers Ballerds a Post Office  Salmons a hardware store and then a shop that some electrical goods and records it always seemed to be in a mess Directly opposite all on its own was Wades a grocers and provisions later to become the CO-OP before they moved to Calcutta Road On the opposite what is now Davies the chemists was Gaffeys a hutlike building They seemed to sell most things You were served from the street 

    By Terry Clark (29/01/2014)
  • The barbers in Civic Square was Weeks Stan Brown was in St Chads Road until they knocked it down I believe two of barbers who worked for Stan Brown later worked at Tindales which was also in Civic Square  

    By Terry Clark (28/01/2014)
  • In the 50’s I remember the newsagent/sweet shop as Dungies. The barber at the back of the shop – maybe Stan Brown ?

    By Barry Banks (27/01/2014)
  • The newsagents in Civic Square was previously Grover’s and there was a barbers at back and the barbers name was Mr Weeks who lived in Leighton Gardens

    By Terry Clark (26/01/2014)
  • I can remember Piggs was on the corner next to Piggs was Gas showrooms then World Stores then i think you will find it was Bonds and then bata shoe shop

    By Elaine Holmes (16/03/2013)
  • I remember the shop through the 60s and early 70s, my grandad always called it Bonds, . . Its the only place he could buy the flat caps he wore. . . I still remember going in there and asking for a dog tooth check cheese cutter size 6 and 7/8ths!!

    By larraine jackson (04/01/2013)
  • Although I wasn’t born until 1962, I dont think many of these shops had changed. I remember the near end shop (Manor Road end) was called ‘Pigg’s. During the early 70s the shop next door was the ‘British Gas Showroom’ then came the launderette. I think it was then ‘Bonds’ and ‘Bata’s the shoe shop (or vice versa) . From the Anchor pub end, I remember ‘Tindall’s’ the barbers and ‘Bairds’ the bakers. . . Somewhere in the middle came the bookmakers and the news agents that became ‘Martins’. with the bus stop outside where you could get the 370 bus from and travel all the way to Romford!! If you went to the other side of Civic Square, opposite the library you could get the Green line bus all the way into London!!

    By larraine jackson (04/01/2013)
  • I remember a gents outfitters in the early 60’s. I think 3rd or 4th from the left. Maybe they took it over from your grandfather. They used to put an item of clothing in the window and reduce it every day by a shilling until someone bought it.

    By Cliff Cowin (21/10/2012)

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