Tilbury Floods
A. Ginns and Son on Calcutta Road
My grandparents shop A. Ginns and Son on Calcutta Road. The shop stood on what is now the car park/market. Both my parents worked in the shop with my grandparents, they were Dennis and Betty Ginns and my grandparents were Alfred and Lilian Ginns. My mum often spoke of her time in the shop and also the floods and how my dad delivered orders to customers in a rowing boat.
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Hello Audrey, first of all thank you for putting all the information on this site. My grandmother was Ethel Summersby, she in fact had the (wardrobe shop), I have never heard that description I only knew no. 58, Calcutta Rd as nanny ‘s drapery shop. Her maiden name was Ethel Brockis and Brockises was in fact a drapers.
I remember mum, Brenda Summersby being told that the shop had been hit by a bomb, in fact it was 1944 and a doodlebug had hit the gas mains across the road hence it blew all the way back across to all the shops connected to it. Nanny was rushed of to Tilbury hospital with minor injuries but serious gas poisoning, grandad was crying and his tears were streaking his black and dusty cheeks. I was shocked because I had never seen a man cry and I was only about three, I was born in 1941 and the dreaded Doodlebugs were 1944.
Hi Rob. No we were no relation to bernard ,are you talking about Tressa as she was an Oneil.My husband came from scotland . Bernand’s dad Mr Holmes shop was on the corner of Sydney Road .and Montreal road the Diamond Jubilee was on the opposite side to Mr Holmes in Montreal road .my mum and dad shop and dairy was at the other end to Mr Holmes in sydney road. yes my mum and dad would have loved this site .sorry to hear about your mum they were a lovely couple .say hello to Byran .Elaine Holmes [Lane Templeman ]put my mum and dad name as Byran will not know holmes .
Hi Elaine, I was going to comment to ask if you were any relation to Bernard Holmes as one of my aunts sisters was married to him. My family loved their time in the shop and always looked back on it with fond memories. My mum Betty could list every shop in Tilbury and there were quite a few of them, sadly she passed away late in 2011 she would have loved this site. I will mention your name to my uncle Bryan when I next speak to him. Rob Ginns
hi rob ,yes i remember your great grandparent and your grandparent dennie and betty and i am sure there was i think it was your uncle brian he took our wedding photo’s my mum dad had a dairy in sydney road. lanes we delived to your great grandpparent shop , they were such lovely people. elaine holmes [t/laine ]
Shops from left to right: Billinghurst, The Wool shop, Ginns & Son, Webbs The Fish Shop, Summerby and Webbs The Jewellers. Elaine Holmes [Templeman-Lane, Lane’s Dairy]
The single story building on the end is indeed Billinghurst and White, the next name reads M Brockis drapery. The next shop was Webb’s fish shop. Sadly the names on the other two shops are hard to read I will ask my uncle when i next speak to him he will know.
Thanks Rob I remember now think Mrs Summersby (The wardrobe dealer) was on the opposide of the road. I was born in Ottawa Road
Was the single storey building Billinghurst and White hardware shop and Mrs Summersby’s next door. I think the white Building was Webb’s fish shop
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