Village at War

This is the High Street as it looked in Wartime of the mid 1940's. No date given at this time, but one can see that there was little or no traffic parked on the street due to petrol rationing and then if you needed it for business. On the right is Tom Emmett's forge, who was kept busy all the time, though wrought iron was very scarce, Still did a good business shoeing both farm and riding horses.

In the picture above which has been enlarged from the main picture above you can see the International Stores, which together with Budgens at the far end of the street on the right were the two full grocerery stores to serve the village itself. Next door of course was the Royal Exchange, with its landlord Jimmy Mayes.

This little shop was one of three Green Grocery shops in the village itself. This one was run by a Mrs. Smythe, whose husband Tom was a long time general farm worker for the Astor's at White Place farm.