Another Bradford-made Clock
The Museum now has a third clock that was made in Bradford on Avon.
This one, signed by Edward Hopkins, is just the face and movement, without the long case in which it would have originally been housed. It has a brass face that is decorated with figures representing the four seasons in the spandrels (corners). Behind the face is an eight-day movement that drives hours, minutes...
Read MoreGreengrocers & Fruiterers
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Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire
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Chief among the greengrocers and fruiterers of Bradford was George Brown, who went on to build up a large business that eventually outgrew its premises and moved to Trowbridge. The advertisement is from 1911, when he was selling from two of what are now known as Pippet...
Read MoreJ. Alex Brown: ironmonger and hardware shop
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Silver Street, Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire
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The shop in Silver Street was started as an ironmonger in what had been a Georgian house by John Brown in 1853 and continued under his son John Alexander Brown (1863-1937). It is still known...
Read MoreThe Museum Collection: Public Houses & Publicans
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Bradford on Avon Museum, Wiltshire
. Bradford on Avon, Westwood and Holt Inn Tokens or ChecksTokens came into use in this area in the 1840s, when there was not much small change about. Workers would purchase the tokens when they were paid and use them to buy beer at a later time.
The Museum Collection: Carpentry
Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire
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There were many people working in wood in the town of Bradford on Avon and in the villages too. There was a hierarchy of trades that was based on the fineness and skill of the work. Carpenters took on the big jobs, including houses, for which they would be classed as builders today; at the other end of the scale...
Read MoreThe Museum Collection: Gas fittings
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In the 19th century the gas-fitter’s work was mainly concerned with lighting, with cooking and heating coming on eventually much later. Bradford’s Gas & Coke Works in Frome Road opened in 1834 and initially supplied street lighting, but slowly the network expanded.
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The Museum Collection: Blacksmith
Blacksmiths were common everywhere while there was a need for wrought iron to be shaped for individual purposes, especially of course for making and shoeing horses. The last one with a forge in Bradford was Albert Lailey’s in bridge Street. Today mobile smiths travel to the horse rather than the other way round and art smithing is done in mild steel.
The Museum Collection: Cobblers and Cordwainers
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Bradford on Avon Museum, Wiltshire
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Cordwainers made boots, shoes and other articles from leather and are named after the Spanish city of Córdoba, which was famed for its leather workers. Generally they just referred to...
Read MoreBradford on Avon Co-op
Bradford-on-Avon Industrial & Provident Society Ltd
At one time Bradford almost seemed to have been ruled by its co-operative society which was founded in 1861. Its shops covered the town and sold every commodity except antiques. The headquarters were in Whitehill, alongside the co-op bakery, while the main shop was in Silver Street. A butcher and...
Read MoreHaberdashers
Haberdashers traditionally sold items related to sewing and tailoring, such as thread, ribbons, buttons, zips and other fastenings. They probably descended from the itinerant peddlers who came to markets and fairs. Goodall’s shop in Silver Street, Bradford sold all these things as well as cloth and made-up clothing. When it closed at the beginning of the 21st century, items of its stock...
Read MoreBakers and Confectioners
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Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire
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The delivery van of baker H.J. Penny, outside Christchurch in Bath Road
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Bakers used to be found on almost every street in the town and villages. The...
Read MoreGrocers
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Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire
Originally a grocer was a merchant who bought goods, usually dry goods like tea, sugar and spices, in bulk for resale in smaller quantities. Gradually bottled and tinned goods were added to the list of goods and grocers’ shops often dealt in candles and corn as well. They frequently called...
Read MoreChemists & Druggists
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Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire
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Bradford on Avon Museum’s main exhibit is the reconstructed Christopher chemist shop of 1863-1986. Before that there had been various apothecaries, druggists, chemists and ‘chymisters’. From the 19th century there were others...
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