50 Church Street - Steven Wells writes...

I was born in 1953 and can recall going to the shop as a small boy. My grandfather, Roland, and father, Herbert Noel, both worked in the shop although my father also had to work part-time as a postman based in Southwold Post Office, to make ends meet, as it was the beginning of the end of traditional shoe repairing.

The shop, which must have been rented, was two-storey but we were not allowed upstairs as the floor was in such a bad state of repair that my grandfather was afraid someone would fall though.

The shop was closed when the supermarket needed the land for its car park. That must have been around the late 1950's or early 1960s as I can remember being in the shop with my younger brother (he's three years younger than me) when it was on the point of closure. I can remember, much to my Grandfather's annoyance, both of us hammering nails into the workbenches.

My grandfather retired when the shop shut and my father then worked full-time at the Post Office as a postman in Southwold and Reydon until he retired in 1987.

Roland had health problems, from being gassed at the Battle of the Somme during the 1st World War and he also had shrapnel lodged in his head and back that was never removed. When he was no longer able to carry out his duties as Mace Bearer, his brother Freddie took on the role. Roland was also a keen bell ringer at St Edmunds Church and also was involved with Southwold Town FC as was my father, Herbert. I and both my sons have played for the club.