CURRENT DATABASE
At this moment in time most of my information I have typed into my database have been from:- adverts from about 7 old copies of the Retford Times newspaper given to me several years ago now for the dates 6th March 1964, 13th March 1964, 17th April 1964, 24th April 1964, 13th February 1970, 21st July 1972, 8th September 1972, 1st June 1973, 8th August 1975. I have also spent some time in the local library looking at past editions of the local paper on microfilm.
I also have copies of several local books produced on Retford and find the two containing photographs, “Views of Old Retford” and “Retford In Times Past” have many street shots showing many of the shops and this helps me with dates of when shops were in existence.
I am also compiling information from recent local papers (within the last 35 years) that I have saved about the streets of Retford and their history.
In June 2001 I made several visits to the local library and copied down lists of businesses from some of the directories published late 1800’s – 1930’s ( such as Kellys, Whites, etc. ) and have started to type them in to my computer, so far I have about 700 businesses and am expecting to have at least 1000 probably at the end of it all. I hope to sort this site out so more of them can be accessed by visitors.
This is a brief list of some of the shops and businesses in my database, obviously this is constantly growing but it may give you an idea of what businesses I know exist or existed. I may have a name and address but not complete details of what the business did, who owned it, how long it ran for, etc so just because a name exists in this list DOESN’T MEAN I know all I need to know about it. (See main page for information I would like to collect on all businesses).
** THIS IS NOT A COMPLETE LIST **
Here goes, first a list of shops/businesses no longer trading/ trading under these names:-
| Fred Akers (bookmaker) | Army & Navy | Ashley | |
| Bamforths | Ivy Bashers | M Best | John Blow |
| Boaters | H Bowskill & Son | Brads Bassetlaw Carriers | Buttons & Bows |
| Cash & Co | Co-op Superstore | Co-op Electrical Stor | R Cook |
| Currys | Clarkson’s Fruit & Veg | The Craft Shop | Claires Accessories |
| Debbie’s | The Decorating Centre | Derbyshire Building Society | Herbert Dickinson |
| Donald’s | Dryandra | Mrs Pat Duddles | Dunns |
| Edmundsons | Elaines | Electricity Board | Peter Ellis |
| Farmfoods | Fletchers | Fosters menswear | |
| Franklins | Fred’s (Walkabout) | Freeman’s | Frost’s |
| Gas Showroom | Geoffrey | Goodbody’s Mill | Goodson |
| Granada | Grove Motors | G F Gyles | Hamilton McNeil |
| Harcourts | Hartleys | Haslecroft Finances Ltd | David Haxby |
| E C Hill | |||
| Hillards | Hodgsons | Holorans | S D Holmes |
| Home & Colonial | Hop Hing Chinese Restaurant | Hopkinson | Howard’s |
| International | Iremonger | ||
| Dave Jackson Ltd | C S Jones | ||
| Kam Sun | J W Knight | Bradley Knipe | K & H Sports |
| Percy Laws | Legs & Co | W Loseby & Sons | C Lumley |
| Mark Down Discount Store | Marshall & Son | Martin’s Travel Bureau | Maypole |
| Melias | Mercers | Milner, Lazenby & Co | Morley |
| Jane Morris | The Music Room | Maisie Payne | |
| Neales | D Newboult | Norvic Footfitters | |
| Oates | Osborn Club | Osticks | Oxfam |
| P & P Electrics | John Paget & Sons | The Paper Bag Shop | Pheasant Hotel |
| Plant | Preedy’s | ||
| Reads | Michael Reed Ltd | Reidiffusion | The Remnant Shop |
| Retford Savings Bank | James Richmond Ltd | Rollin | Roxy cinema |
| P R Rowell & Son | H E Rule & Son Ltd | Scenic Sports Trophies | |
| K Sanderson | Sargeantsons | Savoy Restaurant | The School of embroidery |
| Segars | J A Selby | B Shipside Ltd | Shoppers Paradise |
| Sills | Simpson’s | Singer | George Smith |
| J E G Smith | |||
| Smith Foster & Co Ltd | Sneaths Garage | Southward Garage(Retford)Ltd | Fred Spencer & Son |
| Sports Supply Co | Dennis Stanniland | The Stocking Shop | Stonebow cards |
| Strand | Superkleen | Supasnaps | Suzanne |
| Alan Tanner | Timothy Taylor | Tesco | Tiffin Bar |
| Thrifty | Tosh’s | A H Turner Ltd | Turners (Shoes) |
| Turner Videos | Video Hall | ||
| Peter Ward | Thos Waterfield | W Watson (Retford) Ltd | F G Webb & Son |
| Edgar Welchman & Son Ltd | Wigfalls | Geo H Willows Ltd | Witts |
| Wots in Store | Sarah Wright | L G Wyse | Waddingtons |
| Yoell |
On my recent update I have altered the names to read in alphabetical order – easier on the eyes when looking for something, I have purposely left gaps in the above list so it makes it easier for me to insert new ones.