Papers of Messrs. Winser Brothers, Grocers, Drapers and Ironmongers of Hadlow

The papers listed below mainly concern the Hadlow shop and the livestock sales but there are some documents concerning the Southwark property [see U2088/B19, B35, B38] and for leasing the Plaxtol shop and paying rates on it. [See U2088/B10 B31]

Deposited through the Surrey Record Office (Guildford Branch), 30th June 1977, having been found in the loft of Hibbs Bakery, Cranleigh, Surrey.

Frank, James and Edward John Winser ran a grocers, drapers and ironmongers shop in Hadlow from 1867, when they took over from Edwin Winser, until 1880 when the lease of the premises was given up. During the years 1867 or earlier, to 1873, they also had a grocers and drapers shop in Plaxtol. A cousin, Edward Winser, who had a grocers and drapers shop in Tenterden is also listed in Directories in 1867, 1874 and 1882 and as J. S. Winser in 1887 and subsequently. Messrs. Winser also rented premises in Union Street and in Southwark Bridge Road, Southwark. It would appear from Directory evidence in 1878, the Union Street premises had been sub-let.

For the Hadlow shop Messrs. Winser Brothers were licenced to sell medicines, spirits, foreign wines, tea and tobacco. Edwin Winser had also had an appraisors and house agents licence. The firm also had licences for male servants, horses, carriages and dogs [see U2088/B1-8]. The shop evidently consisted of a number of premises since there are separate gas bills marked house, grocery, millinery, furniture, ironmongery, [see U2088/B36].

When the shop had been given up, Frank Winser, carried on a business as a livestock dealer mainly of homing pigeons but also of hens, fertile eggs for hatching, rabbits and dogs. Correspondence concerning this activity is in the collection for the end of 1880 and beginning of 1881 [see U2088/B42-62]. As a result of advertising in periodicals such as the Stock-keeper and the Livestock Journal, correspondents from all over the country and from all walks of life placed orders to purchase or offered to exchange livestock. One order was even received from a correspondent in Boulogne in France. Most of the letters concern pigeons and many discuss the finer points of the birds which the purchasers required.