Bicycle Magician

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Derek Jempson
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Joined: Fri Jan 17, 2014 6:56 am

Bicycle Magician

Postby Derek Jempson » Thu Jan 11, 2018 7:15 am

This is really a long shot, but it's worth a try.

In the 1950s, I lived in Bexhill Road. Near to the eastern corner of Bexhill Road and what was then known as “Dump Road” (the road that leads to the refuse disposal site), stood a house with a shop attached. It was a bicycle repair shop – the proprietor bought, repaired and sold bicycles as well as repairing customer's bikes. He was also an amateur magician and I believe her performed at parties and the like. Try as I might, I just cannot recall the man's name. Any offers? If anyone has a relevant Kelley's Directory, the house number would have been around 428.

Jules382
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Re: Bicycle Magician

Postby Jules382 » Thu Jan 11, 2018 4:48 pm

Hi Derek,

This may be totally wrong but the name Bennett is springing to mind. I used to live in Bulverhythe Road in the 60s and 70s and have a vague memory of this shop. I ran in there once to report a gorse fire on the hill on on other side of the road to the dump, that would have been in the late 60's.

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Derek Jempson
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Re: Bicycle Magician

Postby Derek Jempson » Thu Jan 11, 2018 5:13 pm

Yes, Bennett - that's the man, thank you! Now I'll have to try and drag up his first name from memory. My reason for asking was simply that I had a dream last night in which he featured. Why, I don't know.

Our paths may well have overlapped in the late fifties and early sixties. I lived with my parents in the house on the corner of Bexhill Road and Bridgeway (the Farmer's Direct Dairies shop). My dad was the local milkman and mum ran the shop.

Jules382
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Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2014 3:33 pm

Re: Bicycle Magician

Postby Jules382 » Thu Jan 11, 2018 8:52 pm

Glad I could help out. God knows where I dragged his name up from.

Our milkman was Mr Cork who lived in Arnside Road, off Bulverhythe Road. But I do remember your shop. My Mother used to drag me up to get my haircut in Mr Lemon's shop near Abbey Drive, so we would have walked past it many times. I was born in 1958 so memories of the early sixties are a bit vague.

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Derek Jempson
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Re: Bicycle Magician

Postby Derek Jempson » Sun Jan 14, 2018 6:23 am

Mr. Cork (or "Corkie" as my dad called him) worked for Downlands Dairies, my dad for Farmer's Direct Dairies. The two rounds were strictly demarked by agreement between the two companies. The “poaching” of customers by either milkman was forbidden, although they did sometimes borrow milk or groceries from one another if their supplies ran low.

I too had my haircuts at Lemon's. Barry Lemon seemed to smoke continuously while working and often had a little stub of cigarette sticking to his lower lip. For amusement, I watched him in the mirror as he cut my hair and the little stub bobbed up and down as he spoke.

You will probably also remember the Gable Stores, Bell's the newsagent and of course, “The Rec”.

Jules382
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Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2014 3:33 pm

Re: Bicycle Magician

Postby Jules382 » Sun Jan 14, 2018 3:53 pm

Yes we used to call him "Corkie" as well. I couldn't remember the name of the dairy. I do indeed remember the Gable Stores and Bells, although we used to use Mr Chambers newsagent in Bulverhythe Road, whom I later did a paper round for. There was also Basil and Ivy Yates tobacconists and sweets opposite the Gable Stores on the corner of Bulverhythe Road.

I spent most of my formative years on and around "the Rec". I was very keen on Cricket and the 3 pitches there were really nice, the groundsman (Nigel Novis) even prepared a wicket on the side of the square for us to use in the evenings, a tragedy that it has now all been laid to waste. I gather that even the pavilion has been flattened. No wonder there are very few clubs left in Hastings as the few wickets that are left are apparently appalling.


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