Joseph James Garner – 1937
Mr J J Garner’s diary entries provide a valuable insight into the running of a successful drapery business in a small country town during the first half of the twentieth century. The entries will also be of great assistance to anyone attempting to establish dates or ‘time lines’ for events in Olney.
The entries have been selected and collated by Mr Roger Gooden (Mr J J Garner’s grandson) to provide a series of lists that will be of interest to readers with family connections to Olney.
This, the third of three ‘diary entry’ web pages, presents two lists. The first list covering Mr J J Garner’s entries during the early days of the Second World War, unfortunately he did not add any entries after 1941. The second list covers his entries regarding other shops around the Market Place.
The first web page presents by far the largest list and covers the set of general observations recorded by Mr Garner over the period 1903 to 1941. The second web page presents two lists of entries regarding Garner members of staff and other Olney people.
Garner’s shopfront in September 1937
WORLD WAR II AT OLNEY (From Diary Entries 1938 – 1941)
| 15/09/38 | Premier been to see Hitler | |
| 23/09/38 | War news – Bad | |
| 28/09/38 | All on for Gas Masks | |
| 30/09/38 | War off. Mr Chamberlain Reception in London on wireless | |
| 28/04/39 | Hitler’s speech on wireless | |
| 26/06/39 | Air Force Men here | |
| 28/08/39 | War clouds thicken | |
| 24/08/39 | War scare – all in Dark Curtains | |
| 31/08/39 | Evacuation Scheme announced. Blind, curtains, blankets etc | |
| 02/09/39 | Bad news – war | |
| 03/09/39 | War declared – Terrible news | |
| 06/09/39 | Air Raid warning | |
| 17/09/39 | Bad War news – Russia takes Poland | |
| 20/09/39 | Paid War insurance | |
| 22/09/39 | Petrol ration vouchers | |
| 05/10/39 | Blackout | |
| 29/10/39 | Air Raid demonstration | |
| 26/11/39 | Prime Minister of England on wireless | |
| 28/05/40 | Belgians give in – Bad War News | |
| 10/06/40 | Italy at War | |
| 11/06/40 | 2 aeroplanes down at Bozeat – 4 killed | |
| 14/06/40 | Bad War News – Paris falls | |
| 17/06/40 | French give in (Bad) | |
| 24/06/40 | Bad War News – Britain now alone | |
| 25/06/40 | First Air Raid Warning in night | |
| 09/07/40 | Rationed for tea | |
| 15/07/40 | Army manoeuvres on Bridge | |
| 16/07/40 | Adhesive muslin for windows | |
| 20/07/40 | Hitler conscience clear now he has warned us | |
| 20/08/40 | Knock up at 9 re Blackout | |
| 31/08/40 | Air Raid | |
| 02/09/40 | Bombs about at night | |
| 09/09/40 | All in Blackout | |
| 13/09/40 | Air Raids – no papers | |
| 22/09/40 | Sirens going | |
| 11/10/40 | Advertising Blackout | |
| 13/10/40 | Bomb in night – shook the house | |
| 28/10/40 | Bomb in Olney – many windows broken | |
| 05/11/40 | Had Identity Card | |
| 11/11/40 | Mr Chamberlain, Prime Minister, died | |
| 15/11/40 | Bombs at Coventry; we hear 1000 killed | |
| 20/12/40 | 7.30 Police ringing -light on | |
| 01/01/41 | War news bad – stilI bombing London | |
| 13/01/41 | Evacuee came | |
| 14/03/41 | Taking Blackout down | |
| 06/04/41 | Germans at war with Yugoslavia | |
| 27/04/41 | Germans in Greece | |
| 12/05/41 | War news bad | |
| 15/05/41 | Hear of Rotherham being bombed | |
| 24/05/41 | War Weapon Week | |
| 27/05/41 | Sunk German Bismarck, they sank 6 of ours | |
| 22/06/41 | Germany at war with Russia. Mr Churchill broadcast @night | |
| 27/06/41 | Mr Watson had 1st lot of coupons | |
| 05/07/41 | Bombs in the night | |
| 12/11/41 | No paper to be used for parcels | |
| 04/12/41 | Letter re Chapel iron railings | |
| 07/12/41 | War manoeuvres | |
| 08/12/41 | Japan in the War | |
| 11/12/41 | Bad War news, Japs sunk 2 ships | |
| 12/12/41 | War spreading | |
| 29/12/41 | Bad War news. Japs blowing up cities | |
| 30/12/41 | Listen to Mr Churchill’s speech in Canada |
DIARY ENTRIES INCLUDING OTHER SHOPS IN THE MARKET PLACE
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No.5
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20/02/1918 |
Heard of Mr Clarabut retiring from Drapery Business today.
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| 22/02/1918 |
Mr C M AlIen 1st Advert.
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| 13/04/1918 |
Sold Mr Allen our surplus stock at night.
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| 18/01/1926 |
Allen, Draper. Electric light on.
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| 14/01/1938 |
Mr AlIen gave notice in paper, now Allen & Cook.
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| 02/08/1941 |
Mr Cook, AlIen’s, called up.
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No.15
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21/05/1903 |
Charles Dimmock Died
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| 02/06/1906 |
Elsie Dimmock died
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| 10/05/1910 |
Dimmock’s Sale
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| 12/03/1921 |
New people (Pope) took Clayson’s shop
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| 23/09/1933 |
Dix opened at Pope’s shop
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| 04/10/1933 |
Dix moving – (let shop next door to Boot Man)
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No. 17
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11/02/1922 |
Mr Raban died
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(Mr R E Raban?)
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| 02/06/1924 |
Putting front in at Rogers Baker
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1934
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Mrs Elizabeth Crouch transferred her
sweet shop in 1934 |
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1937
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Wilfred Vincent Turner opened in 1937
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No.18
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01/09/1920 |
Mr MarshalI’s brother takes on next door
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| 22/02/1926 |
Marshal Hairdresser – curtains across his shop
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| 24/02/1932 |
RGP died
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(R G Paggett?)
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| 30/06/1932 | International Stores moves Ralph’ s stock |
( Ditto )
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| 09/11/1932 |
Heard of Mr MarshalI going to Paggetts
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( Ditto)
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| 09/01/1933 |
John Marshall opened up his hairdressing business
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No.19
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12/01/1922 |
Mrs Griggs opened Tea Rooms
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| 16/07/1938 |
Mrs Griggs (next door) closed down
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No.20
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(remains No.20)
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Owned by J J Garner from1901
Owned by Tom Garner from 1929 to 1962 Woosters (Fashions) from 1962 |
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1862
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Eli Smith & Son
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1888
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Charles Dimmock & Co – Cycle Store | ||
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1901
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Coop opened | ||
| 26/03/1914 | Mr Bennett opened draper shop | ||
| 03/05/1922 | Bennett (draper) opened at old Coop place | ||
| 24/03/1930 | Bennett moving? | ||
| 28/03/1930 | Bennett inaugurating new opening | ||
| 03/01/1931 | Bennett in Bankrupcy Court | ||
| 06/01/1931 | Bennett the Draper shut up | ||
| 31/01/1933 | Mr Marshall finished up & paid up | ||
| 02/02/1933 | Wireless Dix opened | ||
| 15/09/1933 | Dix gave notice to leave house next door, taking over Pope’s shop | ||
| 22/09/1933 | Dix finished (moved to No 15) | ||
| 24/09/1934 | Wilfred Vincent Turner Hardware (opened) | ||
| 22/03/1936 | Taking off thatch next door | ||
| 01/04/1936 | Roof fell in next door (Turner’ s Shop) | ||
| 01/09/1937 | Turner gave notice to leave shop and move to No 17 | ||
| 02/09/1937 | Emily Minard & Wilfred Perkins moved out | ||
| 03/09/1938 | Let No 20 Market Place (House) to Mr G Odell | (see 1951 Census) | |
| 28/09/1940 | Let shop – Mr Clarke paying Rates | ||
| No.20A | (remains No.20A) | Owned by Charles Dimmock, Cycle Store in 1900 Owned by J J Garner from 1901 Owned by Tom Garner 1949 to 1962 |
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| 1901 | JJG secured premises of Mr Dimmock | ||
| 1920 | Rebuilt | ||
| 1951 | Leslie Hamblin living above shop. | (Census) | |
| No.21A | (now No.21) | A ‘carriage’ gateway with rooms above in 1886 Owned by J J Garner from 1889 Gateway replaced by shop window in 1896 Owned by Tom Garner from 1949 to 1962 |
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| No.21 | (now No.21A) | Rented by J J Garner from 1886 (shop & house behind) Owned by J J Garner from 1889 (shop & house behind) Owned by Tom Garner from 1949 to 1962 House behind let to tenants from 1949 to 1962 |
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| 1870 | William Henry Hoskins – Draper | ||
| 1886 | Joseph James Garner (Rented) | ||
| 1889 | Joseph James Garner bought shop & house. | ||
| 1944 | Thomas Heyfield Garner | ||
| 1958 | Isaac Leslie Hamblin (trading as Garner’s) | ||
| 1972 | Garner’s closed (21/07/1972) | ||
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No.22
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(remains No.22) | Private house purchased by Daniel Garner in 1881 Owned by J J Garner from1912 Owned by Tom Garner from 1949 to 1962 Always a private residence |
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| 1881 | Daniel Thomas Garner | ||
| 1891 | Daniel, Fanny, Charles W & Nellie C | (Census) | |
| 1911 | Let to Mr Allarbarton 1911 to 13/03/1916 | ||
| 06/09/1915 | Met May Allarbarton & her husband next door (No 22) | ||
| 13/01/1916 | Mrs Skevington takes on 22 Market Place | ||
| 06/03/1923 | Told Mrs Skevington about requiring our house | ||
| 30/08/1923 | Mrs Skevington moving (out) | ||
| 12/04/1924 | J J Garner moved from No 21 to No 22 | ||
| 02/10/1944 | Kate Hannah Garner (nee Daniells) | (still there – 1945 Census) |
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| 19/03/1949 | Thomas Heyfield Garner | ||
| 1951 | Thomas Heyfield Garner & Ena Baxter (Housekeeper) | (Census) | |
| 20/12/1962 | Thomas Heyfield Garner died | ||
| No.23 | (remains No.23) | Owned by J J Garner from 1936 Owned by Tom Garner from1949 to 1962? Always a private residence |
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| 27/02/1912 | Heard of Armstrong leaving next door (No 23) | ||
| 18/04/1922 | Dr Claude Chevalier | ||
| 09/12/1924 | Dr Chevalier moving to Etolia House | ||
| 23/01/1926 | Frances Minard went next door (23) as Housekeeper | ||
| 16/07/1934 | Miss Hardy died | ||
| 21/11/1934 | Contents sold | ||
| 26/05/1936 | JJG bought house next door (23) | ||
| 25/07/1936 | Mr & Mrs Smith take on next door (23) | ||
| 18/09/1937 | Let house next door to Mr & Mrs Mosely (23) | ||
| 02/09/1938 | Mrs Mosely moving | ||
| 08/04/1940 | Let to Mr D (Dundonald) Cooke (Bedford) | (still there – 1951 Census) |
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No.24&25
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01/07/1926 | Henry Farrell revisited Olney (had emigrated to USA). | |
| 26/04/1926 | Mrs Looms moving to bakehouse | ||
| Mid 1950s | Looms Bakery remained there until the mid 1950s | ||
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No.30
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1890 | Misses Daniells (Emily Grace Daniells, Kate Hannah, Daniells & Edith Annie Daniells) | (See 1891 Census) |
| 26/03/1928 | Roberts moving from Cowper’s House | ||
| 21/01/1933 | Old man moved from Cowper’s House | ||
| 17/04/1937 | Mr Abbot leaving Cowper’s House | ||
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No.31
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30/10/1939 | Began alterations to Hoddle’s Butchers front | (last bit of old Olney Market Place) |
| 31/10/1939 | Putting girders – Hoddles | ||
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No.34
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05/09/1908 | Let shop to Mr Murton | |
| 29/09/1908 | Sold shop to Mr Murton | ||
| 10/12/1908 | Mr Murton opens new Post Office & Telegraph business | ||
| 24/01/1909 | PO moved to High Street from Market Place | ||
| 04/01/1912 | Mr Moss went away (W E Moss, Tailor) | ||
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No.35
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30/01/1923 | Mr Inkpen went away | |
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No.37
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01/01/1937 | Mr Freeman starts Post Office | |
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No.38
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1939 | Became Post Office |
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