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THE COLLIERY SHOPS.
In
1896, along with the second stage of colliery housing, DeWalden House was built
along with its extension, DeWalden Terrace. The difference in this short street
was the fact that DeWalden Terrace consisted of shops with flats above.
The
first tenant of Dewalden House would appear to have been William Hogg and his
wife Dorothy E. Hogg. They were certainly there in 1901 when William was
described as a contractor and employer while his wife was described as a
general dealer. Also sharing the house at this time were three boarders: two of
them carters and one a grocer. These were probably the staff of the family
Hogg. The two carters driving carts for either the shop or the contractors
while the grocer was more than likely to work in the shop. There seems to have
been a little change in later years. Certainly by 1910 things had changed a
little as Kelly’s Directory of that year states that William Hogg was a general
dealer as well as running the Post Office. The Post Office had formerly been in
the hands of Robert Stirling the blacksmith, now Forge House. The goods and
chattels of the Post Office were kept in the back shop with the business being
carried out over the counter of the general dealers. Under George Hunt, and
later his two sons, Don and Billy, Hogg’s became a successful bakery and
catering business. Hogg’s catered for most of the events in Pegswood,
especially the children’s Gala.
At
the other end of DeWalden terrace was another grocers shop. John Walter Piper
who also sold stationary as well as the newspapers ran this. Although a purpose
built newsagents was later built on the Longhirst road, Pipers continued to
sell newspapers on Sundays only until they left in the early 1950s. Piper’s
grocer’s shop was one of two shops run by the family. Next door was a ‘gents
hairdressers’ run by Tommy Piper. Tommy’s wife, Jane E. Piper was to later run
the grocers shop. In later years, Herbert piper was to assist his father in the
hairdressing business eventually taking over. Along with his wife, Herbert, was
to run the two businesses until they were sold to George Hogg. Herbert Piper
was later to become a hairdressing rep before buying another general dealers in
Ashington; this was Pipers Stores, which still carries the name. The shop now
run by George Hogg was converted into one large shop from the two smaller ones.
From the 1960s the shop was run by a succession of individuals although it
remained as a general dealers.
Les
Dunn also worked as a hairdresser for Piper’s and, for a short while, on the
premises of George Hogg. At a later date he was to set up his own business in a
converted barn opposite North Farm: today, a general dealers. Les Dunn was also
to build a cottage next to his shop, one of four, built on the site of the old
disused Pegswood reservoir. Next to Piper’s shop was the first fast-food shop
in Pegswood, a fish and chip shop. In 1906 Adam Bruce, who may well have been
the first resident, ran this. The Gibson family of John and later, Dora Gibson,
followed him, being described as ‘fried fish dealers’. Gibson was still the
family who ran the fish and chip shop in the late 1940s. A succession followed
with probably the best known being Cuthbert who also ran a fish and chip shop
in the West End of Ashington.
Between
the fish and chip shop and Hogg’s, later Hunt’s, was a milliners shop providing
for the women of the colliery. This shop was run under the name of Lawson and
Anderson. Later, until her death, it was run by Bella Anderson. The shop was
then converted into a women’s hairdressers and from the 1950s was run by Wilma
Fox until her retirement. Today the shops still exist under a variety of
guises. However, Hunt’s, formerly Hogg’s, once a well known bakery, has just
been sold. The hairdressers shop is still used for that purpose while the fish
and chip, in keeping with the times, is a Chinese Takeaway.