Smailes barbers.
This barber shop was in the shop that is now an insurance office just up from the card and gift shop. The only other barber in Amble was Ned Archbold and he was in the shop that has recently been taken over by Shaws shoe shop next to Herons. The area occupied by Herons was open land fenced off and Ackroyd and Hogg the drapers was next then the police station and court was where the tanning shop and Trotters are now.
The shop up from what was Smailes barbers was Thompsons Stores, a grocers which was originally based where Cliffwell garage is now. I started there in 1956 as a 13 year old delivery boy, evenings and Saturdays, on ten shillings a week (50 p) plus tips. We moved to the Queen Street shop in 1957 I left school in 1958 and handed the delivery job on to a mate. By then the pay had risen to 12/6, (62.5P)
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