Peter & Sarah Roberts rented the property in 2007 and changed the shop
which had been a drapers and haberdashers for over 80 years to a
delicatessen and catering business.
They named the property “The Gastronomy Shop”. They also ran a cafe
and provided outside catering
Retro Green
In 2016 Rachel Louise then became tenant and ran the business called “Retro Green” as a vintage themed café
and offered outside catering for local events. The shop provided light refreshments such as cream teas and filled
oat cakes.
Greene’s
9, High Street
1838
1857
1850
William Perry was the owner and occupier on the Tithe records.
Its possible he was a saddle and harness maker and inherited
the property from his father, also called William.
He married Charlotte James in Gnosall on 9 July 1812 and had
5 children all baptised in Gnosall: William Thomas 1813, James
1815, Elizabeth 1817, Mary 1821 and Rebecca 1824.
By the time of the 1841 census Charlotte and her son James
had moved to Wednesfield suggesting that her husband William
had died.
Charlotte Perry retained ownership of the property
after her husband William died.
In 1950, records show that the property had been
divided into two separate entries. One for the house
and garden and the other for a shop.
Owner
Occupier
Name of Field or Description
No.
on
Map.
Owner:
Occupier:
Description:
William Perry
William Perry
Cottage & Garden
Plot No: 1234
1851
The Poor Rate Records reveal that the property
continued to be rated as House & Garden now
owned by Mary Cross and a shop owned by “Perry” -
was this one of Mary’s brothers?
The House and Garden was occupied by “Rutter”.
Shop
House &
Garden
The 1851 census shows that Charlotte Perry (confirmed as ‘Widow’) and daughter Mary are back at the property.
There is no indication that either are shop keepers.
In August 1855 Mary Perry (Charlotte’s daughter) married John Cross at Gnosall. The marriage certificate lists
John as a ‘labourer’ and Mary as a ‘servant’. Both signed with a cross.
A few months later Charlotte Perry died and was buried at Gnosall on Christmas Day 1855. The burial records
indicate she was 72 years old though other records suggest this should be 62 years.
The 1861 census shows that the property was occupied by Job Rutter a 47-year-old Tailor with his wife Harriett
and an apprentice tailor Edwin Pearce.
There is no sign of John and Mary Cross on the census records now with two sons.
1861
It’s not known how long Job Rutter was at the property but appears that in October 1868 there was a new
occupier, Samuel Stanley. He opened a beer-house and called it “Gladstone Arms” probably named due to him
supporting the parliamentary Liberal Party.
In September 1869 Samuel Stanley, a “beerhouse-keeper” was
applying for a renewal of his beer licence. His application was
adjourned following an objection on the grounds that his
premises were rated lower than the £8 requirement. The
outcome was that the rate was only £7 10s so his application
was refused.
Less than 2 months later Stanley was advertising his new
venture.
1869
The 1901 census shows “James Christmas Taylor (Draper)” at
the premises with his wife “Hala”. They were married on 4 June
1899 in Gnosall. James died 6 years later and was buried in
Gnosall Cemetery on 4 October 1906.
His widow Hala (sometimes referred to as Haga) is listed on
trade directories from 1908 to 1912 as “draper” living in the
High Street.
The 1911 census lists her living in 3 rooms with her running a
“small mixed drapery business”. So it appears that following her
husband’s death, she moved to smaller premises, probably taking with her the existing stock.
It appears that Samuel Stanley tried different enterprises whilst at the premises. The following newspaper cuttings
offer some insight.
George Henry Sidebotham was an established draper and
clothier living on Newport High Street in the 1901 census
together with 4 drapery assistants, cook and housemaid.
In 1908 he is listed as a Draper in High Street, Gnosall and the
1910 Finance Act Survey lists him as the Occupier of the
property and this photograph displays the “Sidebotham” shop
name. The is also listed in Kelly’s 1912 directory as a draper in
Gnosall. This is the latest date of him in the village.
He is living at 79 High Street, Newport on 1911 census,
suggesting that this property was a branch and not his main
residence.
1901
1908
In the property description on the 1910
Finance Act survey it states that on
11th November 1911 Mrs. F. A.
Beddoes is the tenant.
She is also listed as draper in 1912
Kelly’s directory
In 1921 census Herbert and Frances Alice Fox are living at the property. Herbert is a clerk with English Electric at
Stafford and Frances is described as “(shopkeeper) Draper”. Herbert died in 1924 and Frances is listed as High
Street Draper in trade directories until 1940.
1921
1985 - 1988
1946 - 1985
The owner was Mrs E.A. Davies, Berwyn Brampton Grove, Hendon. The 1911 census for that property shows
she is a widow living with her daughter Lillian and son-in-law Trevor Young.
This photograph was taken after 1955 and appears to show the
name GREEN’S above the shop window.
Research into the Green family has revealed that Benjamin
Green was born into the Jewish faith in Russia about 1881.
Along with many others it seems he fled persecution and settled
in Birmingham. He is first mentioned on the 1901 census as a
“commercial Traveller” living in lodgings. Census records from
1911 and 1921 show his occupation as “Travelling Draper”.
He married Annie Cohen in 1904 and they had 5 daughters:
May, Hetty, Sarah, Deborah and Helen.
On the 1939 register, Benjamin, Annie, Sarah and Deborah were living a few miles away at Wood Eaton.
Deborah’s occupation was “shorthand typist & bookkeeper” and Sarah was listed as “Drapery Saleswoman”.
Benjamin was classed as “Incapacitated” so obviously not in good health.
He died in May 1940. This newspaper article shows he was living at
“Sunnymede” at Coton less than a mile from the shop.
Green’s
The 1939 Register shows clearly that Frances Fox was at the property with occupation as “General Draper”
1944
This advertisement refers to the “London Drapery Store” located in the High
Street. No shops have been found which displays this facia sign in the High
Street but the reference to the tenant “Miss Green” suggests that Frances
Fox had moved out and Sarah Green was running her business here and
named the shop “GREENS”.
In the latter quarter of 1945 Sarah Green married Jakob Landa in Hendon.
He was a diamond cutter working in London.
The business remained in the family for the next 39 years when Sarah Green’s sister Helen became the new
owner.
Helen Green married Philip Elliman in Birmingham in 1939. They later moved to Wolverhampton from where they
travelled daily to Gnosall.
This is the newspaper feature from 5th April 1985 when they retired:
storekeepers Philip and Helen Elliman retired last week. The couple,
from Wolverhampton, have run Green's clothes shop for 39 years. The
business has been owned by Helen's family since the turn of the
century. Despite the retirement, Green's will not be closing its doors: it
has been taken over by Gnosall villagers Fiona and John Atkin.
This notice from Staffordshire Advertiser in March 1879
shows that Samuel Stanley was using the premises at that
date and he was also the property owner.
1879
Fiona and John Atkin bought the premises in May 1985 and completely rebuilt the inside of the shop. They
increased the range of products and introduced new lines in lingerie, as well as selling accessories such as
handbags, belts, fashion jewellery and makeup.
1988 - 2003
Gillian Tuck bought the premises in 1988. She had worked
previously with her father Robert at “Dents Chemists” where he
was the pharmacist. On his retirement they decided to change
business direction and purchased “Greens”.
Gillian reduced the range of products concentrating more on
school uniforms, fabrics, knitting wools, patterns and
haberdashery goods.
For the first few years her father Robert had a small area of the
shop where he sold non proscription medicines.
Gillian Tuck sold the property after she closed the business.
The Gastronomy Shop
Brothers Andy & Jason had visions of building a community-focused coffee shop and thought that this property
had potential to become one.
In December 2023, they were in talks to occupy the space and began hand renovating every little design detail,
opening in late 2024.
Through living in the village for many years, they understood just how much the name “Green’s” meant to the
local residents. So they stuck with the name, changing the spelling slightly only to show that it was re-born.
Note that the space inside the letter ‘R’ is actually from the Gnosall boundary
map, and serves as a homage to the village.
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