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Meat today mostly comes neatly cut and packaged with
little sign of its origins but in times past it was the custom for
butchers to put their wares on public display, sides of beef, pork and
mutton suspended from large hooks outside the shop. Customers could then
choose the cut they wanted which would be sliced off on a chopping block
inside.
In 1910, the butchery shop at what is now No 1 Abbey Road was owned by
George Samuel Coales, member of a prominent family of Bourne tradesmen,
his father Edward Coales being a grocer, corn merchant and flour dealer
during the latter part of the 19th century. George is pictured here
outside with his wife Harriet and their assistant Harry Bentham, seen
holding the knife, while the couple's adopted son George Gann is seated in
the delivery cart on the left and their other assistant in the cart on the
right.
George Coales lived above the shop where he died on 23rd December 1914
after a long illness although he continued to supervise the business until
the end. Today, the building continues in use as trade premises with
Co-operative Travel on one side and Stephen Knipe and Company, valuers,
auctioneers and land agents, on the other. |
