Last Friday I featured a present day image of a shop on Market Street. Well, as you can we’ve gone back in time this week (courtesy of Syd Bird) and can see the very same shop. I haven’t got a date for this photo but it looks rather old to me.
Back in around 1899 the shop was called William Groom’s Boot Emporium where K Boots were a speciality. However I think the shop above was called something along the lines of Cumpsty Milliner (so dating this photo either earlier or later than 1899) and the store was a haberdasher, hosier and outfitter …as well as a shoe and bootmaker! That’s according this old Hoylake directory I have a copy of. It appears that the Cumpsty family had the shops at numbers 22 & 24 too:
- Isaac Cumpsty was a builder
- George Henry Cumptsy was a clothier
- Isaac G Cumpsty was a bootmaker
- William John Cumpsty was a solicitor
At this time, next door at number 26 was William Ingham who was a Furnishing Ironmonger, who also specialised in cycles and china!
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Well, there used to be an Ingham’s hardware store on Market Street on the corner of the little street by the Punch Bowl from memory, I think it’s now a Chinese restaurant.
I remember a shop called Cumpsty and Miller- on Market St. about opposite Lake Place. It was there in the ’50s and maybe early ’60s. It was a mens outfitters if memory serves me right.
Cumpsty and Miller did move to a shop opposite the end of Lake Place and it was a mens outfitters.
Mr Cumpsty was the grandfather of George Shone (Hoylake “born and bred”) and he has passed on quite a lot of information. Mr Cumpsty and Mr Miller were friends and business partners who originally came from Liverpool. They started trading from the premises at the corner of Alderley Road South but moved to a larger shop opposite the end of Lake Place and continued trading there for may years until they both retired. It was next door to the Handy Stores which was demolished to be replaced by The Row but their premises are still there (I think it is the beauty shop today). Mr Cumpsty lived in Ferndale Road with his daughter and her family until his death but George doesn’t know what happened to Mr Miller.
The Occupations of the Cumpsty’s is Correct. Mr Cumpsty Lived at 30 Ferndale Road.
I have found a address for the Cumpsty and Miller Shop and it is 50 Market Street Hoylake. Isaac Cumpsty had a shop on Cable Road for Boot and Shoe Manufacturing.
The name for the Hosier and Outfitter Shop I have found.
The shop was called The Hoylake Emporium & London & Manchester House,Hoylake.
The development of the new Shopping Centre had one set of plans for develpment of the site but scraped by Hoylake Town Council. The developers, Bernard Thorpe and Partner, of Preston must have submitted new plans.
There was a light stand just to the left of the Cumpsty Miller Shop. I think there is still one there today in about the same area. Bob Bird took the photo before the new centre was built.
I have found a 1909 address for Cumpsty and Miller. They were at 50 Cable Road.
They later moved to 50 Market Street Hoylake and this address is from their old invoice in 1927 This is strange both the same number.
The Friday Picture May 21 2010 is very good I can read the Cumpsty Miller Sign on the building on the corner. This is a different building than in My picture and they have a Cumpsty & Miller sign on that building on Market Street.
Handy stores was next store but stuck more out on the street. Their advertising was on the side of the building. Sold toys, hardware, glass and China.
George Henry Cumpsty passed on about 1957. No information on Mr. Miller.
Isaac Cumpsty Boot and Shoe Manufacture is located at Cable road in 1905.
Hoylake Emprium & london & Manchester House, Hoylake was also located on Cable
road in 1905.
I have confirmed the Cumpsty’s were at 22 & 24 Market Street.
The Boulevard Restaurant is located at 22 and 24 Market Street on the corner at Cable road.
Braggs Shoe store today is listed as 50 Market Street on the corner at Alderly Road. 50 Market Street is where Cumpsty and Miller were in 1927.
Cumpsty and Miller later moved next to The Handy Stores and this is the Photo taken by Bob Bird.