RECENT features about Hythe Hill shop run by Alice and Ernest Martin brought back happy memories for Brenda Wright.

This is because it was her parents Len and Eva Davies who took over the shop premises from the Martins after their run of almost 50 years came to and end.

Brenda explains her early years were spent at the property on Hythe Hill which was renovated before Len and Eva opened for business in 1947.

Clacton and Frinton Gazette:

She recalls many of the provisions were delivered in bulk, potatoes and vegetables were in sacks, bacon had to be boned and sliced ready for display and whole cheeses had to be skinned and cut manually.

“Large brass scales and weights were used to weigh greengrocery, smaller scales were used to weigh sweets sold from large glass jars, and chocolates such as Quality Street, were in open tins; large tins with glass lids contained loose biscuits.

Bars of chocolates were piled high in straight lines below the cigarette display

“Occasionally my brother and I were allowed to help ourselves to a chocolate before returning to school after lunch,” adds Brenda.

The shop, run by the Caney family before the Martins, closed early on Thursday and Saturday afternoons.

“On Saturday we would often go on a family outing to the coast and on Thursday evenings I would sometimes help Dad prepare and pack orders ready for delivery to customers on Friday evenings.”

READ MORE: The popular beauty spot which was once the site of a gin distillery

Growing up as a young child the building itself with its latched wooden doors and sloping upstairs floors, holds many memories for Brenda who also remembers it was lucky to survive a fire at nearby Pertwee Grain Merchants which threatened to engulf them.

She adds : “The Fire Brigade spared no effort, and soon had the blaze under control, the time of threat then passed, but not before my parents had their entire brood and most cherished belongings collected together for an early escape from the flames.”

As with the Martins before them, the shop’s next owners also relied on business from the boats which came into Hythe Quay to deliver or collects goods.

“The Ships Chandlers, Francis and Gilders, who had an office at 93 Hythe Hill, would let my Father know when a boat was expected so that he was prepared for a customer wanting a very large order at short notice.

My parents were the only shopkeepers in Colchester to have been granted the Yachting Licence for rations, which meant the crew were allowed three weeks rations at one time

“There were times when the crews, often Germans and Dutch, would come into the shop and would be unable to speak English. Once a German cook wanted to order meat as well as the groceries and as Dad could not understand what meat he wanted he drew a picture of a cow so that the cook could point out to him the bits he required,” says Brenda, who later went to work at Pertwees.

Brenda also remembers walking along the towpath with her Mother and younger brothers Graham and Stuart, adding they were allowed to play in the playground opposite when no-one was about.

“Next to the playground was a bakery owned by Mr & Mrs Hammond and where, occasionally, we were allowed to buy a cake for our tea.”