Shopkeepers

Extract from ‘The Rayner Family of Great Wakering” by Albert Rayner Bsc (Econ) FCA [page 81]

The shopkeepers had long hours, which were generally:

Monday - Thursday 7am to 8pm

Friday 7am to 9pm

Saturday  7am to 10pm

There were three village bakeries; 10 men and boys were engaged 1n supplying the village with bread, some boarded with the Master Baker, presumably because of the unsocial hours which were necessary. Work started at 3am so that fresh hot bread was available in the early hours. Alas, Great Wakering has no resident baker today.

There were three butchers shops, two confectioners, two grocers and two classified as grocers and drapers. One of the grocers was Alfred Aylett, who came from Aythorpe Roding, and his son Frank, married into the Rayner family.

Robert Squires at Manchester House was one of the grocers and drapers, he employed three assistants and a servant, all living in. By 1881 the shop had been taken over by Harold Avery, who also had two assistants and a servant living 1n.

One of the drapers shops 1n 1871 was also the village Post and Telegraph Office. The Post Office Master was Charles Gardner; both he and his wife were 71 and had living with them their daughter, Charlotte MacGregor, who was born in New Zealand and was the telegraph clerk.