In 1906 the royal Navy's super battleship DREADNOUGHT was launched at Portsmouth by Edward VII;
San Francisco was devastated by an earthquake and more than 2500 people died; a deputation representing half a million women went with a petition to 10 Downing Street to press women's claim to the vote; Rolls Royce was founded..... and the village of Findon also had a good year.

In 1906 the Great Findon Sheep Fair was held on Friday 14th September. Woolly quadrupeds in the shape of ewes, wethers and tegs were driven by shepherds through The Square and passed the windows of Winton's store.

Here is an extract from the writings of Nancy Price (1880-1970) ....published in 1955... where she talks of Winton's shop in The Square....

"I remember so well the little village shop and the imposing old gentleman who served there, with luxuriant mutton-chop whiskers. The meticulousness with which he dressed always had the effect of making me feel that I should have made greater efforts with my own appearance. "To be well-dressed and well-spoke goes a long way towards prosperity", he used to say. This shop seemed miraculous in its capacity and contents, from the rashers of bacon to a pair of corsets. He was also postmaster and clerk of the church; I can see him know snuffing out the candles with his fingers when the evening service was over.

I miss something in the smart new shop of today - perhaps it is personality. Yesterday it was an event to shop; it was also a very much simpler business. Everything could be bought in the one place. Today, with our great stores, I find shopping a laborious and tiresome business - the departments, the aisles of wares, and the difficulty in obtaining anything with rapidity. I dread to be in London when I am in urgent need of a reel of cotton or a packet of needles".

By 1906, George Winton (born 1882) ran the successful grocery business in The Square in Findon, having taken over the business from his father, Thomas (born 1845), at the beginning of the twentieth century. I think trade was brisk that autumn. It was a particularly busy time I expect as he was also getting married in two days' time.

The wedding was to be solemnised at St. John the Baptist Church, on what we would consider an unusual day — a Sunday. Kate Dickenson (born 1877) was the fourth daughter of the late Charles Dickenson of Hertford, and was to be his bride. Kate worked across The Square from George's shop at "Woolsthorpe" (now "Greypoint") and was employed as a cook.

It was around the time of his marriage that George took over the running of the family business of Winton & Son.

The shop was a tavern of delights and tantalising scents. Boxes and sacks of goodies lined the walls and tins were piled reaching high to the ceiling. Raisins, sultanas, currants, haricot and butter beans, split peas and lentils, rice and tapioca were loose on display. The goods were stacked in rows, waiting to be weighed out on the shiny scales with brass weights, before being finally wrapped. There were rows of stone bottles of ginger beer and bottles of fizzy lemonade each with a marble stopper in the neck — for the thirsty on those Indian summer days. Tasty rashers of bacon were cut by hand and the rind disposed of with the stroke of a sharp blade before being wrapped for the waiting customers. In fact, anything anyone could wish for.

During the school holidays, young lads could be seen spending many hours waiting outside the Post Office next to Winton's Store in The Square. They drifted around in the hope that telegrams would come in and they would be asked to deliver them. More often than not they were well rewarded if they owned a bicycle. They then had a pleasant trip out in the Findon countryside. Sometimes to Muntham Court, which was in the tenancy of Sir Thomas Skinner, or as far away as Findon Park Farm, and this meant sixpence in the pocket.

During the early part of the last century, village life centred around the hub of Winton's Store in The Square.  The pace of change was considerably slower and time appeared to stand still in Findon.

Here is an extract from Nancy Price's (1880-1970) published in 1955... ...where she talks of Winton's shop in The Square....

"I remember so well the little village shop and the imposing old gentleman who served there, with luxuriant mutton-chop whiskers.   The meticulousness with which he dressed always had the effect of making me feel that I should have made greater efforts with my own appearance.  "To be well-dressed and well-spoke goes a long way towards prosperity", he used to say.   This shop seemed miraculous in its capacity and contents, from the rashers of bacon to a pair of corsets.  He was also postmaster and clerk of the church;  I can see him know snuffing out the candles with his fingers when the evening service was over.

I miss something in the smart new shop of today - perhaps it is personality.  Yesterday it was an event to shop; it was also a very much simpler business.  Everything could be bought in the one place.  Today, with our great stores, I find shopping a laborious and tiresome business - the departments, the aisles of wares, and the difficulty in obtaining anything with rapidity.  I dread to be in London when I am in urgent need of a reel of cotton or a packet of needles".

Roger Moulds e-mailed in February 2005 to say...

Continue if you would like to read Ida Remembers Wintons.

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THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — was launched by Valerie Martin in January 1999 and will grow to be a historical record of life in Findon, West Sussex, U.K.