Naming that delivery boy!

Who amongst our Bath and district readers remembers the department store called Colmer’s which graced Union Street for over a hundred years?

A year or more ago – thanks to a Bath Newseum follower – l came across ‘The Colmers Story’ – a specially produced booklet published in 1970 to celebrate the centenary of the struggling  drapery and furnishing business acquired by James Colmer in 1870.

It was to bear his name until 1973 when it was taken over by Owen and Owen. Both stores are no more but the building IS still in the retail business.

Well the Internet is an amazing thing because Janet Holman has sent me an email from a little village about three miles from Winchcombe in Gloucestershire – where she has lived for over 50 years.

“Trying to date a photo in my family collection the Internet search directed me to your website. Imagine my surprise when the very photo appeared in a post from 2013.

My father is the delivery boy on the right of the picture showing Colmers van around 1910. He later worked for Fullers Garage and we were in the basement at Kingsmead Street when it was bombed in 1942.

The Fuller family opened their home to us and another family who also lived above the garage and I believe we stayed with them on Coombe Down for about 9 months until we were able to move to Lansdown where I lived until my marriage in 1960.

My mother worked in the soft furnishing workroom at Colmers in the 1950s so I would like to thank you for reviving many childhood memories of my life in my favourite city.

I should add I am currently awaiting the delivery of the book by David and Nigel Lassman.”
Janet Holman (nee Toogood)