Crossing over from Rackstraw’s we head back up
the road to Blyth’s Stores at Number 6 Market
Street. They also have premises in the Market Place
as well, it seems.

“Blyth’s Stores sold just about everything under
the sun! When we decided to redecorate our little
bungalow on Burton Avenue we bought some nice
green wallpaper from Blyth’s, together with all the
necessary equipment for our very first efforts at
do-it-yourself! We had much to learn, I seem to
recall.”

Blyth’s also stocked Linoleum, mats and rugs, as
well as rather ‘posh’ tea and dinner services –
Wedgewood and Royal Doulton – well out of our
price range at the time.

“As for rugs, we made them ourselves, sending
away to Readicut for a rug-making kit comprising
pre-printed patterns and wool, and then spent
many happy hours threading lengths of rug
wool using a large awl and poking it through
the canvas base. Much patience was required!”

Blyth’s building was of special historic interest, it
seems, and had a local preservation order slapped
on it, but from whatever angle I viewed it I was
unable to see the reason. Today, however, the
building remains the same, although Blyth’s Stores
is no more. In its place is a carpet shop –
Blakeman’s Carpets – with rolls of carpeting and
vinyls stacked up outside, but do they still sell the
good old-fashioned lino, I wonder?

RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE

RETURN TO NORTH WALSHAM