163-164-165-166 High Street

No162-163-164

In 1865 No162 was the premises of Gowing and Rounce, Shipping and Commission Agents, Insurance Brokers and General Merchants. Around the 1880's the shop became a grocer's, run by Mr C. E. Nobbs but by the 1950's Gaskin's the high-class fruiters and greengrocers had opened up a second location as well as No35-No36 in No162. You can see in the 2nd picture that the East Anglian Water Company had moved into No163 and you can clearly see their extension into No162. Today the building is flats along with the old East Anglian Water Company building, who's plaque you can see. No163 in 1865 Mr James Gowing ran his Fishmonger's from the address and also had a shop in Whapload Road. By 1900, the shop had passed to Mr William C Carpenter who ran it as a Tobacconist before it became East Anglian Water. No164 which is behind the no-parking sign was recorded as Mr Alfred Taylor's, Confectioners and Tobacconist in the 1932 edition on the Kelly's Directory.

No165-166

In 1865 No165, the shop 4th picture, was the home of Mr Charles Nobbs who was a Master-Mariner. When it was torn down for the street widening, it changed from being a house to a shop. In 1932 the Kelly's Directory simply had Edward William Clark listed at the address. The 5th picture is of Leslie Outfitters. You can see Mr John Leslie posing for his picture. Take note of the Edwardian lamp post which also doubled as a power pole for the long-gone tram system in Lowestoft. Today it is flats and part of Albany House, but in 1959 the Eastern Gas Board had moved in. No166 which can be seen on the right of the picture on the left was recorded in 1865 as being Mr Abraham Cooper shop which he ran as a Cabinet Maker and Upholsterer.

CREDIT: Lowestoft High Street, The Butcher, The Baker and The Candlestick Maker by Crispin Hook 2016 Get the book