No 44 Church Street
 
 

1896
William Powditch - General engineer, whitesmith, gas and hot & cold water fitter, bell hanger (source: bill head, 1898, see right, K1896). By 1898, William has added 'bell hanger' to his list of advertised skills. The bells of St Edmund's Church were rehung on a new frame in 1897 so it is likely that William played a part in this.

William's brother, James, is a carpenter and builder and has just built for William, a large new engineering workshop at the other end of Church Street (Nos 2 - 8). James will shortly take over the Sole Bay Inn at No 7 East Street.. For more about the Powditch family click here.


1900
Goddard & Kemp - Cycle maker and repairer. (SN) By 1908, Abner Goddard relocates the business, first to No 63 High Street and afterwards to No 60 - 62 High Street. The Goddard family are later to develop considerable interests in the cycle and motor trades in Southwold. See also No 4 Victoria Street and No 9-11 Victoria Street..

1908
Walter Percival Lilly - Sanitary Engineer (K1908)


 

1916
George Bird - Fried Fish Dealer (K1916)

 

1924
Jack Bedingfield - Fried Fish Dealer (K1924) See photograph, below right. What relationship to Betty Bedingfield, confectioner of No 29 High Street?

 

1937
Jack Bedingfield - Fried Fish Dealer (K1937). Ronnie Waters remembers his pre-war prices: A portion of fish 2d and a portion of chips 1d. You could have a 'two and one' (2 fish with one portion of chips) or a 'two and two' (on a plate to eat in).


Jack Bedingfield - Fried Fish Dealer

 

Jack Bedingfield - Fried Fish Dealer. Continues trading throughout the 1950s and possibly into the 1960s (LM)

Jack's son, John, is a talented musician who works on cruise liners as a double bassist. He also makes violins. (LM)


Residential

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 



   

Do you have any memories or records about this address? Can you correct any of our information or fill in any of our blanks? If so, please email Barry Tolfree
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SOURCES:
BSD - Bernard Segrave-Daly
BCS = Bygones & Characters of Southwold by Barrett Jenkins
C = Census
CP = Cinema Programme 1958
CSP = Coronation Souvenir Programme 1953
G = Gales Trade Directory
GRO = General Register Office
K = Kelly's Directory
LM = Local memory
M = James Maggs' Southwold Diary 1818-1876
MCG = Methodist Church Guide 1930
NA = National Archives
PP = Pantomime Programme 1933
PLR = Petrol Licence Records

POD = Post Office Directory
PPP = Pier Pavilion Programme 1924, 1926
RCE = Rotary Club Exhibition 1969
SCM = Southwold Catholic Magazine 1923
SCTG = Southwold Corporation Tourist Guide
SER = Southwold Electoral Register
SFP = Southwold Scouts Fete Programme 1947
SG = Southwold Guide
SGCH = Southwold Golf Club Handbook
SLHR = Southwold Local History Recorder 1980s 1990s (Mrs R. McDermot)
SMHS = Southwold Museum & Historical Society

SN = Southwold & Neighbourhood 1903
SPM = Southwold Parish Magazine 1895 -1954
SR = Southwold Recorder 1927, 1932, 1934, 1935
SRB = Southwold Rate Book
SRT = Southwold Railway Timetable 1915
SSAS = Southwold Sea Angling Society Handbook 1909
SST = Southwold Summer Theatre Programmes
SSW = Southwold Shopping Week Programme, June/July 1922
STG = Southwold Town Guide 1930
SVL = Southwold Visitors List 1907, 1930
SVCP = Southwold Victory Celebration Programme 1946
SWCG = Southwold Wesleyan Church Guide

TTR = 'The Town Revisited' - Portraits of Southwold by Stephen Wolfenden 2000
TTT = ''To The Town' - Portraits of Southwold by Stephen Wolfenden 1988
W = White’s History, Gazetteer and Directory of Suffolk 1874

 
Note on dates
Unless otherwise stated, dates given do not indicate the years in which the business started or finished but those for which there is firm evidence that it was trading at this address. Sources in brackets; key at bottom of page.



No 44 Church Street. The present building is a relatively new construction

William Powditch as a young man with cornet.
He and his brother, James, were both cornet players in the Town Band.
Photo reproduced courtesy of Carol Stone (nee Powditch)

Click the picture to enlarge

Bill Head from William Powditch dated 1898.
Southwold Museum collection

Click the image to enlarge


In 1902, Goddard & Kemp's handmade cycles could be had for ten guineas each . To read a contemporary account of this recently established business, click the picture.

Jack Bedingfield's Fish & Chip shop 1937

Frank Bedingfield''s Fish & Chip shop in May 1937 just before the coronation of George VI.
Reproduced from a postcard kindly supplied by Heather Osmer.
Click the picture to see the whole image.


Jack Bedingfield (right) in 1913 photographed by Fred Jenkins with (l to r) S Girling, S Thompson and O Thompson. Reproduced by permission of the photographer's granddaughter, Ann Thornton

EJ Bedingfield advert 1946

1946 advertisement for EJ Bedingfield in the Souvenir Programme of the Southwold Victory Celebration. Note, the address is given as No 42. Had he moved next door after the War?
With thanks to David Wright for this image.