A new postcard has been added to the High Street: Crown Hill to Market Street page, in the around Alton section of the website.

This photograph of the High Street was taken at the junction with Market Street (You can just see it in the bottom left corner) looking towards Crown Hill, in my opinion a view that despite some changes in the 1960s is still instantly recognisable today.

On the left of the High Street, you can see a range of businesses including: The Westminster Bank (It did not become National Westminster until the late 1960s) Kerridge’s Garage, The Bakers Arms, Kingdon & Co Ironmongers and The Castle Inn.

On the right of the High Street, you can see Drury’s tailors / outfitters, I know many people have fond memories of their grandfather or father shopping there. Percy Drury (1878-1953) appears to have arrived in Alton in the early 1920s, taking over the business of Melbourne Lewis (1855- 1931) a tailor who had lived and worked at 31 High Street since 1906.

Percy had been learning his trade for many years prior to taking on the shop in Alton, with the Census of 1901 recording him living in Weymouth working as a clothier’s assistant, by the time of the 1911 Census he had relocated to Worthing where he was working as an outfitter’s assistant.

He ran the business for many years, initially living above the shop, he eventually settled at 107 Victoria Road, living there until he passed away on the 20th January 1953. It is unclear if he had retired, had handed on or sold the business prior to his passing, but the new owner(s) must have recognised the shop had an established and trusted name so retained the name Drury’s.