Discovering Heritage has researched the history of T Punshon Newsagent. First trading from Gosforth in 1918

Discovering Heritage has researched the history of T Punshon Newsagent. First trading from Gosforth in 1918
Long time residents of Gosforth will recall a stationery shop on Gosforth High Street, Moods of Gosforth. As children, it was a treat to visit the shop and consider which of the books or stationery we might request for our next birthday or Christmas gift. These memories have prompted us to look at the history of this much-loved shop and its founder.
The son of Jacques Fisher and Sybil Jacobs Joe was born in 1922 in Newcastle. He spent most of his years as a resident of Jesmond and Gosforth. His father was a director of the family wholesale jewellery business in Newcastle. Between 1930 and 1936 Joe attended the Royal Grammar School in Newcastle for his secondary education. Joe still lives in Gosforth now at the age of 98.
David Wardell follows the Laidlaw family through the rise and fall of fortunes, times of tension when their land was taken for rail improvements at Manors and various business exploits as one would expect over such a long term. The story is accompanied by numerous news snippets which illuminate particular instances of the lives of individual family members which were deemed to be news worthy and set in print for us all to read.
Fred Gee of Gosforth. Gee is a surname that continually crops up during our research. In this guest post we share research from David Wardell. We were delighted when David responded to one of our posts and even more thrilled when he agreed to share his discoveries with us.
Discovering Heritage research on Davison’s Chemist shop. Undertaken in response to a Facebook poll conducted early in 2020.
It is the natural characteristic of the High Street shops that they come and go. Communities grow and develop and demand different things. Situations change, and during times of change, we can sometimes find clues to our High Street heritage.
In 1920s Gosforth History Kelly’s Newsagent opened at 147 Salters Road. He traded from Salters road for over 30 years. The area was known locally as Kelly’s corner.