Allsworth the ironmonger, Petersfield

Between 1859 and the 1960s, that is to say for as long as the railway was the principal means of transport, Lavant Street, the main thoroughfare to and from the station, used to be Petersfield's main shopping area. At the station end stood the Railway Hotel (now demolished). Walking from there towards the town centre in the 1950s, kids would look with eyes wide open at the windows of A. T. Emm Toyshop. Ladies would stop by Morton's Shoe Shop and a few meters further down the road would wonder whether their partner would buy them those jewels on display at Llewellyn Bradley *. Meanwhile men would comment on the new cars inside Fred Tews's showroom or could decide to get a new suit at Martin & Triggs, Outfitters. At the town end of the street, Austin's Library was a bookshop that cattered for the whole family.
Another shop found in Lavant Street was F. A. Allworth's.

F. A. Allsworth
Ironmongers &
Tool Merchants
The last two lines were painted twice, with '&' replacing 'and' in the process. The originally lettering was actually more elaborate with deep shadows in red. As for the first line, it was painted three times but I haven't been able to read the names of the previous shop owners.

The Francis Frith website has a picture of Lavant Street taken c. 1955 from the corner with Chapel Street. Austin's Library is immediately on the left.

*: according to an article in the magazine Petersfield Life. However other sources state Llewellyn Bradley sold books, stationery items and fancy goods. His shop was certainly taken over by Mr Austin, the owner of Austin's Library. Unless, of course, Bradley had two shops selling completely different kinds of goods.

Location: Lavant Street, Petersfield, Hampshire / Picture taken on: 20/07/2008