I'M delighted to have had a huge response to recent TRM stuff, there's much to get through, so you might need two cups of coffee and the biscuit barrel.

Firstly, in response to Dom Todaro's recollection of his days in the fearsome St Peter's Road gang, Angela Evans from Marble Hall Rd, told me that it was her brother John (as Dom had said), who was the gang ‘leader’.

She said there were about 10 of them, and, as well as Dom and John, the gang included...Steven Clark, Philip Steer, Paul Ayers, John Olmond, Graham Davies, Liam Murphy, Christopher Shields, Norman Phillips and Stephen Phillips.

Apparently, when they weren't "messing about outside playing war games," they could be found in grandad Harold John William's house, in Robert Street, engrossed in a fabulous Scalextric train set.

I'm grateful to Angela for the follow-up, and also for this week's first old photo, slightly worn and tattered, of a County Hospital ward, possibly taken, although she's not sure, when her brother John was born in 1951.

The next bit of feedback was in response to the Buck and Wareing's photo in Robert Street.

Eric Harries, Cecil Curtis and Neil Smith, all got in touch to inform me that the premises had previously been occupied by painter and decorator, Affie Jeffs. Thanks guys.

And, of course, I was contacted about that list of old Milford shops we included recently, firstly this email from old Milfordian Graham Clarke.

" Hi Jeff...It was interesting reading of the shops that used to be around.

“But I can think I can add another one. My mother used to get the groceries from Peglers, which I think was next to James Brothers, the butchers in Charles Street.

“Additional to the shops in the main centres, were the ones in suburban streets. There were quite a few in your area in Pill, but there were five within a hundred yards of our house in North Road, John Venables confectionery shop was at the top of Pill Lane, there was the cobblers and shoe shop (Mr Williams, I think) three doors up from us. There was Miss Palmer's sweet shop on the corner of Yorke Street and North Road, and another sweet shop next to the Kimberley. There was a Post Office on the corner of Warwick Road and North Road, and at the other end of Warwick Road was Jim Jones grocery shop. There was a butcher's shop just down Robert Street. All these were used at some time or other.

“A little further afield there were shops at the junction of Greville Road and Brooke Avenue, as well as Greville Road and Shakespeare Avenue. There was the butcher’s shop from your picture at the junction of Shakespeare Avenue and Stratford Road, as well as one or two little shops in both Shakespeare Avenue and Stratford Road.

“I'm sure other people could produce a list from their own area of the town. Where have all these gone? They were all close at hand because people walked for shopping in those days as they did not have cars."

Thanks Graham, and of course, you're right...as this list from Ann Marvelly and her sister Mary Greaves shows.

"Bean the Butchers...Stan Robinshaw, the New Studio photographer, Morgans Newsagency, the Maypole, Mac Bakery, The Star, George Masons grocers, Thynnes Fruit & Veg, Mrs Palmer The Hat Box, Elizabeth Stuart dress shop, Alec Betty's TV & Radio, Barretts Emporium, the Chapel fruit & veg, Dewhurst Butcher, Smedleys tobacconist, Granby's, Evans drapers, the Cooperative and Peglers.”

Getting in on the act was Barry Thynne, himself, quoting many of the above, and also places like Jack Lewis shoe shop, Fred Mayers sweet shop, Beehive, Munts Jewellers, Edmunds Deli, Kings Bros barbers, Westonbergs chippie and Harries Electricals.

I could go on, and I'm grateful to everyone who got in touch, it shows how busy and how diverse Milford was in the days when people used cash to purchase things, and not stupid little bits of plastic, better used for picking your teeth!

Here's a snap of one of the aforementioned shops, the well-remembered James the butcher.

Teaser time. 14 of the kids in the class are girls. Eight of the kids wear blue shirts.

Two of the kids are neither girls nor wear a blue shirt. If five of the kids are girls who wear blue shirts...how many kids are there in the class?

I leave you with snaps provided by sisters, Ann and Mary, it's of North Road Girls Junior School...1966/67 and 1967/68.

Milford Mercury:

If you recognise yourself...or anyone else, I'd love to hear from you.

That's enough coffee and biscuits for now...get stocked up ready for next week!