The Pop Shop.

In 1978 the owners of the Pop Shop snack bar in West Street, Les Harris and his wife Alice, retired after 30 years in the catering business. Mr. Harris attended Park School as a boy and for ten years before World War Two he had worked for Fisher Clark's. During the war he joined the Royal Marines and served on H.M.S. Victorious. The couple took over the premises, which had previously been a pawn shop, in 1948. It was a very popular cafe not only for snacks, meals and tea and coffee but as a meeting place too.



The building before it was the Pop Shop, the pawnbrokers three balled sign clearly visible centre right.

The new owner was Mr. Shelton Goonewardena (a Sri Lankan who married a Boston girl) who had previously worked for Boston Corporation as a clerical officer and said at the time that he planned to run it on the same lines as the previous owners.

The building which was nearly opposite the Regal Cinema, along with many others, was demolished (above) and replaced (below) with a beautiful piece of architecture that is Wickes D.I.Y. store (sarcasm)!!!

Odds and Ends

THE CHERRY CORNER CAFE.

In the midst of a raging snowstorm in early 1947 the "Cherry Corner" milk bar took in its first consignment of ice cream. Experience in the U.S.A. had convinced ex musician L.W. Harris, of the Royal Marines, that people will eat ice cream at any time, even with the temperature below freezing point. Mr. Harris, son of a former police sergeant, thought all this over as the aircraft carrier "Victorious" cruised through the Atlantic, the Pacific and a large area of the world's remaining oceans. Then he wrote about his post-war dream of opening an American style milk bar in Boston to his friend, Sergt. Alf Bell, of Swineshead. He, too, had plenty of time to think as he lay in hospital recovering from wounds received in Normandy on D-Day plus ten, which resulted in him being invalided from the Army. The two got together and the "Cherry Corner" was the result. At the same time they were hoping to install a juke-box if the magistrates gave their blessing and granted a music licence. Later on they parted company and Mr. Harris became proprieter of the "Pop Shop" cafe in West Street.

This is the only picture I have of the Cherry Corner building (the printers and stationer) obviously taken long before 1947. Hinds Jewellers now (2012) occupies the site.

NEWSPAPER CUTS.

2nd May 1834 LINCOLN, RUTLAND & STAMFORD MERCURY

The absconding of a confidential clerk to an attorney at Boston with over
£800 of his employer´s money, is another melancholy illustration of the lost
morality of the times, when oaths and obligations of good principles are treated
as mere matters of convenience. The young gentleman took some Deeds to Lincoln,
received the Purchase-money, and instead of returning to Boston, went to Hull
and took shipping for America. His name is PLUMB, he was clerk to Mr
COOKE, the sum he received was £843 and he sailed from Hull on Friday
last in the St Mary, bound for Quebec.


23rd June 1826 LINCOLN, RUTLAND & STAMFORD MERCURY

Married on Monday last Mr. Edward GREEN, fisherman, to Mrs.
DAY, both of Boston; being his 5th wife and her 2nd husband. His last
wife had Five Husbands - the Bridegroom applied to the clergyman for some
abatement of the usual fee, on the grounds of his having been so good a
customer. The Bride was given away by the Bridegroom´s son-in-law.


7th September 1827 LINCOLN, RUTLAND & STAMFORD MERCURY

On Thursday the 30th, aged 59 years, William RAISON of North
Street, Boston - and on the same day aged 52 years William RAISON of
Grove Street, for many years a publican at Hildike Bar. It is remarkable that
these two persons were not related although they were of the same Christian and
surname, resided in the same town and died on the same day and were buried on
Sunday last in graves not more than twelve inches apart.

THE PIE MAN.

Years ago in the days when Boston had a thriving cattle market, there used to be a baker called Barrard, in West Street, who would appear about mid morning in the Market with a huge basket of hot meat pies. He was eagerly awaited by many men for a mid morning snack, no doubt they had nothing since an early breakfast, and perhaps they had walked some miles to the town driving bullocks, and they could not leave them in the market unattended. The Cattle Market has long gone and so has the Pieman, institutions of a bygone age.