No. 18 Wood Street

The next building in my Wood Street project is number 18, Entertainment Exchange (CeX).  This is one of a chain which buys and sells phones, tablets, laptops, games machines and photographic equipment, along with used computer games.  I've used them to buy a laptop, for Tom, and a phone, which they later bought back after nearly two years, for Ann when she received a new one for Christmas.  I like the fact they give a two year warranty and the idea of recycling goods this way.

In the 1890 census the business was a Hosier & Haberdashery run by Francis Eaves and her daughter Annie.  She also had two other daughters at school, an older sister, two boarders who were Hosier’s Assistants, plus a domestic servant, living at the property.

Later the business was taken over by S.N. Cooke Ltd, a drapers.  They started the business in Birmingham in 1852 and  opened the Stratford branch in 1923.  It moved to Meer Street in 1986 and closed in 1992.

In Other News: This evening we're out with the ex-neighbours for a meal at The Dirty Duck