Barretts of Canterbury: 28-30 St. Peter's Street, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 2BL

In 1905 number 27 St Peters Street (now the Sony Centre) was leased to George Barrett's father for £63 per annum and it would appear that this shop sold bicycles, Edison Bell phonographs and sports and camping equipment.

Business was obviously growing at a great pace as agencies for Ford and Rover Cars were taken up at this time. George also received a reprimand from the police because, on inspection it was found that he was storing 240 gallons of petrol when his licence only permitted 80!

Another aspect was added to the business when a 2 cylinder Rover FN570 was put into service as a taxi, joining the horse drawn cab ranks in the city. The first taxi driver was Sid Baker who had been an employee since the beginning in 1902, incredibly he was to continue as a taxi driver until the end of the service, and his retirement in 1958.

1909

The space and quality of the storage facilities was obviously improved because by 1909 the petrol licence had increased to 520 gallons and also for 432lbs of calcium carbide which was the fuel that created acetylene for the (non-electric) headlights of the day.

In 1912 a small showroom was built on the corner of St Peters Street and Pound Lane. This replaced the advertising hoardings which had previously formed the corner.

George and his wife Florence (nee Cobbett) had three children, Elsie, John and Reginald and both sons were destined to join the business. John was born in 1899 and during the First World War served an engineering apprenticeship with Clement Talbot. and then with the RNVR at Queenborough Pier, Sheppey.

When he joined his father in 1919 his initial tasks involved the maintenence of Fordson tractors for which the company were East Kent dealers.

During the war George had continued to run the business which was carrying out engineering work for the War Ministry and he was also appointed an Area Food Production Officer.

With the war over, George bought number 26 from the estate of Mr Jackson, who had died at his home in London. With his son John helping him, he now started to look at ways of consolidating and building the business.

Detour

Click here to take a quick detour from the story to see a page reporting a trip made to France in 1996 to commemorate an "adoption" of part of the area by Canterbury after WWI.