Shinkfields Ironmonger/Hardware

[geoffshinkfield]

Does anyone remember Shinkfields Ironmongery/Hardware shops on Lordship Lane or indeed one of the Shinkfields? The family lived in and around ED for well over 100 years. When I lived in ED in 1978-79 my family met Leonard Stanley Shinkfield and his sister Wendy to try and establish a family link. We couldn't then but since becoming a family researcher I have found out that we were indeed related via our shared North Creake roots. Since I am writing a book about the Shinkfields I would love to have any memories of the people and the shops and especially any photos showing the shop or the Shinkfields. Incidentally, I have just purchased an impressive old catalogue from the shop dating from 1957 (105 pages). It is has the title 'Tools' and 'H.J. Shinkfield & Son Ltd. Ironmongers 20 & 22 Lordship Lane E. Dulwich, S.E 22 Phone New Cross 2244' on the cover. I guess that it is from their heyday in the post-war years - lots of beautifully hand-drawn tools - so any other memorabilia relating to the shop would be useful too.

[computedshorty]

I remember Shinkfields Shops, the double shop near the corrner of East Dulwich Grove, another a few doors from Northcross Road, and one in Dulwich Village.

At that time we all had New Cross phone numbers, a new Telephone Exchange was built in the place of Dulwich Fire Station bombed in the war in Lordship Lane, all that remains now is the name Fire Station Alley.

The renamed Telephone Exchange became Townley Exchange but shared with Forest Hill numbers.

Shinkfields was a high class Ironmomgers, the only other was Smallbone and Sutton on Peckham Rye near the narrow road leading to Troy Town.

The pair of shops at 22L/L was at one time used by Southwark Borough Council, later a Library.

I have just gone through my pictures and find this one of a Tram just about to pass the Shinkfieds shops ( going away )

[Loz]

Great stuff Shorty - do you know what year that photo was taken?

[geoffshinkfield]

Thanks Shorty - great photo, much appreciated! I was aware through my research that there had been several branches beginning with the first in Blenheim Place, Peckham in 1860's The proprietor was James Shinkfield, from Grimston, Norfolk. The second shop at 20-22 Lordship Lane was established by the 1890's and run by James' son Henry James Shinkfield. No. 22, I believe was the original house with No. 20 the shop. I believe his son Herbert Thomas Shinkfield then took over the business. Interestingly, Herbert's two brothers Leonard Charles and Eric Stanley Shinkfield, both died in WW1 while Herbert survived to keep the business alive. All the Shinkfields attended Dulwich College and are remembered in the school's war memorial boards. (That's something else I've been researching!)

Though I visited the shop in 1978 I don't recall whether it was at 20-22 or at 98 Lordship Lane. While, unfortunately we have no photos from the time of the shop(s) we did keep the business card which lists Shinkfields Ltd. at 98 and the proprietor P.J. Shinkfield (Peter John Shinkfield, great uncle of Leonard Stanley Shinkfield, the man we met). I'm thinking that there were probably two branches in 1978. I have attached copies of the business card, the cover of the catalogue mentioned in my first post and an example double page for those who might be interested in how it was done in 1957!

Love some more photos of Shinkfields if anyone has some more or indeed any more memories of the shop and the shopkeepers!

[edhistory]

> No. 22, I believe was the original house with No. 20 the shop

This terrace is purpose-built shops with living accomodation over.

John K

@ No. 14

[jeff burley]

Geoff - are you still interested in pursuing the Shinkfield history? My wife's late mother was a Shinkfield and became the final trustee of Peter Shinkfield's will so that she had to dispose of the Lordship Lane shop. We visited it several times and have some old and new photos.

My wife Jean has been going through a suitcase of documents, photos and letters and I have been the IT man trying to put it all into Family Tree Maker. We have got back to Grimston, Norfolk, in the late 1700s. If you are still writing your book it would be good to meet up and share information with you. Regards, Jeff (spelt the correct way!) Burley

[Gordon Mitchell]

I knew Peter Shinkfield. He was part of a group of local businessmen who lunched at the Crown Public House at the corner of Hill Street, Peckham in the 1960s.

He lunched in Peckham because he was running the factory that he ran with his sister near to Consort Road.

We had a common interest in photography. Me producing slides and prints and he making cine movies. In conjunction with Vic Blackman - a press photographer and journalist - he made a film about Graham Hill, called 'One Minute to Go'. The film was entered in a competition run by a magazine, probably Amateur Cine World, and was selected to be shown nationally along with seven other entries. I saw it at Orpington Civic Halls.

I lived in Lewisham at the time but did visit the shop in Lordship Lane one Saturday when Peter was in attendance.I left the company I was working for in the early 70s and lost contact from that time.

One thing I do remember well is that Peter did not get on with his sister; I believe that she wanted to sell the business left to them by their father but Peter did not.

[geoffshinkfield]

Hi Gordon,

Thanks for your valuable memories of Peter, very interesting and useful to me. I now know that it was Peter Shinkfield that I met in 1978, not Leonard Stanley Shinkfield as I intimated in my first post. I also met his sister Barbara (not Wendy as above)and they both came to afternoon tea at our house in West Dulwich. It ended a feud lasting several years where they had not talked to each other! Jeff Burley (post above) sent me a great deal of stuff - photos and articles etc. One great article which I have attached is a beauty, all about his history and cinematic experience. Enjoy!

[jeff burley]

Dear Gordon and Geoff

I have been inactive on Shinkfield family tree business for a long time although I did have the opportunity to visit the family tree records centre of the mormon Church in Salt Lake City. Finding the time to sort it all out is my problem - so much for retirement. Can you tell me where I might find the film on Graham Hill that Peter Shinkfield made? I have two sons and three grandsons who are car racing fanatics plus one other relative who was a great admirer of Graham Hill.

Regards, Jeff Burley

[edhistory]

geoffshinkfield Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Love some more photos of Shinkfields if anyone has

> some more or indeed any more memories of the shop

> and the shopkeepers!

I have a small photo of the 20-22 Lordship Lane double shop-front that I can email to you.

John K

[Gordon Mitchell]

Dear Jeff,

It is now almost 50 years since I last saw Peter and I am now in my 80s so my memory of events is somewhat patchy.

As I remember it, Vic Blackman was camera man on the film and Peter was in charge of sound. It was an amateur production on, I believe, 8mm film. The competition was run by a popular magazine of the day. I was never interested in cine and only ever worked in slides and prints and so cannot suggest magazine names or the cine club to which they belonged.

Vic was, I believe a staff photographer on the Daily Express and had a regular column in Amateur Photographer. Vic wrote a couple of books which are listed on line and secondhand copies are probably available from Amazon. There is an obituary on line: he died in Portsmouth in 2009 aged 92. Amateur Photographer is stil in production and as Vic was a well known and popular journalist they may have some information in their archives. Likewise the Express may produce some leads but after all this time the chanced are rather slim. Perhaps Vic's family have the film and may be contacted through the funeral directors.

[Gordon Mitchell]

Dear Jeff and Geoff,

I put 'Amateur Cine World' into Google and found a BFI Forum. Someone had posted a listing from the British Film Institute catalogue of 1969 and scrolling through the list I found an entry for 'One Minute To Go'. It describes the film as a 15 minute look at behind the scenes life of Graham Hill and and his family produced by Vic Blackman - no mention of Peter and no racing.

The BFI is still in existence and may still have a copy. I know this is not relevant to your family tree search but thought you may be interested to know that the film did exist.

Another film included in the presentation at The Cvic Halls that night told the story of how the plague got to Eyam from London on a bolt of cloth to a tailor lodging in the village and how the Church Minister struggled to contain it.

The film impressed me and lived in memory and I have visited the village on a number of occasions.

Incidentally I was unable to read the article Geoff attached because the file was too small but was able to recognise the photo of Peter although he was a little older than when I knew him.

No mention of the engineering works in Peckham has been made. I remember Peter saying that they made wrought iron fire escapes and spiral staircases.

Regards Gordon Mitchell

[jeff burley]

Dear Gordon

For a mere youngster in your 80s you have a remarkably good memory. I can't remember what I did yesterday except that my back tells me it was too much hedge cutting with a nasty machine!

You have done an amazingly thorough and effective search. I will pursue the idea of seeking out the family for Vic's film. Incidentally Gordon said that Vic died in Portsmouth; that was my home town.

Regards, Jeff Burley