John and Margaret Coles' Milliner's and Draper's"

76, Brunswick Road, Buckley

1920

See also 5.199 and 184.21

The milliner's and draper's shop was established around 1895 by John Coles, who formerly worked at the Mountain Colliery. It closed in the 1950s. Dr Bradley lived here and it was his surgery until the health centre opened off Padeswood Road. Robert Roberts, who lived at 78, Brunswick Road, was Margaret's brother.

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This photograph of 76, Brunswick Road, situated at the eastern end of the row, shows a house of four bedrooms, shop and at the rear a workshop known as "the machine room". There were about three sewing machines in the workshop and us children weren't allowed in there.

This shows Margaret standing in the doorway of her shop. In the window can be seen a selection of hats and ladies' dresses of different materials made on the premises.

Posing on the photograph we see four of Margaret's dressmakers, one of whom I recognise, third from the right, as Annie Jones of Level Lane.

The family lived in Dobshill originally and Margaret's father was a farmer. I don't know how Margaret financed the building of the row of houses just from the money from the shop. R D Davies across the road designed and built the row.

Author: Fox, W Neville

John and Margaret Coles' Milliner's and Draper's"

76, Brunswick Road, Buckley

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