[smiffy]

You're not alone, lutonman1. Trying to remember, I would have probably said there were only four or five shops myself.

[lutonman1]

Very interesting this `Wayfield Estate shops` Never realised there were so many shops on that `parade`
Eleven shops, thought there were only about five.(don`t get old, the memory, doesn`t remember, either).

[Lutonman]

There was also a barbers run from a house in Churchill Ave. It was just up the road from my house at Bader Crescent.

[OldMuzza]

I lived close to the Wayfield shops from the mid-1950s until about 1971 and can probably add some history to the 1974 list but that would mean going off-topic. If there's sufficient interest perhaps someone wants to start a new topic on these shops to during the development of the estate following the war.

Returning to the topic of barber's shop, it was at 181 Wayfield Road, next to the fish & chip shop at 183 run by Mr A E Taylor when I lived on the estate). As with the 1974 Kelly's my 1963 edition shows it only as a ladies salon ("Barbara" - ladies hairdresser) but as I remember the shop catered for both ladies and gents. On entering the shop the ladies salon was, I think,  on the left and the gents on the right. I have a feeling, but could well be wrong, that the gents salon was run by a Mr Durrant.

[redge]

My 1974 Kelly's states,
161, Co-operative Society Ltd
163, R M Walker, Chemist
165, Martin's, Newsagents
167, A Cooper, Wine Merchants
169, H W Scott, Butcher
171, S S Cox, Baker
173, Hayes-Smith, Grocer & Post Office
175, D Cooper, Grocer
177, J S Baker, Hardware Stores
181, Sharon, Ladies Hairdresser
183, J R W Crowhurst, Fishmonger
I noticed there was no listing for 179, Wayfield Road.

[Lyn L]

I only remember a ladies` hairdressers in that parade of shops. It was Barbara's. My S in law worked there, for her . They moved from Military road when those shops closed down. It was almost next door to Waltons at that time, or very close to it.

[smiffy]

I definitely remember Vic Bruce (later to become the Mayor) and there was also a Butchers shop. As I lived locally at the time it seems odd that I used to get taken to Batchelor Street to get my hair cut.

[Lutonman]

Mick the barber is back their now but not in the same place. I think the parade of shops from the top was the chip shop, then the hardware shop, then the barbers and then the wool shop, then Bruce the greengrocer. I may be wrong.

[smiffy]

Lutonman, can you remember whereabouts in Wayfield the barbers was?

[Lyn L]

I think most barbers and hairdressers used the plank until the 'posh' chairs came into being. The ones I've used have always had them for children or very short people 

[Lutonman]

The wooden plank was used at the Wayfield Barbers in the 50's.

[numanfan]

I was taken to the Luton Road barbers in the 60's - again with the plank of wood. I'm sure there were a couple, Reg Beaney I recognised from previous comments, and, as I'm typing this, Greens comes to mind. I'm pretty sure I screamed my head off in one but found the other to be more friendly & I sat there as good as gold. Not sure which barber was the grumpy one though??

[Stewie]

I used to live on the Luton Road in 'Jeyes Terrace' and used the Reg Beaney's barbers when I was a small boy in the 60's

[Mike S]

The Barber in Rochester High Street roughly opposite the Electricity showrooms also used the wooden plank seat for small children.

[smiffy]

"Hygienic" that used to be in Batchelor Street, Chatham were the same.