Changing Face of Hemel Hempstead Number 14

Marlowes 1978

When I first moved to Hemel Hempstead in 1978 in Marlowes there were shops which have since disappeared:

(1)Tesco

(2)Sainsbury’s

(3)Hadliegh China Shop

(4)Charrington Coal Office

(5)Cinema

(6)Fish & Chip Restaurant next to Cinema 

(7)The Gift Shop

(8)C. & A.

(9)Littlewood’s

(10) Wagon & Horses

(11) Wagon Art Shop

(12) Yorkshire Bank

(13) Sketchley’s

These are just some of the premises I remember. There are probably a lot more.

Some of these mentioned disappeared a long time ago, others much more recently Most recently of course, is the market which has now moved to the pedestrian precinct.

I particularity miss C.& A., Littlewood’s, for clothes and Hadleigh for lovely gifts of china etc.

My grandchildren liked to spend all their pocket money at the gift shop on the ramp, where things were quite inexpensive.

Another shop on the ramp was Sketchley’s, the dry cleaners.

No doubt in a few years time everything will all be changed again and another Hemel will appear.