H. Baines & Sons shop History

Information kindly supplied by David Baines & Doreen Dawson (nee Baines)

William Henry Baines (1862 - 1939), married to Emily Jane Gotobed (1867 - 1959) owned and ran a grocery and haberdashery business in what is now Buckleys through the early part of the 20th Century. They had seven children (Hugo, Harold, Wilfred, Cyril, Mary, James & Marjorie Ena).

(William & Emily Baines)

(James & Marjorie Ena)

William, better known as Henry, successfully ran the business through the twenties and thirties, and eventually handed the business over to his sons Cyril and Harold. Cyril ran the grocery side of the business and Harold the haberdashery side. Cyril lived in High House, and Harold in Birdbrook House.

(High House)

With the boys running the shop, Henry had more time to harness his horse Dobbin to the trap and visit outlying farms to take orders. Also around this time two further shops were opened, one in Sible Hedingham and one in Wethersfield. Henry eventually died on Christmas Eve 1939.

(an original pre 1939 Baines tea chest)

Harold and Cyril continued to run the business through the hard times of the 2nd World War and the period of food 'rationing', which lasted right up until 1954. Harold and Cyril finally retired in 1961, at which time the premises was sold to Pat & Jan Howley.

The Baines family in Castle Hedingham

Henry and his brother James originally lived in the 'shop house' (Magnolia House), which was situated next to the shop, and which was all one premises. The bay window of Magnolia House was often used to tastefully displayed a dress or garment. James subsequently married the housekeeper and then moved into the building at the bottom of Majendie Lane, which later became the Youth Hostel, but which has now been converted back into private dwellings.

(Castle Hedingham Youth Hostel - as was)

Bank House, in the village, was bought when two of Henry's children contracted Typhoid. The house was turned into an isolation unit with a small door upstairs giving access to either side of the 'hospital', and two nurses came from London Hospital to care for the patients. Happily both children survived.

(Bank House)

(Augusta House)

Another house in the village occupied by the Baines family was Augusta House, where David Baines and Doreen Dawson (nee Baines) often visited in school holidays, as they did in later years to Bank House, where Emily Jane moved to after the death of Henry in 1939.