IN reply to the question about the iron-mongers, Mence Smith, which used to have a shop in the Market Place, on the corner of Meeting Alley, a reader has sent a copy of an advertisement for this firm.

This one, however, from a Christ Church parish magazine for 1926, is for another branch of the same firm that at 220 St Albans Road.

A search through some of the local street directories shows that the firm continued to trade there until the early 1970s, when the shop was taken over by Timothy Whites. At about the same time they also gave up their shop at 57 High Street and the shop there then became Zales, jewellers.

Older readers may remember this shop as Salmon's also an ironmongers, who traded there on the corner of Meeting Alley before and after the war. Mence Smith replaced them in the early 60s.

This does not answer the question about the origin of the name, which was, according to the advertisement a company with its head office in south east London. Perhaps a Mence once married a Smith and the two names were combined to make a more memorable name.

Does anyone have any photos of any of these shops?

NB. There are also claims that a shop called Mence Smith could also be found in at least one London suburb.

July 1, 2002 15:00