The Shop on the Green, or The Stores

The shop was the end one of a terrace of three houses that stood between the Green and Chapel Lane (or the Alley). They were thought to have been built in the early 19th century. and of clay lump construction.

The buildings  still stand but the shop is now just a private home. Over the years there have been many owners or tenants, for much of that time one of its front rooms was used as shop.

Local stories claim the row 3 cottages were sold for £50 over a pint in the Crown.

1839/40 details from Tithe Apportionments:

Tm 407, cottage & garden -owner  & occupier John Pyman . This was the size of 2 cottages as the shop was added later

Tm 408a, cottage & garden -owner John Pyman, occ George Baker. At the end of the Alley, later called Blenco’s

According ro various trade directories between 1840 and 1850 John Pyman was a shop keeper in Thorney Green. In 1851 William Pyman age 43 is a grocer in Thorney Green and in various directories he is named as a shop keeper through to 1874.

There then seems some confusion as to whether Abraham (Abram) Diaper took over this shop or whether he had premises along Back Road.

By the 1920’s when Mrs Box  went to London, she let the house and shop to Mr & Mrs James Diaper (apparently not a relative of Abraham and for a time the shop was closed

A few years later G.Jackson bought the cottages and gave the end and centre one to his mother and Mr & Mrs Samuel Skinner either became tenants or bought the one with the shop.

1920s to 1940s : Sam Skinner. The shop  closed again  in 1945 but the Skinner’s remained till after Mrs Skinner’s death in  1951 when Mr Skinner sold the property to Mr and Mrs Matthias.

1950’s . A Stowupland General Store, Matthias to Mann: Winniie and Ben (John Benjamin) Matthias shared the work of running their shop. Ben delivered the grocery orders after working all day at the Stowmarket Iron Foundry  whilst his wife took care of the day-to-day running of the shop.

1965: Matthias sold to the Mann’s.

The shop was reopened by Frank R.D. Mann, mainly as a sweet shop till he retired  on 30th September 1981. The house was sold and became a private home.