After the merchant crash of the 1800s, life was looking up in Poole. New libraries, parks and hospitals opened up and in 1901 electric trams started running through the town.
The old industries of shipbuilding, brick making and brewing continued. New businesses such as iron foundries and potteries became established. Large, properly fronted shops began appearing in Poole, replacing little workshops and market stalls. Distribution became profitable. Railways meant people and products arrived cheaply from far away.
Poole was part of the ‘Nation of Shopkeepers’ and more people had more spending power. By 1897 Hawkes’ Shoe Shop (est. 1847) was the largest fronted store Poole had ever seen. It was the first shop in town to use electric lighting, and one of the first to have a telephone. People flocked from far and wide, including Bournemouth, to try on footwear.
What happened next? ... Go to the MY STREET trail hotspotbetween LAGLAND STREET and SKINNER STREET or enter code STREET.