Myalls Shoe Shop -West Green Road

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The ‘Myalls’ family shoe shops were one of the oldest established Boot and Shoe retailers in Tottenham with premises in West Green Road and also Tottenham High Road.

There had been several generations of the family occupied in the boot and shoe trade and they offered traditional service to their customers with expert knowledge of the trade and a fine selection of quality footwear at reasonable prices.

We have been informed by Brian Myall, the grandson of the original proprietor, that the shop definitely operated for over a hundred years in West Green Rd, and that his own father was born there. Indeed Brian himself worked for the business in West Green Road for nearly 40 years.

The picture of the firms outing was taken outside the factory in Dalston and apparently includes his Grandfather although, even his Dad, did not know which one was him.

Brian also explained that his grandfather had a large house at 672/674 High Rd Tottenham, between Whitbread’s Brewery and the Express Dairy. It occupied two acres of walled garden which included a bowling green at the bottom a lake in the middle with a bridge over. There were also, 60 plus fruit trees and a conservatory with an organ in it. The house was apparently Compulsorily purchased in 1951.

THE FORMER HOME OF WILLIAM MYALL - 'OAKWOOD' 672-4 HIGH ROAD TOTTENHAM

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Customers visiting their stores were always made to feel welcome in very comfortable surroundings. They stocked a wide range of designs and sizes and nothing was too much trouble when finding a suitable style and fit for even the most demanding of their customers.

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They had a wonderful reputation throughout Tottenham for the quality of service they provided.

Regular visitors to their shop in West Green Road may recall the old black telephone that occupied a prime location at the front of the shop.

You will be pleased to know that the telephone still survives to this day and is still functional.

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This wonderful old advertisement appeared in the weekly ‘Tottenham Herald’ in 1922 and promoted the sale of ‘Hotspur’ Boots that had apparently been worn by the Spurs when winning the F.A Cup in 1921.

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The company also advertised their products in the ‘Tottenham Hotspur’ handbooks and publications of the time and we are indebted to the club historians at the Spurs who have provided us with this copy that they hold in their archives.

Sadly the Myall’s family busines closed in Tottenham in 2000. This was due in part to the stiff competition from the larger retailers making it difficult for the small independent traders to survive. However, we also understand that shop thefts and stolen credit cards contributed to their problems. Nevertheless they continued to receive great support from many of their loyal customers who, even when the shop was closed for annual holidays, would wait until the shop reopened to make their purchases.

The end of 175 years trading in Tottenham !

SHOPS IN WEST GREEN ROAD - TOTTENHAM (NORTH SIDE)

List (from the Post Office London Directory 1956) of shops on the north side of West Green Road : (Source & credit: Haringey Archives )

2, 4, 6 & 6a H.J. Rudd Ltd., drapers
8 Bonds, stationers
10 L.J. Summerfield, baker
12 Williams Furnishing Stores
14 George Pritchard, caterer
16 William Myall, boot & shoe dealer
20 Ralph Freeder, fancy goods dealer
22 Joseph Myers, builders’ merchant
Houghton Road
24 Domestic Electric Rentals Ltd.
24a Mrs Mary Newton, knitting wool retailer
26 Dane Dye Works Ltd.
28 Bendix Self-service, laundrette
30 Brickland Ltd., butchers
32 Greenlees & Sons (Easiphit Footwear Ltd.), boot & shoe maker’s
36 Lush & Cook Ltd., dyers and cleaners
36a Arthur Burnetts, tailor
38 Arcadia Prams
40 Albert Lewis, confectioner
42 Susan Paulé, gowns
Portland Road
44 Mrs F. Schiller, confectioner
48 R. Gunner Ltd., provision dealers
50 R. Gunner Ltd., butchers
52 David Greig Ltd., provision dealers

Oliver J. Brenchley, refreshment bar (Seven Sisters Railway Station)56 & 321 R. & E. Cave, bakers
58 J.R. Sawyer & Co., tobacconists
60 Clifford Shoes, boot & shoe dealers
62 Charles Brooker, draper
64 R.W. Reed & Co.Ltd., grocers
66 Charles Brooker, draper
68 The Railway Tavern

Beaconsfield Road
70 James Wilson, wine & spirit merchant
72 Harry Gould, tailor
74 Bert Redman, outfitter
76 Johnny’s Café
78 Ernest H. Dimmock, butcher
80 Lovell Bros. (London) Ltd., outfitters
82 Hill & Nowers Ltd., boot & shoe dealers
84 S.C. Gunther, butcher
86 F. Beavis Ltd., hardware dealers
88 M. Ponton, greengrocer
90& 92 Heward & Dean Ltd., engineers’ merchants
94 Stone & Sharp, printers
96 W.T. Potts (Aerials) & Co. Ltd., wireless
98 London & Provincial Bakeries Ltd.

Article prepared by Alan Swain: October 2014 - From information and photograps provided by Brian Myall.