A. Nicholls. No. 22 High Street, Hitchin

Hitchin.Nicholls’ shop in the High Street Hitchin 1922

As you can see from the photograph,  A. Nicholls claimed to be a ‘High Class Fruiterer and Florist’.   The fact that each variety of fruit rested on a napkin in a separate basket, shows it probably was. The shop was lit by gas in the winter evenings.

The Nicholls’ family had several shops in the town, all greengrocers: James Jesse began in Queen Street in 1853, had a branch in Sun Street in 1890, while Charles began in Bucklersbury in 1867. By 1906, Albert was running the Bucklersbury, Churchyard and High Street shops.

T.W. Latchmore took this photograph, shortly before this shop closed down.   In 1933 the now grade II listed building became a dentist, and later, between 1959-1966 it was Wright & Mills optician, and later still Boots Opticians.