My grandfather William (Bill) Charman ran Bembrook's General Store in Wandsworth Bridge Road between Narborough Street and Ashcombe Street from 1955 until 1969. I have wonderful memories of 'helping'  in the shop. My grandmother used to send me round at lunchtime with his packed lunch, usually a flask of soup and sandwiches (no fridges in those days). I would walk round to Wandsworth Bridge Road and stand at the kerb waiting for an adult to see me across the road - can you imagine allowing a small child to do that now? When I arrived grandfather would sit me up on his tall stool behind the counter and share his lunch with me.  

                                     

I loved the smell of the shop- a mixture of wood, vinegar, polish and paraffin! Vinegar was in a barrel and sold by the pint. Customers had to bring their own container - a huge variety of jars, tins and bottles. He used to let me fill the containers. We had to guess how much each container held and charge accordingly. The bees wax polish was in a huge tub and we scooped the wax out with a wooden spoon into whatever container the customer provided and weighed it on the old fashioned scales.

Another job I loved was trying the weights until they balanced. Nails and screws were sold by weight and we poured them into brown paper bags and weighed them. All good maths practice for me. I wasn't allowed to sell the paraffin which was in a large metal drum with a tap and very carefully poured into a big enamel jug before being transfered to the customer's can.

When the shop opened each morning grandfather would put out his pavement display - a small sample of what he sold. There were wheelbarrows, buckets, bowls, brooms, rugs, mats, garden tools and whatever else there was no room for in the shop. The whole shop was lined floor to ceiling with shelves. Behind the wooden counter were drawers containing all sizes of nails and screws The shelves were laden with tinned and dried food, cleaning materials, soap, matches, candles, laces, boot polish, dusters, brushes etc. Apart from fresh food I can't think of anything he didn't stock. I don't recall any customer ever being told "sorry we don't stock that".

The till was just like the one in 'Open all Hours' and it really did try to bite your fingers. You pressed the keys to make up the correct amount in £SD and the flags jumped up at the back and the drawer flew open. I had to work out the change and count it out into the customer's hand.  Not bad as I was only five! Sometimes in the school holidays I would spend all afternoon there and go home with my grandfather. Other times I would eat lunch with him then he would see me over the road and I would walk home.

My grandad was born in Brighton in 1896 and my grandma May Hare at 251 Fulham Road Chelsea in 1897. They met when my gandmother went on holday to Brighton and were married in 1919. They went to live in Clonmel Road, Fulham, moved to Crondace Road in 1920 and finally to 12 Snowbury Road in 1926. Grandad was employed as an engineer for T Gardner and Sons (Scalemakers) of 572 Wandsworth Bridge Rd but went to work as a milk roundsman for United Dairies in 1929, driving a horse and cart.

His round was in the Fulham Road area and he worked as a milkman for 26 years before moving to Bembrook's, where he stayed until his retirement. They had three children- Hilda my mother, Molly and William. Grandad died in Charing Cross Hospital in 1979 aged 83. My parents and I moved into the downstairs flat of 12 Snowbury Road in 1955 and my grandparents moved upstairs. I left in 1970 and my parents moved out in 1972 when the council bought the properties and refurbished them.

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