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North’s Post Office and grocery shop, Quorn Cross
Thomas North arrived in Quorn as a single man, in his early twenties in the late 1850s. He came as an assistant to Thomas Truman, who ran his grocery and tallow chandlery (candle making) shop in the middle of Quorn. Thomas Trueman appears on the 1861 census as being blind, so life must have been difficult, and having assistance was essential.
In 1861 Thomas North married Thomas Truman’s daughter Frances Mary, and later took over the shop, probably at the time of Thomas Truman’s death in 1867. He continued to run the business for the rest of his life, latterly with his son Henry Hulse North. By this time it was not only the Post Office but also a general store, grocery store, tallow chandler and also sold pianos. When you zoom in to the small sign sticking out on the right-hand side of the building, it says ‘Pianos’.
There are indications that the North family were very musical. In 1882, at the age of 17, Henry North was appointed to play the organ at the Baptist Church in Quorn, a position he held until 1942. There is a brass plate near the organ, which states that for 60 years he fulfilled the offices of organist, choirmaster, deacon, treasurer of the Sunday School, trustee and leader of the men’s bible class. It is recorded that visitors came from all over the district to hear the oratorios, cantatas, concerts and recitals given by the choir and others, under his direction.
Thomas North died in 1924 aged 88, and was buried in the Baptist Churchyard, with his wife, and close by to all the Trueman family.
This photograph was probably taken about 1910.
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Submitted on: |
2013-06-27 |
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Submitted by: |
Marion Vincent (Rothley) |
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Artefact ID: |
1789 |
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Artefact URL: |
www.quornmuseum.com/display.php?id=1789 |
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