Once the core of the rural community, the village shop has now almost
entirely disappeared from everyday life. This well-loved institution was a key
part for rural communities, once stocking everything from Atora shredded suet to
Zebra grate polish. The village shop has become a victim of accelerating social
and economic change.
This book charts the rise of consumerism and traditional shopkeeping in the
eighteenth century, the impact of the Industrial Revolution on the retail trade,
and the many and varied tasks carried out by the average village shopkeeper.
The author depicts a time when the village shop was a unifying link within
village life, before the image of the amiable shopkeeper weighing out quarters
of bulls-eyes and humbugs in his counter was consigned to history.
Contents:
Before the Village Shop
From 1500 to 1860
From 1860 to 1914
From 1914 to the Present Day
Index
