Greengrocer: Celebrating the market charter

Alan Hand with his mother, Gladys, on his Morledge market stall in 1954

BACK in February, Alan Hand, of Littleover, wrote about his days in the Royal Army Veterinary Corps during the Second World War. After the war, he worked for his old boss, a farmer at Breadsall, for a couple of years before setting up as a greengrocer on the Morledge market in 1949. He also had a greengrocery round, delivering to customers with a horse and dray.

The photograph is of Alan being helped by his mum, Gladys Hand (nee Sparkes), in 1954, the year Derby market celebrated its 800th anniversary of being granted a royal charter.

Said Alan: “Most of made an effort to brighten up their stalls with decorations, including John Thompson who was a good friend of mine during my market years.

“The lady being served used to live in the street behind the Coach and Horses, in the Chester Green area. It could have been Kirk Street.

“The young woman with her is her daughter, I think called Vera, and the child is the daughter of Vera’s older sister.

“My family lived in Devonshire Street, now built over by the shops and car park. It ran from the Spot down to the bottom of Eagle Street, which ran into Siddals Road, opposite the Ice Factory.

“We lived at No 24 and next door lived the Margetts, who were stallholders in the old open market in Market Place before moving to the new market when it was built, along with the Council House and bus station.

“Dad was a riveter in the old U shop at the Carriage & Wagon works in Litchurch Lane. Mother’s dad, who also lived in Devonshire Street, worked at Boden’s Mill on London Road. His name was Charles Sparkes.”

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