Lois Whaites was a resident in Greenfoot Elderly People's Home in Settle and in 1985 gave this account of the shops she remembers in Settle
I was born at No. 3, Pools Row in Settle in April 1900 in a cottage with no water laid on; there was a tap in the wall for all six cottages and the closet had a box in it which was emptied by the Council once a month.
Further up was Cob Castle reputed to be built on an old castle, hence the name, and in fact only a stone's throw from 30, Lower Greenfoot. Further up the road was Mr William Knowles who lived at the tanyard where they made leather from cowhides. Then you came into Commercial St. where the local firestation was housed and it was a wooden box pulled by two firemen! Then you came to the Methodist Chapel which used to have a prayer meeting in Victoria Square before the start of the service, which was well attended. In this same square was Mr Harry Lord and his grocery and haberdashery shop. Then there was Mr William Shuttleworth who ran his farm from Victoria Square and went around selling his milk in a milk can the shape of his back.
Going down Victoria St. you came to the old co-operative shop and further down there was Mr Tom Frankland the butcher. Further down again there was old Thomas Lord and his greengrocer's shop which was named 'The London Warehouse', no-one knows why. After that you arrived at Mr Hudson's grocer's shop and opposite, my grandfather had his farming and carting business. I think he had ten shire horses and he went up every morning at 6 am on to the moor to fetch the horses down. Going down the street still further there was a German lady called Mrs Jerome who sold clocks, done in very fine fretwork, then you came to the Folly where Mr William Eccleston ran a very successful rag and bone business. Then next door to him was Mr James Grisedale who had a cabinet maker's business and next door to him a Mr David Hearsum who had a fish and chip shop.
Down Chapel St. a Miss Ralph sold hats and children's clothes. Then there was Mrs Bennett who had a shoe shop and further down a Mr Jackson had a bicycle shop.
My memories of a stroll down Settle are of a very friendly market town where everybody knew everybody and the way of life was much gentler than it is today.
(Courtesy Elizabeth Shorrock)