Jack O'Neill's Pages from The Past

Wednesday, 23rd May 2012

Waterford News

February 1947

High prices of business houses

To judge from the high prices paid for a number of Waterford business houses which came on the market in recent months, our city would appear to bear a very high reputation as a business centre, and certainly we seem to be enjoying an era of prosperity that is quite unprecedented. One has only to throw one's mind back over a period of say, ten years, and recall the large number of unoccupied shops that dotted our main business thoroughfares during that time. Nowadays however, it is quite a different story, and a walk through the city will disclose the fact that there are very few vacant shops to be seen. I can remember a time, not so many years ago, when the large premises occupied by firms like Burtons, Liptons, The Fifty Shilling Tailors, The Ulster Bank, Garrigans Tobacconists, Brennen Bros., and a host of others, were unocupied and almost derelict. When a shop becomes vacant these days, it is not for long and those wishing to dispose of business premises have only to say the word and they are inundated with offers. It is all very gratifying, and the brightness of our shops and the volume of business transacted therein bespeak a prosperity which is a rebuttal of the tiresome assertions of those who like to recall "the good old days," with their long working hours and low wages.

Talking of business houses of other days reminds me of one which I vividly remember because of its unusual fascia. I refer to "The Sixpence-Halfpenny Shop," and the reason I remember it so well was because of the fact that it had a huge 6/12d cut in timber over its main entrance. It was the precursor of Woolworths in this city, and no article was priced at more than 6 1/2 d. At least, so I am told, because I don't remember any more about it than the fact that it had the novel fascia already mentioned and that it invariably displayed zinc buckets and old-fashioned bass brooms. It was located in the premises now occupied by the Ingersoll watch Co. in Broad St., and I have an idea that it did not last long. Evidently, it was a little before its time in Waterford although the "five and ten cent" stores idea, which F.W. Woolworth made world-famous, was then "old stuff" in America.

CIE Closing Of Branch Lines

On and from monday , 27th instant, the Macmine-Waterford railway branch line will be closed to passenger traffic. Substitute road passenger services will be provided as follows:-

Waterford-Rathdrum via Newtownbarry

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday

Waterford dep. 6.40am Rathdrum dep. 12.15pm

Glenmore dep 7.04am Ballinaclash dep. 12.24pm

New Ross dep. 7.29am Aughrim dep 12.42pm

Clonroche dep. 7.50am Ballinglen dep. 12.56pm

Enniscorthy dep. 8.20am Tinahely dep. 1.05pm

Newtownbarry dep. 8.52am Shillelagh dep. 1.21pm

Carnew dep. 9.19am Carnew dep. 1.37

Shillelagh dep. 9.34am Newtownbarry dep. 2.04pm

Tinahely dep. 9.50am Enniscorthy dep. 2.44pm

Ballinglen dep. 9.59am Clonroche dep. 3.05pm

Aughrim dep. 10.14am New Ross dep. 3.37pm

Ballinaclash dep. 10.31am Glenmore dep. 3.50pm

Rathdrum arr. 10.39am Waterford arr. 4.14pm