Pre-war Victoria Road had many shops and business, including a Co-op, garage, post office, bakery and many public houses and Mr Stannard was able to rattle off a full list of the varied businesses along the main thoroughfare into town from the railway station during the 1950s.

The top picture on the opposite page shows the Watson-Smith garage and the Co-op, which at the time was a grocer, as well as selling men's ware, shoes and cakes.

Below it is a snap of Albert Chaplyn & Co. The building was a grain store and located on what is now the Vinces Road roundabout.

Above right is a view of Victoria Road heading toward Scole, showing young girls playing in the road.

To the right of them is a Post Office and cake shop, and on the left housing which is still standing today.

The final picture shows a corner shop on the crossroads, believed to be from a slightly later period, due to a sign showing direction to the A143.

Mr Stannard's list of shops and business, etc, in Victoria Road during the 1950s consisted of: left side – Chapel, Council school dinner hall, Council school, Mere Manor, almshouses, gasworks, Crain storage shed, railway bridge, BP depot, clothing factory, tar factory, Railway Tavern, Norman and Banks fish shop, sweet shop, butchers, bakery and sweet shop, Crown and Anchor, post office, Blue Bird stores,

Right side – foundry (engineers), Underwoods Studio, Perfitts stonemasons, Picture house, Watson garage, Co-op (grocery, mensware, shoe shop, cake shop), Co-op dairy milk yard, Giles dentists, Madgetts cycle shop, council yard, Cooleys stonemasons, Broadbents cafe, Blue Wave swimming pool, Barham Transport, Red Lion (pub) now Bavins motorcycles, Simonds coaches, Masons timber yard, railway line, Masons timber yard, Tyrrells hairdressers, Bedfords, Kitches garage, sack factory, cafe, Crain storage sheds, Bartrums Transport, Wyatts Transport.