Before Skidmore’s – A Glimpse of The Parade, c.1903

This photo shows The Parade just after it was completed, over 120 years ago and 16 years before Skidmore’s was founded in 1919.

The grand building on the right is the Capital and Counties Bank and next door stood “Bristol Stores,” advertising Cheap House / Clothing.

Even then, these new shops were attracting attention, unfortunately for the wrong reasons. In 1902, a display of corduroy trousers were put on display at 9pm and were stolen by thieves less than an hour later, one of the town’s earliest “open all hours” stories!