Dear Editor,
Further to September’s BUZZ WORD re Reeds Cafe, as a member of the Reed Family I can give you more information!
Albert Reed was the son of Alfred (my great-uncle) and Esther Reed who owned the Baker’s Shop at No 12, Bude Street, Appledore. Albert’s wife, Flossie, was Florence Penhorwood of Diddywell.
My parents, Percy and Irene Reed, met whilst working at the Appledore Bakery and Shop, back in the 1920s. If you visit Bude Street today, you will see that the step of No 12 still bears the name REED – with the original green tiles beneath the ‘shop’ window. Like father, like son?
I am attaching 5 photos, 4 of which I took today (29th August), showing the Appledore Bakery and step, and the Bideford step and Cooper Street. The 5th photo is of my sister and me, taken 1933/34, at the top of Cooper Street. (I am the one who has been chopped!) If you look closely, you will see the wall behind us in that photo is the same as the wall at the top of Cooper Street today – even the position of the pipe!
The steps have had the names REED for as long as I can remember. My guess is that they were ‘engraved’ back in the 1930s.
Kind Regards
Cynthia Snowden (nee Reed) – now aged 82!
