7. Wilson’s Drapers

Dating back to 1889, Mr. WH (“Dutchy”) Wilson was a draper and general storekeeper who, as did other storekeepers of that era, provided a vast range of goods and services. Prior to Wilson’s use, the building was used for various enterprises. During the First World War (1914-1918), Wilson’s Drapers advertised items in the Romsey Examiner including “periscopes for the soldiers in the trenches” and “flags for all nations except Germany.”

M Anecdotes suggest that Mr. Wilson nailed barbed wire along the verandah boards to stop schoolchildren from jumping up to touch them. In 1941, after Mr. Wilson died, a clearing sale of all of the stock occurred which lasted three days.