Poppi Interiors

Ann (1766-1845) and Dorothy (1763-1831) Ellery ran a milliner’s business here between 1786 and the early 1840s. Their names appear on the apprentice duties registers:

1786: Elizabeth Nunn
1791: Mary Clements
1794: Mary Head
1796: Harriott Lubbock
1803: Alice Wright
1804: Sarah Clements. She is recorded
as living here with Ann Elleray on the
1841 census.

On the 1845 map Robert Parson senior is recorded as living here, but no further details have been found as yet.

William Powley was born in 1821 in Swaffham and by 1841 was a bricklayer on Northwell Pool with his wife Sarah and son James. Ten years later he and Sarah are still at North Pool with 6 children.

In 1861 he is here on Lynn Street as a bricklayer with his son Henry, 14, and also a shoe salesman with his daughter Jane, 10, working in the shop. Sarah died in 1868 and from that time William moved around that area of Swaffham, always as a bricklayer. He died in 1895 on Lynn Street.

The shop, however, stayed in the family. His daughter Phoebe married Robert Howes who was a bricklayer in 1871 and 1881 whilst she kept the boot shop.

With them lived Henry Powley, her brother, who was a bricklayer. Robert died in 1886, aged only 42. Phoebe carried on with the shop until after 1891 but by 1901 the family had moved away.

The shop was quickly taken over before 1901 by the shoemaker Charles Young and continued through 1911 to beyond 1921. By 1939 he had retired to live in Carmelite House on Pit Lane.

During his 40 year work as a boot and shoemaker he was also an elected member of the Board of Guardians in the town.

In the 1980s the business here was Charlie Chuckles Toys.

Then came the Swaffham Florist.