Mike Bridgen reviews a new book telling the story of one of Richmond’s best-loved and most long-lived firms.

THE history of one of Richmond’s most important businesses has been lovingly recorded by a former employee.

Robert Spence & Co, ironmongers and hardware store, played a major role in the lives of many in the town and surrounding Dales for 182 years.

Dennis Edmondson joined the firm as a 14 year-old apprentice in 1942 and happily remained there until it closed in 1970.

Robert Spence was the son of a farmer from Middleton Tyas who, in the late 1700s, and much to his father’s annoyance, wanted to become an ironmonger in Richmond.

His father eventually allowed him to join one in the town but he had to make the near ten-mile round trip on foot each day.

That business had begun in 1788 and, although Spence did not marry the ironmonger’s daughter, he eventually over the business, and gave it his own name.

When he died aged 82 in 1882, his son, also Robert, turned what was a small shop into a department store.

Robert Spence Jun is credited with introducing the boneshaker cycle to the town and in 1863 held what was to become the town’s annual Whitsun meet. He organised a race with different bikes, including the penny farthing, around the market place.

Business was going well when, in 1893, a fire broke out and extra firemen from Darlington were sent for – their horse-drawn tender taking at least an hour to arrive.

Despite the setback the firm remained open and a year later applied for permission to lay the set of tramlines round the corner from the shop to the warehouse in Friar’s Wynd, behind the Georgian Theatre.

In the early days, the business delivered orders by horsedrawn cart and the men could be gone 24 hours reaching the further reaches of the Yorkshire and Durham dales.

The book tells the stories of various characters – both staff and customers – and how later, as the firm’s only representative, Mr Edmondson would stay overnight at customer’s houses and farms when on longer excursions.

The large estates such as Raby, Barningham and Lord Bolton’s in Wensleydale, were valuable customers.

By the 1930s, the modest shop front in Richmond market place opened out into 10,000 sq ft of floor space.

The company had iron and steel warehouses in Finkle Street where handmade nails and horseshoes were made, including for the racehorses at Middleham.

A further showroom was in Finkle Street and there was a yard and further buildings to house vehicles and stock in Queen’s Road.

The business continued to adapt and flourish, but in 1970 the directors decided to call it a day – time was passing for that type of business and decimalisation, which was due to start the following year, was the final decider.

Mr Edmondson was able to rent the Finkle Street showroom and opened his own business along the same lines as Robert Spence & Co. He ran it for 20 years until retiring, aged 62, in 1992.

● Robert Spence & Co. 1778- 1970 is available from the author – Dennis Mark Edmondson – on 01748-822 692; Anne Dinsdale on 01969-640 651, email anne.dinsdale06@btinternet.

com; or from Richmond Tourist Information Centre on 01748-828742. It is priced £9.95.