The cluster of shops at the junction of Albany Road with Calmington Road provided for all the daily needs of the local community. No. 103 Albany Road had been a doctor’s consulting room, surgery and dispensary for many decades. In 1917, Dr Robert Galloway Whitelaw from Scotland lived there with his wife, Catherine. Next door was the fried fish shop (101) and fishmonger (99), both run by the Skelton family. The business had been founded by the enterprising Eleanor Skelton. Widowed at the age of 38 with eight children, she opened a fried fish shop at 27 Bagshot Street, Camberwell.
By 1911 Eleanor’s youngest son, Stephen, had taken over a shop at 101 Albany Road and opened no. 99 next door as a fresh fish shop. His son, also Stephen John, was a junior fishmonger there. Eleanor’s daughter Emma, who had married James Glass, a meat porter, managed the fried fish shop at no. 101, assisted by her daughter Alice. They also had a shop at 3 Beckway Street. The Miller family ran the post office (the pillarbox still stands outside) and baker’s (105). Over on the north side of Albany Road were the shops of confectioner William John Jarvis (136) and grocer Henry Boyce Balls (138) and the local pub, the Duke of Edinburgh (140).
- Albany Road 2019,post box still there with the site of The Duke of Edinburgh Pub opposite.
- Albany Road. Duke of Edinburgh Pub left, Calmington Road right.