The ghostly greengrocer

24/2/2013

An old shop sign - a ghost sign or shadow sign, as they are known - which adds a touch of class to a new business in Great Titchfield Street. I've been able to find out precisely nothing about J.H. Pepperell and his greengrocer business, even though it's the sort of unusual surname which usually makes online searches easier. The shop seems to have left no digital imprint at all - which is unusual. Perhaps it didn't stay in business all that long. Anyone remember it?

20 Comments

val mcdonnell

7/4/2014 11:53:17

yes this was my uncle johns shop, he was my grandfathers brother, my maiden name was pepperell and we usedv to live in 16 gosfield street just round the corner, we moved away from there in 1966 and i believe my uncle retired shortly after, in the early sixtes or late fifties my aunt edna (johns wife, had bleach thrown in her face when the shop was burgled)

Carole Pepperell link

22/7/2014 05:48:11

Hello Val I wonder if you will get this, I am John and Edna's granddaughter and it is lovely to find out that I have another member of the family out there. John is my Father and we lived in 63 Great Titchfield Street until 1976. As you know Grandad had the shop since 1921.

Hope to hear from you

Carole Pepperell

val mcdonnell link

22/7/2014 06:56:31

hi carole
oh my god this is so exciting, i never knew they had grandchildren
i think everybody lost touch by moving away, i dont know very much about your side of the family because i was very young when we moved, but i remember going to the shop with my mum and dad and i remember john and edna and sitting outside shop, i really look forward to hearing you and i can tell you more about some of the rest of the pepperells love val x

Jean Smith

20/2/2022 19:58:46

My grandmothers maiden name was pepperell, (Helena)

val mcdonnell

22/7/2014 07:26:24

Carole Pepperell link

22/7/2014 07:43:53

Hi Val

I am so excited to. I have a sister Julia and Mum and Dad are still with us. Your Father was my Grandfathers Brother is that right? I would love to get together to chat, my direct email is [email protected] for direct contact. I have spoken to Dad and he is also excited. Love family.xxxxxxxxx

Andrew

24/7/2014 12:56:19

Wonderful that this blog has put two wings of a family back in touch. And Carole Pepperell also sent in this comment:

I just came across your blog about the ghost sign in Great Titchfield Street and that you really didn’t know anything about JH Pepperell.

Well he is my Grandfather and we had the shop from the 1920s until 1975. Our shop attracted many celebrities and I would very often find them in the back of the shop just chatting away when I came home from School. My grandmother and father used to go to Covent Garden every day to replenish supplies and the shop used to be open and ready for customers by 8.00am. We have been featured in a book and have been the subject of many newspaper articles.

Chris

12/9/2015 08:33:19

Hi Andrew
I believe my Great Grandfather owned the shop prior to your Grandfather his name was Saunders and I know he was also a grocer. If you have anything that would confirm this could you let me know please?
thanks

Alex elia

24/4/2018 08:20:32

Hi Carole! Remember the shop well! I lived in holcroft court and went to all souls, Julia was a classmate and a good friend of mine. Remember you were so pretty, long wavey blonde hair. Think you were in Sarah hunt's class. You may remember my sister Nita, she was may queen in 1972 or 3? I still pass the ship regularly as I still live locally, it always reminds me on Julia. She was a lovely girl, the day she left in 1974 she gave mr Norman a paperwaite pen, I remember thinking, she must be rich! Send her my love, my name's alex, happy memories X

Martin

14/2/2015 10:20:03

Hi I'm also a Pepperell may I ask Andrew are you a Pepperell if so are from Blackburn ? Is you father SJ Pepperell ?

My dad sent me a picture to this shop and asked if I knew about it and I found this thread

Andrew pepperell

7/3/2015 09:05:37

Hi Martin. This is the andrew I think your after. Not from Blackburn but live in bury but from oldham. My father is sid and I'm taking it your freds lad.

Andrew pepperell

7/3/2015 08:56:39

I'm a pepperell too. ;-) great name. My side all from London area to. Lambeth I believe. Sidney, Fred, billed, mike and David the twins. 1 girl but forgot her name. Lol

Suzanne Pepperell

17/3/2015 14:38:14

I'm a Pepperell by marriage. My father in law, Peter, was bought up on the Isle of Wight. We live near Kingston upon Thames, where there are lots of Pepperells, and an acquaintance says that the Pepperell families all originally came from Cornwall to work in the laundries in Surbiton.

Andrew pepperell

31/3/2015 15:32:42

There was a Australia lady that was doing a 1 name degree or something and did it on the Pepperells. Most of the information on my side went back to a John pepperell died 1605 in Slapton, Devon. Around this area was quite a few pepperell trees and information and I also believe the famous Col William Pepperells dependents.

Carole Pepperell link

18/3/2015 00:09:56

Hello Suzanne, my family lived in the West End for a long time at 63 Great Titchfield Street and I have done some of the family history. Wood Cutters. My Grandfather was one of 13 and yes we thought Cornwall was somewhere in the family history but somewhere there was a black sheep not sure if it is my family line but definitely from Cornwall

pepperell

18/3/2015 03:26:07

My father s j pepperell said he came from totnes Cornwall we lived in Islington he had horse and cart
delivering milk .we move to south London my aunt
lived in barnbereya Islington and Fred move to Sidcup
Kent .l hope this is some help

Andrew pepperell

31/3/2015 15:25:12

Weird my father S J Pepperell too.

Carole Pepperell

14/9/2015 07:56:06

Hi everyone just got notification that someone else posted on this blog. Can't believe there are so many of us out there who can recognise this shop. My family lived above the shop in Great Titchfied until 1975 where we gave up the lease and moved to Hertfordshire. Happy to chat to anyone who can throw light on our family and where we all come from. I believe my Great Grandmother is buried in West Hampstead and we came from around the Islington and Kings Cross area. When I resume going back on ancestry I will let you know. Would love to chat

Joanne Mallion

7/6/2016 15:11:10

I used to live around the corner from the shop in Langham Street and my father's family lived in Little Portland Street for years. Their surname was Weston- Jack and Hetty were my grandparents and my father's name was Doug. He died in 2007. We used to get all our fruit and veg from the shop. I do remember Julia Pepperell , I think she must be about the same age as me give or take a year. I moved out of the area when i left home in the 1980s, mum and dad stayed quite close in candover street. Happy memories!

Michael O’Gorman

8/6/2022 19:31:04

My late mother, Irene Collier, was born in Foley Street in 1925 and lived in Lynton House, Great Titchfield Street. She told me she used to be sent to Pepperells for groceries and that she had a friend in school (All Souls) called Pepperell.
Michael

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