They more than probably did serve my ancestors! Nice thought.
It was mostly little shops then apart from the department stores. Often they were in the house's front room like my grandmother's in Coventry in the 1920/30/40's and 50's. She had a little grocery store and it was very popular locally. Some were a bit bigger, like where my mother in law was born in Ryde on the Isle of Wight at the turn of the 1900's. Some did survive into the 2000's like one in Leicester I know, but that family progressed to more modern products.
Those streets of little shops were far more intriguing than the supermarkets of today!!
Nottingham may not have photos unless they are from ordinary folk. Big pity that. It is more than likely that Nottingham Council would have bothered to take photos, they were clearance areas and they were more interested in the development like so many councils all over the country. There just might be Francis Frith ones.
I can remember seeing rag and bone men once or twice, but had nothing to do with them. When you think about it they did a good service, it all goes to landfill these days!
