George Low and Mr Spence

The theme of shops in the High Street continues, this time featuring George Low and Son. the following photos, donated to the society by Pamela Murray (nee Low) whose father George owned the shop and the related businesses of cabinet making, upholstery, auctioneering, and undertaking.

This photo may be from the 1920s/1930s and you can just see the beginning of the word CABINETMAKER above the shop window. I think that we can assume that people in the charabanc were well-to-do and that perhaps they were on an outing. You can also see that, as per the times, all the men and women are wearing hats.

The second photo may be from the 1930s possibly, given the headgear that the woman on the left is wearing. What is interesting about this photo is that, while Aitken’s shop is clearly named, Low’s shop has no name but CABINETMAKER UPHOLSTERER. Of course, everyone in the town would know whose shop it was.

The third photo from the late 1950s, shows a very well dressed George Low on the left, with his highly skilled employees Tom Barrie (middle) and John/Jock Cowan (right). Note also that Tom Barrie is also wearing a tie to work. We don’t have a date for this photo but, after consulting an eminent local historian, I found out that Low’s workshop  from the 1920s to the middle 1950s was situated at the rear of David Dow’s house and shop at 46 High Street –  now the empty shop used by the council for notices. Go down the close to the very end next to the Monks Walk until you are overlooking the Co-op. This is where the workshop was in the upstairs part of the building. The work shop was then removed to the back of the retail shop across the street in the middle 1950s. So the photo is either up the close at 46 High Street or down what is now called Cossar’s Wynd at the back of 67 High Street.

The final photo is of a Mr Spence, who was a Milliner in Dunbar High Street. More information is being sought about Mr Spence, who looks very dapper in his waistcoated suit, immaculate tie and buttonhole.