The History

There has been a Post Office in Findon for approximately 200 years, and a store just as long if not longer. Although the details are somewhat sketchy, it highlights the importance of maintaining these important services to our village, so here is a potted history.

The existing Findon Village Store and Post Office have been together at their current location since 1991. Prior to that it had been just a Village Shop since September 1969. Before then the building was the kitchen of the farmhouse belonging to Shorts Farm, hence the premises adjoining the Village Store being called The Farmhouse. There was a dairy at the back of the store and where the Willows now are were just farm buildings.

Before 1991 when it was closed and the premises sold, the Post Office was in Cross Lane located next to what is now a shoe shop, and although now a residential property, bears the name The Old Post Office. Julian Harwood, the son of the owners of the Village Shop and his wife bought the Post Office and continued to run it from the shop. Julian stills manages the Post Office to this day.

The Post Office had been in Cross Lane since about 1929 (exact date not known) when it was taken over and run by a Mr & Mrs Francis. Before that it was located next to the Wintons general store in the village centre and believed to be run by Thomas and May Winton. The Wintons store has since been replaced by residential premises which still carries the same name.

As for when the Post Office originally opened it is not clear, although it is known that Wintons opened their shop in 1873 and that in 1866  a Mr. Hewitt had a store in The Square and it was most likely at the same premises.

Below are a selection of photos of the Store and Post Office in its different guises over the years.

Thanks to Julian Harwood and Jo O’Dell who provided the photos and some historical background and Valerie Martin who was able to provide further historical information from her archives.

Click on image to enlarge