Then and Now: Bee Hive in Grantham was a draper's shop

The Bee Hive at 20 Market Place in Grantham was a draper’s shop owned by Richard Garratt in the late 19th century and early 20th century, explains Ruth Crook, of Grantham Civic Society.

Richard was born in 1866 in Dogdyke to a wealthy farmer with 372 acres. At 15, he was apprenticed to Richard Waddington, a draper in Epworth.

After marrying Emmaline from Nottingham, he worked in his own draper’s shop in Alford, where their two eldest children were born. Richard then purchased 20 Market Place and opened their own drapery business there.

The existing Beehive in Grantham is a pub on Castlegate with the country's only living sign - a real beehive - which was restored a few years go by the Civic Society.

The couple’s youngest four children were born in the large Georgian house, now called Newton House, on the corner of Westgate and Wharf Road.

In their shop sale in 1896, they sold ladies’ jackets and golf capes for 6/11 to 45/-, and ladies’ and children’s flannelette underclothing. Children’s garments were from 4¾d, whilst ladies’ garments were 10¾d. Ladies’ wool undervests ranged from 5¾d to 2/11 each. There was also a special show of millinery in the shop window.