Site
30, Narrowgate
NARROWGATE 1. (North-East Side) No 30 NU 1813 SE 1/69 II GV 2. Early C19 front. Three storeys. Three windows. Ashlar; cill courses to 1st, and 2nd floors, band below eaves course. Slate roof, 2 gable end ashlar chimneys. Glazing bar sash windows. Two side doors - flush panelled to left with glazing bars in rectangular light above. Large late C19 shop front - 2 windows with doors between.
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At number 30 there was briefly a ’Diner’ type business during the 1990s, selling hot dogs, burgers chips etc. and frequented by students at the Duchess’s High School.
The first record of a shop was when George Snowdon moved in as a gunmaker in 1832. He described it as a new shop, so presumably before that it was still a house. He sold guns, gunpowder, shot, caps, etc and everything for the sportsman including fishing rods and tackle. All more than 40 years before Hardy’s set up in Paikes Lane in 1873. From the start Snowdon also offered taxidermy – “all kinds of birds preserved in the best manner and cases made if required”. He was still there in the 1860s’ but by that time you could also get artificial teeth at number 30, on a Friday when Messrs Ephriam Mosely visited from Newcastle.
Not sure when Snowdon left, but Daniel Gianni arrived at number 30 in 1869 to sell watches, jewelry, silverware, presentation cups, cutlery, etc. After Daniel died his wife continued to run the business in partnership with his brother. Around 1878 he lost interest, but she decided to continue on her own, with more emphasis on fancy goods.
In Kelly's 1914 director two businesses were operating form this address: John Macfarlane, seedsman, and Neville Robert, Fruiterer