East Grinstead High Street (2 in a series)

Shown is the now closed emporium that was "Pearson's" the town's cycle engineer.

The business was established (so the facia says) in 1893. Although the name records 'N. H. Pearson' in the right light you can determine that the 'N. H.' has been painted over 'H.U.' which presumably was his father.

The 1911 Census shows that the property was occupied by Thomas Taylor, (Single aged 38) as a Cycle Engineer. The 1901 Census is difficult to de-cypher as the buildings do not appear to have been recorded in a particularly logical order.

However, the fact is that old Norman Pearson was the archetypal Cycle Engineer; he always had a very small drip on the end of his nose and he hated Deraileur Gears. Told you in no certain fashion that you'd wasted your money and needed to fit Sturmey Archer gears.

Couldn't cope with the throw-away nature of the late 20th Century; felt everything should be built so you could re-pair it!