CARNARVON CHRISTMAS SHOPPING 1886

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From the Carnarvon & Denbigh Herald: December 24th. 1886.

CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS AT CARNARVON

For some reason or other, the Carnarvon tradesmen, speaking generally, have not this year decorated the windows of their establishments to quite the same extent as was the case during previous festive seasons. Probably this is attributable to the depression in trade which, here as elsewhere, is keenly felt by all classes. Be that as it may, those tradesmen who keep up the old custom have the satisfaction of knowing that their efforts are duly appreciated by the general public, for during the two or three evenings gone by, the streets have presented a very lively appearance, admiring crowds being congregated around almost every window where seasonable goods are displayed. This is especially the case at

Messrs. Pierce and Williams's well known establishment, the Golden Goat. One of the spacious windows fronting Eastgate-street is dressed entirely with Christmas toys, and novelties of every description, conspicuous among which were automatic figures, whose eccentricities were the source of endless merriment to the younger portion of the community. Ladies, also, both young and old, found much to interest them in other windows, where evening and ball dresses placed on models were exhibited to advantage. One of the dresses came in for much admiration, it being composed of cream nun's veiling, trimmed with lace and ribbon. No less than 200 pieces of prints of the choicest patterns were shown in the third window, while the fourth was tastefully laid out with flannel shirting.

Messrs. Lewis & Co., of the Nelson Emporium, have also succeeded in making a display of seasonable goods in a manner that is both attractive and interesting. Ball dresses, tastefully arranged and placed on models, are surrounded with superb dress materials and a choice selection of gloves, hosiery, lace sets, &c., are exhibited in the fancy department, while in another window the male sex can find much to please in the splendid assortment of ready made clothes, &c., suitable for winter wear. The good length of continuous frontage and depth of the shop lends facilities for display at the Nelson Emporium, such as few establishments present; and full use has been made of the opportunity presented for making a good exhibition.

This is probably the last Christmas that the name of Mr. M. T. Morris will be connected with the Liver Establishment, which he, by his energy and perseverance, has raised to a position of one of the best outfitting houses in North Wales. Mr. Morris is about to retire, but we are glad to understand that he will not go far off. He has purchased the Vron - a delightful little estate in the Llanfaglan parish - where he will henceforth reside, but will, we trust, continue to devote to the town his valuable services. The Liver, as it should be, passes into the hands of Mr. H. W. Hughes, who has, for the last eighteen years, been engaged therein, and for the last ten years has had the entire management of the business. We wish Mr. Hughes every success in his new venture. The windows of the Liver have been very prettily dressed with the latest novelties in the shape of gentlemen's collars, ties, gloves, handkerchiefs, &c., suitable for gifts.

Mr. Cadwaladr Williams, of the Leeds House and Dinorwic House, has, as usual, a very choice display of that kind of ready-made goods which have made his establishments so well known.

Sad interest is associated with the decorations at the Golden Eagle, Mr. Evan H. Owen's establishment, for the reason that while in the act of dressng the windows therein for the Christmas show that one of the assistants, Mr. W. R. Jones, fell down dead. The charming and tasteful manner in which the windows have been laid out serve to show that the unfortunate deceased had a thorough knowledge of his business, ball dresses, silk handkerchiefs, velvets, plushes, &c., being displayed in a most charming manner.

At Messrs. Bryan Brothers, the feature of the show is a tasteful display of articles as useful as they are ornamental, viz., handkerchiefs, gloves, umbrellas, &c. Mr. J. D. Bryan, a member of the firm, is at present at Cairo, and some specimens of Egyptian photography which he has sent home are not the least among the many objects of interest shown.

Mr. O. D. Jones has evidently spared no pains to make Bon Marché and London House look as attractive as possible. In the former, a ball dress on model is shown to advantage; and around it are innumerable paraphernelia which ladies delight in. At London House, also, the goods are displayed in a manner that cannot fail to please the eye and gain admiration.

At Mr. W. Jones's establishment in Bridge-street, a mirror, laid on the window floor and partly covered with cotton wool and plants, presents the appearance of a frozen lake after a snow-fall. The design is good, and has been very well carried out.

Equally interesting, and quite as much in keeping with the season, is the display of the grocers and provision dealers.

Mr. J. R. Pritchard, of the Tea Mart, who recently added to his already extensive business the old-established shop well known as Castle House, has made a grand display of Yule-tide goods in the shape of Christmas cakes, and the essentials of a Christmas pudding.

Pool-street Market, the establishment of Messrs. H. Pritchard & Co., is equally forward in this respect, the windows exhibiting a varied assortment of good things, the possession of which is indispensable to the proper enjoyment of the holidays.

Messrs. T. Lewis and Co., High-street, the proprietors of the well known "Shop 29," are also to the fore in this respect, for, with the experience of many years at their command, they have succeeded in dressing their shop window with just those kind of goods which are at this time of the year most in demand.- This is also applicable to the shops of

Messrs. Evans and Lake, T. Jones, G. Roberts, Bridge-street, and others, the first-named firm, having enlarged their premises during the year, are much better able to set forth their large and well-selected stock. Their show is among the most attractive of its kind in the town.

Much attention is paid every year to the Christmas show of meat, and once more the Carnarvon butchers have succeeded in gaining the admiration of the local public by the enterprise they have shown.

The Carnarvon and Anglesey Meat Stores, carried on by a company who have been fortunate in securing the services as manager of Mr. David Evans, late of the Bee Hive, claim to have purchased one of the best stock of animals ever exhibited in the town. The stock, which is an immense one, consists of six very heavy oxen, fed by Messrs. G. J. Roberts, Trefarthin; J. H. Griffiths, Clynnog; and R. Williams, Maesoglan; two prime fat heifers, fed by Mr. J. Hughes, Cae Mawr; 25 four-year-old Welsh mountain wethers, fed by Mr. J. Owen, Lleiniog Wen; 11 two-year-old Southdown wethers, fed by Mr. G. Owen, Dwyran; 10 very good sheep, fed by Mr. V. Parry, Tyddyn Prior; two three-year-old heifers, fed by Mr. T. Owen, Rhyddgar; 10 extra Welsh mountain wethers, fed by Mr. H. Williams, Penygelli, and a large number of calves, pigs, geese, and turkeys. From among this stock, the most captious cannot fail to be pleased.

Mr. Henry Owen, purveyor of meat, 35, Bridge-street, who is without doubt one of the most enterprizing of our tradesmen, has brought together for the benefit of his numerous customers a most choice selection of meat; which, when shown during the past few days, won golden opinions from the public.- The display consists of prime ox and heifer beef, Shropshire Down, and Welsh wether mutton, &c., &c., carefully selected from the stocks of the following well known feeders:- The Right Hon. Lord Newborough, Glynllifon Park; Mr. J. Pugh, Royal Sportsman Hotel; Mr. R. D. Williams, Cellar, Aberffraw; Mr. E. Humphreys, Royal Hotel; Mr. Owen Jones, Llanerchymedd; Mrs. Jones, Ty'nllan, Llandwrog, and others. Specially noticeable was an excellent show of Welsh wethers from the Vale of Gwynant, bred by Mr. Henry Owen, Penygwryd Hotel; Mrs. Evans, Hafodyllan, and the purveyor himself.

Mr. Andrew Anderson, Pool-street, exhibits a choice selection of fruits for the season, with which the windows of his shop have been attractively laid out, and his stock is certain to be largely drawn upon, for it is always selected with skill and care.

Christmas presents and Christmas toys are temptingly displayed in the fancy goods department at Mr. E. Hughes's establishment in Bridge-street; while the most difficult to please cannot fail to find suitable articles for the season at Mr. Humphreys's, Paternoster Buildings.

The window dressing at Mr. H. Williams, cabinet maker, Eastgate-street, is always of interest; but extra care and trouble seems to have been taken this year to makle a pleasing and attractive display, for in addition to the usual bric-a-brac, brackets, &c., are shown some magnificent pier-glasses in gilt-frames.

The confectioners apepar to have made extensive preparations, for at the Arvonia (Mrs. Pownall's) the window-sills groan under the good things with which they are loaded; while at Misses Sneade's, and Captain Owen's (Bangor-street), purchasers will find a varied and well-prepared stock from which to select.