Old, and Some New, Photographs of Woodbridge & Melton
By 1871 Wrinch and Barnes had established a thriving concern on Cross Corner. They had demolished three buildings on the right hand side of Cumberland St and replaced them by a wide two storey brick built building. The entrance was on Church Street but most of the frontage was on Cumberland Street. They described themselves "wholesale and furnishing iron mongers, bar iron and nail steel merchants." By 1892 they had also become agents for "washing, wringing, mangling and other machinery" and had a stores and warehouses adjoining the railway station.
Phot092
Sometime in the 1890s the Cross Corner premises was taken over by Fred Smith whose business eventually became Suffolk Seed Stores.
Suffolk Seed Store and two adjoining cottages burnt down in 1917. Only part of the two storey building was re-constructed. What was left was replaced by a line of single storey shops running along Cumberland Street.
The line of single storey shops abutted a rather ugly, red brick building, which survived the fire.
Because the new buildings were narrower than the one it replaced it was possible to widen pavement in front of the shops. W. Bloxsome Ltd - Gentleman's Tailor's and Outfitters were the first to occupy the corner property until they closed in 1970. It is currently a Prezzo's restaurant.
