WEM in the mid 1890s

By 1890, it was easier for a modern historian to identify shop locations, simply because house numbers had become fashionable in the surveys! Prior to that 'Thomas Kynaston, High Street' sufficed as a address. By this time, the railway station was a major hub of the town, with several sidings and distribution wagons. Edward Askew was the station master, and several businesses had depots there.

From the graph it can be seen that clothing and shoes retained a large share of the retail market, and the brewing an public house trade was important to the town. Charles Henry Kynaston was listed in 'Kellys directory' as 'Brewer and maltster and mineral water manufacturer' at the Drawwell Brewery in Noble Street.