John Schenker

Interviewed by Eve Klein on 13 December 2000
Subject: Shops & Shopping, Cinemas & Theatres

Eve Klein. We were just talking about trading hours during the 1940s, and the fact that a mixed business and a milk bar could open on a Saturday and a Sunday in the afternoon, but not sell groceries. For instance on Saturday night, was there a big trade then?

John Schenker. Tremendous – from the picture show.

Eve Klein. When you say ‘tremendous’, it all would have happened at interval, or after the show?

John Schenker. Yes, entirely. The shop was packed and people spilt on to the footpath. I and another boy carried a tray with chocolates and ice-creams into the theatre. My parents held the shop by themselves, very often with the assistance of one of our friends nearby – they were packed. Our window was dressed by McRobertson’s Chocolates, they made big display cases of chocolates made from plaster. Would you believe the number of times people opened them while the shop was packed and pinched a box of chocolates, which they obviously must have taken into the picture show and got a bit shock when they bit into them.