NOSTALGIA: Frog in the Throat lozenges '“ hand-made while you wait

When throat tablets were made on site. Postlethwaites chemist at 131, Fawcett Road, Southsea.
Picture: Barry Cox collection PPP-180102-144638001 — When throat tablets were made on site. Postlethwaites chemist at 131, Fawcett Road, Southsea. Picture: Barry Cox collection PPP-180102-144638001

But there was a time when a chemist would make his own tablets, perhaps even from his own recipe.

Pharmacist Mr Postlethwaite, who had a business in Fawcett Road, Southsea, was such a person.

His tablets were called Frog in the Throat lozenges.

Tucker & Bannisters garage in Middle Street, Portsmouth.
Picture: Barry Cox collection PPP-180102-144511001 — Tucker & Bannisters garage in Middle Street, Portsmouth. Picture: Barry Cox collection PPP-180102-144511001

The photo was probably taken in winter as the point of sale material in the window is all about his lozenges. Also on sale were materials for developing photographs.

This is an Edwardian period photo but by 1946 the shop was a confectioner owned by Mrs JS. Jones.

I wonder if the actor, the late Pete Postlethwaite, had any Portsmouth connections?

• I published the second photograph in December asking if any vintage petrolheads could tell me where Tucker & Bannister Motor Engineers was?

Schoolboys delight, but not for the doctor who was in this car when it was shunted down the line from Cosham level crossing. He escaped with just a cut foot. Picture: Barry Cox Collection

The car has a Portsmouth number plate, BK206, but Barry Cox, who owns the photograph, thought the garage might have been at Gosport.

It was in fact located at 49, Middle Street in what is now Somers Town. There was also a workshop farther along at 62 Middle Street.

• I do not know what the shunting restrictions were at Cosham in the days of steam but the driver of the train must have been embarrassed when being told of what had happened.

No doubt he said: ‘Oh dear’, or words of that fashion.

Commercial Road looking south

Commercial Road in the late1950s perhaps. Someone is passing the time of day with the policeman on point duty. (John Smith coll. PPP-180102-144552001 — Commercial Road looking south Commercial Road in the late1950s perhaps. Someone is passing the time of day with the policeman on point duty. (John Smith coll. PPP-180102-144552001

The train of open service wagons had been pushing back into the head shunt alongside the down main line at Cosham and had propelled over the level crossing.

Whether the car had been caught within the gates is not clear, but the doctor who had been driving the car escaped with just a cut foot. The rear four wagons were derailed.

If there are any older railway people who might know more about the incident, do let me know.

• Anyone born after the early 1960s will not recognise the final scene, believed to be from the 1950s.

It is looking south down Commercial Road. Charlotte Street would have been on the right, just behind the camera.

It was sent in by John Smith, of Fareham.

I would imagine the police officer on point duty was a little put-out by the man stopping to pass the time of day while he was concentrating on directing the traffic.

Does anyone remember the Black Cat cafe which was on the left?

The former Charlotte Street fruit and veg market has been moved to this now-pedestrianised location.