This
was the very first branch opened by M. Whitfield Ltd., in 1935.
The
original Phamacy Manager/Superintendent Pharmacist was Mr.
Robert 'Bob' Johnson,  who
married Jane Whitfield, the elder daughter of company founder
Mr. Joseph Strachan Whitfield, in the same year. Joseph Whitfield
had been a miner since the age of 14 at Hetton Colliery,
but in the 1920s he was appointed a Relieving Officer in
the Durham District, including Blackhall, Horden and Shotton
where he earned the sobriquet 'Kind Joe'.
A
Relieving Officer under the Poor Law (which operated from
1601 until 1948) was required to support the sick and unemployed
using cash allocated from the "Guardian’s Committee" using
money raised through the rates. The committee met fortnightly
to allocate cash, although originally the benefit was paid
in the form of groceries. Unable to name his Pharmacy company
after himself while holding the position of Relieving Officer,
the company was formed as M.Whitfield Ltd. using his wife's
name, Margaret.
The
Sunderland Road property was originally rented from Mr. George
Hudson. It was later purchased outright in 1946 for £777
16s 6d
In
1939, the branch was temporarily managed by Mr. James Mulvenna
Key after Mr. Johnson transferred to a newly opened branch
in Thornley. Mr. Key joined the army in 1939 and did not
return to Horden until 1948, where he remained until his
retirement.
In
1948, land adjacent to the shop was purchased, and the building
extended to its present size during 1949-50.
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