I bought my first records at Stanwoods in West Street, Rochford in 1961/2.
At the back of the electrical store was a small record department with 2 standing listening booths. At that time we borrowed a record player before buying a Defiant model at the Co-op store in Southend.
Those first records were precious as had to save hard earned pocket money. I still have a Stanwoods record paper bag.
The record department was short lived and soon disappeared and as mentioned the store was taken over by Rumbleows before finally closing. Chris Jones
My then 13 year old Brother took me there to get my first ever single which he bought for my 9th Birthday (excert from a teenager opera)
Used to buy my records there , remember the booths you could listen to them to first ,first one was tommy steele little white ball must have been about 1959\60 sh xx
Great to see their storefront. In 1958, they had listening booths for hearing 45s: that’s where I listened to Jerry Lee, Little Richard, Lord Rockingham’s 11, the Champs, Buddy Holly, Ricky Nelson, Eddie Cochran, Jack Scott. And I’m still listening to music.
I bought my first album The Eagles, not the Eagles you may know!
You will see the shop front and van here!
To answer my own question, after a bit of Googling, it seems that one of the directors of the company was indeed Stan Wood.
I was surprised to learn that Stanwoods was a chain with over 60 branches across the east of England. I can’t remember ever seeing another branch, and I’d always assumed that it was a local company.
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