Wednesday 7 February 2024

Judith Gardner and the Children's Bookshop

 Yesterday was the funeral of Judith Gardner, of the Children's Bookshop, at Hereford Crematorium, with tea and sandwiches afterwards at the Parish Hall in Hay.

Judith and her husband Bob set up the Children's Bookshop in 1978 (Bob repaired clocks), so they were among the first booksellers to be attracted to Hay after Richard Booth launched the town as the world's first Book Town.  Initially, the shop was in Lion Street, where Addyman's is now, but they soon moved out to a new building next to their home at the Toll Cottage on the Clifford road, where the shop still is today.

Judith's son Colin will be keeping the shop going in the future.  He's been working there for many years.

Some of the longest established booksellers in Hay came to the Parish Hall - Derek Addyman and Ann Brichto were there, and Marijana Dworski came down from Presteigne.  It's a sad fact, which was commented on at the time, that other booksellers who knew Judith well have already died, like Paul Harris (who moved to Spain, where he died), Peter of Boz Books, and some of the original staff of Booth Books. 

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