IT'S a truth sometime overlooked by news-gathering organisations that if you need to find out something about the history of a place, the best thing to do is ask the people who lived there.

A few weeks ago our weekly Nostalgia pullout section featured some blasts from the past in Ronkswood, and one particular picture, taken in 1989, drew the attention of Jean Wilson.

Jean, as many readers will know, runs the New Hope charity, which supports families who have children with disabilities by providing daily care and activities.

She got in touch to say: “Re the picture you published of the parade of shops in Ronkswood, in particular, Bobetts.

“I now run that shop! I’m interested in its history, you’ve said it was 1989, do you know if they were the first occupants?"

Jean said she thought that the shop had been a post office.

Dave Rice emailed to say that he thought there was a bookmakers where Bobetts was.

Among our online readers, The WorcesterBloke posted: "The post office was always the furthest shop on the left of these until it closed down. The newsagent took over the role of the post office for a while but then that stopped too."

Ragbob added: "My Mum, Pamela Dale, ran the shop in the late 1960s [when it was Lyn's Boutique] for a couple of years.

"We moved from Warndon, where she worked in the sister shop in Cranham Drive, owned by Lyn Richards.

"We lived above the shop whilst it was open and moved when it closed. In answer to the comments about the post office – it was the last shop on the left, closest to the Community Hall and was run by Mr and Mrs Brown.

"The newsagent next door was run by George Cowley.

"The butchers to the left of the shop was owned by Barry Hunt I think."

Caroline Dalton also remembered the post office being run by Mr and Mrs Brown was at the end.

"The butchers was Joe Hunt with his sons Barry and Brian. Also there was the Barbers Woodyatts (Doug) I think, this was at the other end next door to the chippy which was the end shop. The shop that is now Bobetts was the wool shop."

And Pinkdiamond had a lovely memory to share: "I remember going in that store and buying baby clothes and other bits and bobs.

"I can't remember the name of the lady who ran it but I know she was nice and always welcoming and let you have items put back until pay day."

We've passed on the recollections to Jean – many thanks to all the readers for the memories they shared.