End of an era for Sneezums in Bury St Edmunds as it shut doors for the final time after 150 years of trading

It was the end of an era for two sisters who bid a final farewell to their family-run shop after 150 years of trading.

Fourth-generation owners Elizabeth Sneezum and Yvonne Scotford-Sneezum welcomed customers to their Bury St Edmunds shop, Sneezums, on the Cornhill, for the last time yesterday.

Customers flocked to the store for a final chance to shop and say their farewells to the two sisters, who are preparing to retire.

The pair were joined by family members, including their children and grandchildren, on what they described as an emotional day.

“It was extremely sad to close our doors after so many wonderful years,” said Elizabeth and Yvonne, who announced the closure in June.

“We’re very proud of our ancestors for giving us the opportunity to take on such a business, and are proud of ourselves for thriving through some very difficult times for the retail industry.

“We have been incredibly fortunate to serve this community and we are immensely grateful to everyone who has supported us through the years.

“This decision was not made lightly - it was a very sad day in many respects and we will miss our shop life - but we feel it was the right time for us to retire.”

The business was originally established by the Sneezum family in Fore Street, Ipswich, in 1874, by Elizabeth and Yvonne’s great-grandfather, Henry Sneezum.

It began as a jeweller, pawnbroker and clothier.

In the early 1900s, under the second generation owners, Henry and Ray Sneezum, 14-20 Fore Street became H&R Sneezum and expanded its services to encompass gold and silver refining, bullion dealing and gunsmithing in addition to selling a diverse array of goods including jewellery, photographic equipment, fireworks, tools, clothing and sports and musical equipment.

During the war years and the gold rush, the business smelted gold and sent daily deliveries of the smelt to London by train.

Eventually the business expanded to a total of 10 shops in Ipswich, Rayleigh, Thetford and Bury St Edmunds involving third-generation family partners Neville, Derrick, and Aubrey, who was Elizabeth and Yvonne’s father.

The Sneezums business on Cornhill was bought in 1951, originally trading as W J Cook & Son, as a picture frame maker, china, glass and fancy goods merchant.

It grew in the 1950s to also become a photographic retailer.

The building on Cornhill was redeveloped in the mid to late 1960s and was reopened in 1971 by Clive Dunn from Dad’s Army.

At this time, it expanded to sell jewellery, watches, gifts, binoculars, telescopes, televisions, telephones and even a record department.

In 2008, Sneezums closed for several weeks, undergoing a major refurbishment.

Elizabeth and Yvonne said: “We want to express our deepest thanks to our loyal customers.

“We’ve cherished every moment of serving you and we’re humbled by the trust and friendship you’ve shown us.

“Our employees, past and present, have been the heart and soul of our business and we couldn’t have done it without their hard work and dedication.

“We would also like to thank our own families for their continual support and encouragement over the years and particularly the emotional support in the lead up to our closure.”

The majority of their stock has now been sold and their online business will continue to trade for about three months.

Sneezums will also open on selected days to sell their mahogany showcases, bookcases, office furniture, stationery and a selection of vintage items.

Dates will be announced on their shop windows, social media and via email as soon as possible.

The sisters added: “We would like to thank everyone once again from the bottom of our hearts, who has played a part in making our Sneezums family business such a success for 150 years.

“It’s the end of an era.”