A recent thread on the message board brought up a famous Shirley Sports shop, the story behind it has a Saints connection
Holt & Haskell is a name that trips off most Sotonians tongues, at least those that live on the West side of the City, in the days before big chain sports stores, it was the place where many schoolboys would be taken whenever they needed a piece of sporting clothing or equipment and although it has had to stop selling football equipment and specialise in sports like Cricket & Rugby, diversifying into a specialist shop has enabled it to continue to flourish today.
First opened in 1942 the shop has a close connection in that it was opened by an ex Saints player who also played cricket for Hampshire in the summer.
Arthur Holt was born in Southampton in 1911 and played for Southampton Schools and various other local teams including Totton beforebeing signed as an amateur by Saints in September 1931 aged 20 followed by a professional contract a year later
His debut came a few months later when he ran out at Old Trafford replacing Ted Drake at centre forward, Drake of course also Southampton born went on to become one of the finest players of that time and that limited Arthur's first team opportunitys, however he finished the season having played 8 times and scored 3 goals.
in 33/34 opportunities opened up for Arthur as mid season Drake was transferred to Arsenal, but by now Arthur was not so much a centre forward but now an inside forward alongside the number 9 and he played 32 times scoring 6.
Holt would now be a regular player in the Saints line up right up until the Second World War when like many of his age his professional career was effectively ended, when hostilities broke out Arthur was 28, by the time they were over he was 34, in all competitions he had played for Saints 214 times scoring 47 goals.
Initially he played a few wartime games for Saints but having joined the Police he couldnt play all the games so played for local side Cunliffe Owen.
But whilst at the Dell Holt also persued a career in Cricket, he made his first class debut for hampshire in June 1935 and really established himself in the team in 1937 when he made 78 in a 3rd wicket stand against Surrey at the Oval,, ironically the man a tthe other end was Johnny Arnold who had made over a hundred appearances for Saints between 1928-33. Arthur continued with Hampshire after the war and made his final appearance in 1948 having played 79 first class matches for Hampshire (Dont forget back then in the days before one day cricket there were only about 16 games a year in the Championship) He took up Coaching at the County Ground aafter he retired and the Rose Bowl 2XI pavillion is named after him.
But perhaps what has kept his name in the public eye of the sports community of Southampton long after his playing career in both sports had ended was the sports shop he opened in 1942 on Shirley Road.
Back then little sports shops like this were the only places to buy sporting equipment, be it football & Cricket bats etc, or clothing and it soon gained a reputation far and wider than the Shirley area, along with Toomers it was the premier sports shop to go to in the City and for a kid, no visit to Shirley was complete without a look in Holt & Haskell's window, it was the place were many children got their first pair of football boots and indeed football shirt in those days before replica kits.
Despite his coaching commitments Arthur had a very hands on role in the shop and could often be seen behind the counter offering advice to both youngsters and old alike.
Sadly Arthur died in 1994 at the ripe old age of 83.
His name lives on though through Holt & Haskell still in the same Shirley premises, with the onset of big chain sports stores in the 1980's many small sports shops in this City and indeed the country have gone to the wall, do you remember the aforementioned Toomers, Patstone & Cox to name but two in the City Centre, but H & H survives, this is due to the fact that from the beginning it was more than just a sports shop, it repaired equipment as well and this proved to be its saving grace.
The big chains sold sports gear that appealed to the masses and sold in great quantities, but it didnt cater for the more minority sports especially those that needed a lot of equipemtn like cricket and they definately didnt repair stuff, H & H did and this allowed them to not only survive but flourish, a visit to Holt & Haskell today will see the same store but a totally different array of goods, gone are the football boots & shirts, the cricket gear is still there though and the mainstay of the business along with equipment for Rugby, Hockey & Netball, they keep a large stock of gear for sportsmen/women in these sports and in the main its gear you wont find in the ikes of JJB, whatever you need for these sports you will find in H & H.
Its good to see that a shop like this can survive and prosper and whilst most Sotonians will be aware of the name Holt & Haskell I wonder just how many are aware of the interesting story behind it.
For more on what they do visit their website
http://www.holtandhaskell.co.uk/page/19/About_Us