From humble beginnings in Bodmin, to becoming a well-established community-focused business in the heart of Wadebridge, Bricknells has come a long way since George Bricknell first began the family’s business ventures in the 19th century.

In 1841, George was a baker based in Lower Bore Street, Bodmin, and was also recorded as being the head baker at Bodmin Jail. His son Charles and grandson Courtney would go on to continue the trade, working as a baker, confectioner and grocer in the same location between 1881 and the early 1900s. After the First World War, Courtney bought the Bodmin newsagents, ET & M Crabb, at 16 Fore Street, and it was together with his son, Norman Bricknell, born in 1913, that they decided to change direction with the family’s next venture: stationery. 

Norman eventually took over the business from his father, Courtney, changing the business name from C Bricknell to C Bricknell & Son, which would later become Bricknells Stationery under Martin and Jenny. In 1953, Norman purchased the Town Arms Hotel, and converted it into a large shop. His son Martin’s earliest memories of the shop include the pigeon holes, the old telephone system, the cafe, where his mum’s cakes and baked goods were available for people in the town to buy, and the archway steps to the toy department. Martin spent many of his young years in the fifties and sixties here, and officially joined the business in 1970, after attending university, alongside his brother Roger.

It was during the 70s that Norman and his wife Elizabeth took a step back from the business, and Martin made the decision to open a shop in Wadebridge, converting it into a book and stationery shop in 1975. In the meantime, the family also had the businesses in Bodmin, and would go on to open another stationery shop at 14 Fore Street in 1988, run by Martin’s wife Jenny. 

Since opening Bricknells in Wadebridge fifty years ago, Martin, Jenny and the family have witnessed many changes in the retail world. He said: “The 70s and 80s were good for retailers and town centres. However, as we moved through the 90s, things gradually changed, with the large, out-of-town super stores carrying a much larger variety of stock.”

While these changes may have been good for the individual shopper, it meant that many traditional high streets would suffer. The rise of internet shopping only fuelled this. February 2017 brought an end to Bricknells’ trading in Bodmin, when the shops on Fore Street closed.

From Victorian bakers and grocers, to modern newsagents and stationers, coming through two world wars and retail hardships, the Bricknell family has seen many highs and lows of the retail industry across Cornwall, having had shops in Penryn, St Austell, Liskeard, Launceston, Bude and Bodmin in previous years. Martin and Jenny have now retired, and have left the shop in Wadebridge in the very capable hands of daughters Charlotte and Sophie.

Sophie said: “While we still keep many of the same items you could have bought 50 years ago, such as fountain pens, brown paper and string, we also now stock lots of modern, exciting, innovative cards and stationery from small, quirky British suppliers”.

Charlotte said: “We’ve been really lucky that Wadebridge is still a thriving, proactive town, with lots of support for shopping locally from our community. Wadebridge has a wealth of independent shops; bakeries, butchers, florists, greengrocers, jewellers, fishmongers plus many more, and we all rely on the support of locals to ensure that Wadebridge remains as good today as it was 50 years ago.” 

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