CRAZY DAYS OF SUMMER! Neil Maxwell
T
he last few months have shown a sustained level of activity for both lettings and sales. With the pent up demand of the last few years released onto a market with a limited amount of available property, we’ve found prices to be consistent and competition for popular properties to be high. There have been many people for whom outside space has become an absolute priority, or are choosing to move from larger conurbations to enjoy the Common and seaside, with all of these factors adding to the fervour in the marketplace. Keeping up with the pace of enquiries has been a welcome challenge, though on one very busy day recently I was interested to see how many calls we had dealt with, as the phone had been non-stop. We’d dealt with 437 sales calls in one day, which kept the five of us working that day on our toes!
Portsmouth. It was just an empty shop, but we got planning permission and I made all the signs myself and kitted it out with second hand furniture. Most of the houses we sold were flat fronted one or two bedroom terraced houses left in the spaces that had not been bombed in the war. I liked helping people who thought they could not own their own homes get a mortgage and buy a home and get on the housing ladder. It was very difficult then, especially for women, or first time buyers. I was one of the first estate agents to employ women as negotiators. My daughter-in-law Frances was the second woman sales negotiator in the whole city. My daughter Rosalyn was the Saturday girl whilst still at school. Her headmistress said that girls studying for O-Levels should not work at offices, but I thought she should!
Our recent re-brand which we’ve carried out to celebrate our 50th anniversary of trading has been well received, and this prompted us to contact Bill Fry who established Fry & Kent in 1970 and is now in his nineties. Bill is fondly remembered by customers to this day and he was kind enough to write the following article for our website and in-house magazine.
I started Fry and Kent as I wanted independence, to be my own boss. We chose the name because Fry was our name and Kent was my wife Rosemary's maiden name. The nasty term used for small businesses like ours then was a ‘bucket shop’. We were not part of the establishment. We were new. The first office opened in Stoke Rd, Gosport. It had been a butcher's shop then soon after I expanded into Grove Road South, in 12
Bill Fry
It is wonderful how Fry and Kent have developed since 1970. Sadly my son David who worked with me has passed away, but I am delighted at how the firm has become so successful. I always wanted it too, and I am so impressed with the offices, the staff, and the wonderful way they advertise and adapt to change. Happy fifty years Fry and Kent!
