Heacham & District News

John Wallis shows off his famous bike

Photo of John and his famous bike by Stella Gooch

“Wallis” is a Heacham family name that goes back a long way in Heacham village. Today the name is best known as the shop “A E Wallis”, locally famous for its electrical and white goods which gives the bigger stores a run for their money by competing favourably against them in terms of service, quality and price.  This long established Heacham High Street business came from humble beginnings and their 70 years of being an established Heacham business got missed in 2009 – as they say it is better late than never ….

Arthur Wallis was born in King’s Lynn prior to World War I.   Arthur’s father, Ernest had been invalided out of the Veterinary Corp in the course of the war  and by 1919 the Wallis family were resettled in Heacham.  Here in Heacham Ernest Wallis established a haulage business, describing himself as a “Haulage Contractor and General Carrier” to and from Kings Lynn. 

The Wallis shops started life as a single retail shop dealing in radios, electrical items and cycles.  The shop was owned by Reg Stainsby but Arthur Wallis managed the shop from the beginning.  Reg Stainsby then decided to develop his car business which evolved to become another well known and established local business that is still going strong today.

Arthur Wallis’ management role changed to that of Proprietor on 3 May 1939 at a time of true austerity and the reality of war looming. The business operated as a one man band in the early days.  His interest in wireless had begun as a schoolboy when he made up small crystal sets for his parents and grand­parents and by popular demand for other Heacham residents. Arthur went out on repair jobs or deliveries, cycling around Heacham or out to neighbouring rural areas with accumulators for those homes not yet reached by electricity, remembering to post a notice to say he would be back shortly.

Arthur Wallis served in the RAF and during this time his shop was operated by other members of his family.  His RAF service involved working on aircraft wirelesses and transmitters, serving in a number of countries including North Africa and Aden.  During his service in Aden he was sent to install a projector in the Sultan’s Palace, after which he was treated to a six course dinner of Eastern fare! The last part of his war service was spent at nearby RAF Bircham Newton which gave him the opportunity, on his off duty periods, to reflect on the long term future for the shop.

After being demobbed, Arthur expanded the business by acquiring the shop next door where he established his range of radio and electrical goods.  The original shop then became a cycle shop.  At that time A E Wallis employed the first of their staff.  In 1947, Roy Gray, straight out of the Army, was employed as a cycle mechanic and remained with the family firm until his retirement. During that time he became a very well known and popular expert on cycling problems.

Arthur set up the first TV in Heacham in his parents’ home. Television began broadcasting from London around 1936 but it was rare for televisions to be in every household as they are today and the quality of transmissions was not great in the area. Commissioning of the Sutton Coldfield and Holme Moss enabled clearer pictures in the local area and this saw an increase in television sales. Events such as King George VI’s funeral and the coronation of Elizabeth II in 1953 saw a significant increase in television sales. That same year, Arthur Wallis married.

As the television sales increased the demand for aerials also increased.  At that time TV aerials were eight to ten feet high and known as VHF aerials – considerably larger than the UHF type we see today.

Arthur’s two sons, John and Richard Wallis, took the reins in 1982 and created a partnership for the shops. Richard chose to focus on the electrical side of the business while managed the  cycle shop and the dealt with the administrative tasks to ensure a smoothly operating business.  Although Arthur ceased to play an active role in the business from then on he continued to enjoy visiting the shop to chat to old friends and customers until his death in 1998.

Further expansion of A E Wallis took place between 1988 and with the existing two units being merged into one shop to enlarge the electrical side of the business and a third unit which had previously been an estate agents, was purchased to become a larger cycle showroom.

Over the years the Wallis family have collected a range of vintage televisions, radios and domestic appliances which are on display in the shop. One item Richard found particularly amusing was the leaflet accompanying an ancient Electrolux cylinder vacuum cleaner. It showed you how to use the “blow” end of the cleaner, and a bowl of paint to repaint your car! Of the many old radios in the collection Richard says that his favourite is a 1950′s Murphy, not for its looks, but for the marvellous quality of sound which it produces.

The photograph of key cast members of Kingdom, signed by Stephen Fry and presented to John Wallis when the bike was first used in the 1st series of Kingdom

One of the highlights of John’s years at A E Wallis was when he was asked to provide a bicycle to take part in the popular TV show “Kingdom”.  Successful TV series “Kingdom was first aired on UK television in 2007 and averaged six million viewers per week. It went on to repeat its success with a second and third series starring Stephen Fry as solicitor, Peter Kingdom, in the fictional Norfolk market town of Shipborough.  A E Wallis was approached to provide one of the “stars” of the series – a Land Rover bicycle!  “Lyle”, played by Karl Davies (Robert Sugden in “Emmerdale” is Peter Kingdom’s young and keen trainee and loves his bicycle which, when not in use, is proudly kept in his office.

John Wallis was first asked in 2006 to supply a bicycle for a new TV series and was given a brief on what was required.  The Producers were so pleased with the Silver Land Rover Athabasca – complete with lock, special briefcase, powerful lights and compass – that no further changes were needed and Lyle’s bicycle was ready for lights, camera, action!

John, his wife Tracey and daughter Vanessa, were invited to see some of the filming and be extras in the “Dyke Jumping Championship” scenes; although you would never spot them on TV they all enjoyed the day.  The cycle was returned to John at the end of filming of the first series, along with a photo of the cast with a personal message from Stephen Fry thanking him for his help.  The bike has now been dusted down and checked over ready for delivery on set and its next taste of fame!

E Wallis shops continue to sell an extensive range of the latest bicycles & cycling accessories.  They also sell modern domestic appliances and home entertainment at competitive prices with the same good old fashioned personal service of days gone by and they also offer home delivery. It is certainly worth paying a visit to see their vintage collection and at quieter times they will be very happy to share snippets of history too. 

A E Wallis, like most modern businesses, also have a website: www.aewallis.co.uk