Antiques dealer to close shop after 55 years

An antiques dealer from Canterbury is preparing to retire 55 years after buying his shop for just £2,900.

William Christophers worked night shifts in the Kingsman's Bakery in Sturry to save money to purchase the Saracens Lantern .

His customers included Desmond Tutu and television presenter Paula Yates, and he had seen famous faces including Pope John Paul II, and the then Prince Charles and Diana driving past his shop.

The 79-year-old said when he saw the Royal Family, he put up a flag which he still has today.

He said: "It had 'God Save the King' on it for George V. I then added a sheet to the bottom of the flag and used a felt tip pen and added 'to be', as Charles was the future king.

"As the car came passed, Diana saw it and pointed upwards."

He recalled he saw former French president President Mitterrand and the then UK prime minister Margaret Thatcher walking past the shop when they were on their way to sign the Channel Tunnel agreement in 1986.

Mr Christophers' love of antiques began when he received a Queen Victoria Jubilee shilling in his change at the age of six after his mother had sent him to buy oranges at a shop in Headcorn.

Mr Christophers says he is now selling as much stock as possible, but there were some items which might not sell.

This included a mummified pigeon with its racing rings still intact.

"It's grotesque. We have an old house in France and I found it behind an old chimney while I was repairing it," he said.

Mr Christophers said his plans to retire a few years ago were interrupted by the pandemic.

During Covid, he would place his items on a tray on the doormat outside and people would look at them from a distance.

"If they wanted to buy it, they put money in an envelop and put it on the tray," he said.

"There were a lot of sales like that."

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