Mr Irving - Last of the Tobacconists

Mr Irving - Last of the Tobacconists

Before the advent of the ban on smoking in public (I should admit here that I am not a smoker, nor have ever been one), every town had at least one or two Tobacconist's. I remember them from my childhood because they were also generally the local sweetsop and newsagent too. Here in Dumfries, we have just one left, Mr Irving's. His shop is so small and full of stock that I had to stand in the doorway, with one foot out the door and the lens on its widest setting to take this portrait. I remember as a child going into a Tobacconist's and childen could buy a clay pipe, which you would dip into a small bowl of water and detergent, and removign the pipe from the bowl and blowing through it you could create bubbles that would float around the room.