Vale Stores, 57 Vale Road, Harringay, c1912

This premises stands on the east corner of of the junction of Vale Road and Vale Grove. It is first shown in Kelly's Directory in 1903-04 edition and the first grocer, Henry White was listed a year later. He stayed until about 1912/13 from which time the shop went through a number of different proprietors.

It's not been straightforward to track down who the young lady might be. She looks like a modern independent sort and at first I thought she might be a lady proprietress, but I couldn't find anything to back that up. I have one candidate, however. Grocer Henry White, who lived with his brother on Hermitage Road, was married to 22 year old Maude Mary Kent, from 32 Vale Road in 1913. In the 1911 Census she was given as a shopkeeper. So, perhaps she worked for Henry and they grew fond of each other from being together all day. If this photo does show Maude, then perhaps this it was taken at around the time of their marriage.