Tom
I remember coming home once and my Gran, who after our Mother´s death reared us sitting very uncomfortable in the kitchen. She had asked the "Society Man" who as you say came on Fridays to collect the sixpence for burials how much she would be entitled to upon her death, He replied "Missus what you get would not carry you to the top of the street"! She immediately increased her subscription.
donald

I remember Davie Watson (RIP)the Provedent cheque man coming on a Friday night and the first time I got my own cheque and of to a shop in Belfast named HYMES's and buying this single breasted blue suit and a white shirt and red tie honest! Heading for the dance that night I put it on very proud and my Da looked at me and asked had my uncle given me his demob suit ,it put a slight damper on it, Ted

Ted
your contribution remembered me about that advertisement from the clothes shop Speckmann in Belfast. It was situated somewhere near the docks.

"When I was a lad I went with my dad
And always got clad at Speckmann´s
Now I´m a dad with many´s a lad
we all get clad at Speckmann´s"!

The name suggests Jewish and / or German origin

There was another credit draper who had a store in Lambeg over 50 years ago.

donald