Our Story…

The shop was originally part of the local family business ‘George Wesley’s Outfitters’ which was established in 1907 with it’s first branch in Wimborne. This tailor’s firm dates back 3 generations and became a popular local business with further shops in New Milton, Winton, Highcliffe and The Isle of Wight.

Continuing trading throughout the Second World War and well into the late 1900s, they celebrated their Diamond Jubilee anniversary in 1967 with a ‘modernisation’ re-fit of their head office and shop in New Milton. Rosie’s grandfather Gary Wesley became the manager of the branch in Highcliffe and eventually inherited the tailor’s firm.

The Lymington branch remained trading as George Wesley’s until the 1980s and since then has been home to a number of other local businesses, most recently the Best & Co Hairdressers owned by Mike and Anne Reynolds.

Chalk’s is an art and craft gallery located in the heart of the New Forest on Lymington’s bustling St. Thomas Street. Run by mother and daughter team Harriet and Rosie Wesley, who between them have 7 years of gallery experience and have been practising artists for over 25 years.

The shop is a beautiful Grade 1 listed building and holds significant local and family history, having been in the family for over 100 years.

On the other side of the family, Rosie’s great grandparents Ted and Joan Chalk owned a tobacconist and sweet shop in Lymington, just around the corner from Wesley’s Outfitters.

This shop opened in 1963 and was extremely popular with local residents and workers, supplying many of the Wellworthy factory staff with their daily pack of cigarettes
and preferred sweet treats!

Unfortunately after around 20 years of trading, the shop closed and became an art framing shop. Ted & Joan moved into the flat above Wesley’s Outfitters in Lymington, where they spent the rest of their lives.

Harriet and Rosie have adopted the Chalk’s family name for their new art gallery. As a symbol of family history and a classic art material, they believed it to be the perfect name!

They hope to continue the legacy of their family’s shopkeeper history for many more years to come.