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Pedrocut
Master Barmmie
The youngster seems high up in the pushchair. Perhaps Dad has asked the young one to look after the babby while he pops in for a bottle of Nut Brown.
oldMohawk
gone but not forgotten
I have looked closely at the pic and concluded that the occupant of the pushchair looks old enough to walk and might have been a disabled child ...
An unusual "A" in the Co-Operative sign. Viv.
pjmburns
master brummie
Quite a few Co-Ops seem to have had "wines and spirits". I am sure there was one in Shirley - need to check with my Dad. There are several listed in the phone book for 1968. I suppose it was an Off Licence rather than an outdoor attached to a pub.
I have just found it in the phone book and checked the address. I think it is now a Co-Op Funeral place!!
I have just found it in the phone book and checked the address. I think it is now a Co-Op Funeral place!!
At first I thought shop #30 had gone for good, but after much to-ing and fro-ing along Alum Rock Road on Streetview I've managed to track it down. The building is still there (at the junction with Brook Hill Road), much altered, but you can still see evidence of the shop number above one of the scrolled pillars.
An interesting use of the word 'butchery' in the old photo. It still had the BICS 1916 logo on top of the building in the old photo, but had by that time become BCS. Pity that decorative sign has now gone. Viv.
An interesting use of the word 'butchery' in the old photo. It still had the BICS 1916 logo on top of the building in the old photo, but had by that time become BCS. Pity that decorative sign has now gone. Viv.
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Stitcher
Guest
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Lady Penelope
master brummie
Phil, your post #161 really took me back to the Co-op in Erdington High Street - I can even remember the smell!
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Radiorails
master brummie
This Branch 100 photo is obviously taken before 1971 - old currency pricing. However, the low prices suggest it might be earlier than the nineteen seventies. Notable are the days quoted for Double Stamps. Tuesday was family allowance day and Friday was then usually pay day and usually paid in cash - few straight into the bank payments then.
People knew what they had to spend in those days so were less likely to accrue debt.
People knew what they had to spend in those days so were less likely to accrue debt.
Re shop 100 (post #167) the square Coop logo was introduced nationally in 1968. Viv.
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Radiorails
master brummie
Some Co-operative societies owned hotels. There was at least one in Torquay.
Pedrocut
Master Barmmie
BCS...70 years of Service...(1881-1951)...Chapter 1
The author is describing the state of affairs in 1951.
The fact that the Society is not only the third largest society in Great Britain, but also in the world, attracts visitors of many races, creeds and colours from countries and both hemispheres to see for themselves this outstanding example of co-operative principles in practice.
The visitor is taken on a tour of inspection all the societies departments and branches throughout the city, and the guide answers questions...
It has been the policy of the management committee for the past 20 years or more, to provide branches comprising grocery, butchery and green grocery shops at intervals of about half a mile along all main thoroughfares. In the areas between these radiating thoroufares the same principle has being applied, so that members of the society have to travel only a reasonable distance, and at that the most no more than 3/4 of a mile, to buy the groceries, provisions, meat, vegetables, and the fruit needed by their families.
At present 136 grocery shops.....the Grocery Dept is the largest of 18 Depts...employing 1,400 people....first multiple store in Birmingham to introduce a self-service system...
Grocery was the first Dept...butchery introduced in 1905...1921 green grocery....out of 90 butcher’s shops 80 opened after WWI....49 green grocery shops since 1921...
In the more important suburban areas the Society has introduced Drapery and women’s clothing; men’s closing; boots and shoes; furniture and hardware; chemists as well as shops receiving dry-cleaning orders.
We have for some years been replacing horse-drawn vehicles by electrically propelled vehicles, particularly for milk, bread and laundry services. Even now we have more than 560 horses, and in fact, the Society is the largest user of horses in the city.
The BCS Dairy is one of the largest in the country and delivers to approx 56% of the population of Birmingham .......for the weekend bread 90,000 loaves are baked early on Saturday morning for delivery to customers....our boast is that we can virtually supply all commodities, articles and services necessary from the cradle to the grave.
(Buildings to uniform plan)...Between the two world wars the societies works department under took direction the practically all branch premises, as well as a large part of the construction work of new productive factories directed within that period.
The author is describing the state of affairs in 1951.
The fact that the Society is not only the third largest society in Great Britain, but also in the world, attracts visitors of many races, creeds and colours from countries and both hemispheres to see for themselves this outstanding example of co-operative principles in practice.
The visitor is taken on a tour of inspection all the societies departments and branches throughout the city, and the guide answers questions...
It has been the policy of the management committee for the past 20 years or more, to provide branches comprising grocery, butchery and green grocery shops at intervals of about half a mile along all main thoroughfares. In the areas between these radiating thoroufares the same principle has being applied, so that members of the society have to travel only a reasonable distance, and at that the most no more than 3/4 of a mile, to buy the groceries, provisions, meat, vegetables, and the fruit needed by their families.
At present 136 grocery shops.....the Grocery Dept is the largest of 18 Depts...employing 1,400 people....first multiple store in Birmingham to introduce a self-service system...
Grocery was the first Dept...butchery introduced in 1905...1921 green grocery....out of 90 butcher’s shops 80 opened after WWI....49 green grocery shops since 1921...
In the more important suburban areas the Society has introduced Drapery and women’s clothing; men’s closing; boots and shoes; furniture and hardware; chemists as well as shops receiving dry-cleaning orders.
We have for some years been replacing horse-drawn vehicles by electrically propelled vehicles, particularly for milk, bread and laundry services. Even now we have more than 560 horses, and in fact, the Society is the largest user of horses in the city.
The BCS Dairy is one of the largest in the country and delivers to approx 56% of the population of Birmingham .......for the weekend bread 90,000 loaves are baked early on Saturday morning for delivery to customers....our boast is that we can virtually supply all commodities, articles and services necessary from the cradle to the grave.
(Buildings to uniform plan)...Between the two world wars the societies works department under took direction the practically all branch premises, as well as a large part of the construction work of new productive factories directed within that period.
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Dave Riley
master brummie
This one is at the junction of Court Oak Road and Wolverhampton Road West, Quinton, 25th February 1963.
High Street branch. The Co-op occupied both sides of High Street. The building further along to the right must also have been the Co-op as it has a banner across the building announcing "Double Dividend". Don't have a date for this one. I remember that clock on the building in the 1960s/70s.
There is a thread dedicated to the High Street Co-op shops here https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/co-op-high-st-bham.17277/
Viv.
There is a thread dedicated to the High Street Co-op shops here https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/co-op-high-st-bham.17277/
Viv.
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Halesowen.
Pedrocut
Master Barmmie
As I think I said some time back on this thread, Birmingham Industrial Co-operative Society first opened a shop in 1881 at 14 Great Francis Street, but by 1884 bigger premises were needed so they moved a few hundred yards up the street to the corner of Newdegate Street and they named the new premises No1 as can be seen on many photos on this forum.
I have searched and I am unable to find a photo of the original shop as a Co-op shop but I am able to show a couple of images of number 14 in later life, after the Co-op moved it became a post office (see photo). I've also added a photo that locates it better, shortly before demolition in 1966, it's the last shop before the road drops back to accommodate the weighbridge for the coal wharf on Pitney Street.
View attachment 118771 View attachment 118772
There is a picture of the first shop from the BCS 70 years Service booklet, and an example of the opposition they faced.
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Soho Road.
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This one is/was in Wrekenton , Gateshead Tyne And Wear.
