Di.Poppitt
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
In my day it was broken crisps from the outdoor in Witton Road. The bag was so full you were fed up with them by the time you were done. As for finding the finding the blue twist of salt,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, 
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Greys Department Store
- Thread starter Di.Poppitt
- Start date
sylviasayers
master brummie
Greys
Hi Lesley, are you sure it was Grey's where your gran bought the broken biscuits? I'm pretty sure Greys didn't haven't a food hall, but Lewis' were
well known for selling food and broken biscuits etc.
Hi Lesley, are you sure it was Grey's where your gran bought the broken biscuits? I'm pretty sure Greys didn't haven't a food hall, but Lewis' were
well known for selling food and broken biscuits etc.
K
Kandor
Guest
Broken bickies
I do know Grays had a Mice droppings problem..they used to collect them all up and put them in a big brown bag..no one could ever work out where they went to after that..
I do know Grays had a Mice droppings problem..they used to collect them all up and put them in a big brown bag..no one could ever work out where they went to after that..
sylviasayers
master brummie
Greys Department Store
To the best of my knowledge there was no connection between Edward Grey & Co. and Debenhams, apart from the fact that Debenhams bought the store from Greys, probably late 1960s/early 1970s.
To the best of my knowledge there was no connection between Edward Grey & Co. and Debenhams, apart from the fact that Debenhams bought the store from Greys, probably late 1960s/early 1970s.
Grey's Department Store
Brenda:
My mother-in-law worked at Grey's, in the offices, at some time in the 60's. Her name is Gladys Dennis and she would have been aged around 60 then.
She is still alive (at 101) - so it must have been a healthy working environment at Grey's.
Her maiden name was Gladys Hitchman and she was born in the Nechells area although she lives in Brighton now. Strangely, when I first met her, she never had a trace of a Brummie accent but she now suffers from dementia and seems to have recently reverted to a broad Brummie twang despite being in Sussex for the past 20 years or so!
Brenda:
My mother-in-law worked at Grey's, in the offices, at some time in the 60's. Her name is Gladys Dennis and she would have been aged around 60 then.
She is still alive (at 101) - so it must have been a healthy working environment at Grey's.
Her maiden name was Gladys Hitchman and she was born in the Nechells area although she lives in Brighton now. Strangely, when I first met her, she never had a trace of a Brummie accent but she now suffers from dementia and seems to have recently reverted to a broad Brummie twang despite being in Sussex for the past 20 years or so!
Thanks for the photo of Greys.... it brings back lots of memories of my time in the City.. at school and working in Livery Street. I would cut through the Arcade and on the left would be a side door into Greys... walk through and out the front where the bus stops were... and almost opposite Lewis's. Georgie
Peter Brackley
proper brummie kid
Brenda
Brenda,
Just saw your post. My mother and sister both worked at Greys in the early sixties. My sister Jackie was there for a couple of years before training to be a hairdresser but my mother Olive Brackley worked on the glove and haberdashery counter until she was taken ill in 1968/69 just before her death.
I sometimes used to catch the bus from grammar school into town and meet her and then go back home with her. The place always had a really friendly atmosphere and the staff I met were great.
Very sad when it was taken over it never seemed to be the same to me.
Brenda,
Just saw your post. My mother and sister both worked at Greys in the early sixties. My sister Jackie was there for a couple of years before training to be a hairdresser but my mother Olive Brackley worked on the glove and haberdashery counter until she was taken ill in 1968/69 just before her death.
I sometimes used to catch the bus from grammar school into town and meet her and then go back home with her. The place always had a really friendly atmosphere and the staff I met were great.
Very sad when it was taken over it never seemed to be the same to me.
Greys Department Store
Hi dav19390,
I believe that I knew your mother in law when at Grey's. Did she work with someone called Jean who was very slim with auburn hair, and Janet Aston who was a teenager and also another lady (Mrs Smith, I think) of about middle aged? They worked in the "Till Office"
I worked as a Statistician with Tony French and Susan Woodhall who was known as "Keyhole Kate" in a tiny office next to the above people when we moved into new offices on the 5th floor. I started at Easter 1963 when the offices were on the 4th floor but we moved after a few days.
I later went to the typist's office with Gloria Gamble, Margaret, and an older part time lady. I was also one of the telephonists there and a good many times had to control the busy boards and lines all by myself and give out the tannoy messages for all staff and customers to hear.
I am pleased to hear that your m-i-l is still alive but sorry to hear that she has dementia. That's strange about her accent coming back.
Hi dav19390,
I believe that I knew your mother in law when at Grey's. Did she work with someone called Jean who was very slim with auburn hair, and Janet Aston who was a teenager and also another lady (Mrs Smith, I think) of about middle aged? They worked in the "Till Office"
I worked as a Statistician with Tony French and Susan Woodhall who was known as "Keyhole Kate" in a tiny office next to the above people when we moved into new offices on the 5th floor. I started at Easter 1963 when the offices were on the 4th floor but we moved after a few days.
I later went to the typist's office with Gloria Gamble, Margaret, and an older part time lady. I was also one of the telephonists there and a good many times had to control the busy boards and lines all by myself and give out the tannoy messages for all staff and customers to hear.
I am pleased to hear that your m-i-l is still alive but sorry to hear that she has dementia. That's strange about her accent coming back.
Greys Department Store
Hi Peter,
I expect that I knew your mother and sister when at Grey's. I can remember that the glove department was on the ground floor, to the left of the building, when I was there. I did get to know almost everyone's name but over the years have forgotten some.
The mother of a lady who went out with my father after Mom's death in 1972 had also worked on the glove department. Her surname would have been Llandis and she was from Heath Mill Lane in Deritend.
I only joined this forum last night and its amazing that I am hearing of people already!
Hi Peter,
I expect that I knew your mother and sister when at Grey's. I can remember that the glove department was on the ground floor, to the left of the building, when I was there. I did get to know almost everyone's name but over the years have forgotten some.
The mother of a lady who went out with my father after Mom's death in 1972 had also worked on the glove department. Her surname would have been Llandis and she was from Heath Mill Lane in Deritend.
I only joined this forum last night and its amazing that I am hearing of people already!
Grey's
Hi Brenda
I wouldn't know the names of other people at Greys but I will try to find out if any of the names you mention jog Gladys's memory. I think her long term memory is not too bad - it is her more recent memories that are blurred.
I will get back to you, but it might take several days because of the distances involved and that I am not directly in touch with her myself.
Thanks for your interest, it would be so good for her if we can make the connection.
Hi Brenda
I wouldn't know the names of other people at Greys but I will try to find out if any of the names you mention jog Gladys's memory. I think her long term memory is not too bad - it is her more recent memories that are blurred.
I will get back to you, but it might take several days because of the distances involved and that I am not directly in touch with her myself.
Thanks for your interest, it would be so good for her if we can make the connection.
shavedfish49
master brummie
As long as..............
pmc1947. The second pic you included of Livery Street running down the side of Snow Hill station brings the Brummie saying, 'as long as Livery Street' well and truly home. Using the wide angle lens makes it look even longer! Great pic.
pmc1947. The second pic you included of Livery Street running down the side of Snow Hill station brings the Brummie saying, 'as long as Livery Street' well and truly home. Using the wide angle lens makes it look even longer! Great pic.
Alex's Pies
Charlie,
I remember Alex's van outside Snow Hill Station but I don't think he sold Fleur de Lys pies. - not in the 1950s-60s. The meat pies he sold when I was a customer were OK, but flat and mushy inside, not deep and chunky meat like FdLs.
I think Alex's Fleur de Lys pies were a different animal altogether. My father told me that in the early 1950s he went to a pub in one of the villages to the south of Birmingham (I can't remember which one) where they sold fantastic meat pies. People just went there for the pies, not the beer. The pub was called the Fleur de Lys and the publican was Alex. They proved so popular that he gave up the pub and started selling the same recipe pies commercially to the catering trade - especially fish and chip shops. I think the firm who marketed them when I left Birmingham were Avana Foods - I don't know whether that was the original proprietor's company or whether he sold out to them.
They were terrific pies, though, as you say - I wish you could get them up here in Yorkshire, the local pies here are rubbish in comparison. These Yorkies don't know what they're missing!
Charlie,
I remember Alex's van outside Snow Hill Station but I don't think he sold Fleur de Lys pies. - not in the 1950s-60s. The meat pies he sold when I was a customer were OK, but flat and mushy inside, not deep and chunky meat like FdLs.
I think Alex's Fleur de Lys pies were a different animal altogether. My father told me that in the early 1950s he went to a pub in one of the villages to the south of Birmingham (I can't remember which one) where they sold fantastic meat pies. People just went there for the pies, not the beer. The pub was called the Fleur de Lys and the publican was Alex. They proved so popular that he gave up the pub and started selling the same recipe pies commercially to the catering trade - especially fish and chip shops. I think the firm who marketed them when I left Birmingham were Avana Foods - I don't know whether that was the original proprietor's company or whether he sold out to them.
They were terrific pies, though, as you say - I wish you could get them up here in Yorkshire, the local pies here are rubbish in comparison. These Yorkies don't know what they're missing!
