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sistersue61
master brummie
The ice cream man on the caravan site in Prestatyn had the best whippy ice cream I have tasted in a long time!! Mom especially liked the fizzy sherbert dip he put on them, along with the juice and sprinkles lol.
Sue
Sue
Elmdon Boy
master brummie
Just to revive this lovely thread, most Friday evenings in the summer early 60s Dad would treat me and my two sisters, and sometimes himself and Mum to ice cream when the chimes of Mr Whippys pink and cream van was heard.
Ahh happy days.
Ahh happy days.
Down Memory Lane
master brummie
I don't think either of the above are currently active on the forum, but for those interested here's a blue Tonibell van from 1963...
A brief history of Tonibell, taken from this site...
http://www.basildon.com/history/industry/tonibell.html
"From the late 1950s a familiar sight and sound around the streets of Basildon was a Tonibell ice cream van. The company, known as Tonibell Manufacturing Co. Ltd, was founded as Tonis in 1937 by Italian born Toni Pignatelli and his wife.
Originally operating from a shop in Burnt Oak, Middlesex, their first vehicle did not take to the streets until 1951 by which time they were joined by their son Ronald. During the fifties the business grew and Basildon, with its new town status offering fresh custom, was seen as the ideal place to expand operations.
Their first depot, a yard adjacent to the Laindon Service Station on the Southend bound carriageway of the A127 before the Fortune-of-War roundabout, opened sometime in the late 1950s. They continued here, having become Tonibell following a change of name in 1960, before relocating during 1962 to No.1 Bowlers Croft off Honywood Road on the No.1 Nevendon Industrial Estate, where they were able to manufacture ice-cream in-house.
Their vehicles were custom variations of among others; Morris vans and the Bedford CA series with Picador bodies. Early vehicles were finished in a blue livery with some featuring a scaled down cow astride the front roof. Later models also included the cow and a memorable colour change to pink, which was probably how people best remember them. A feature of the livery was the company's lettering, all in lower case. They also had a specially written chime.
In addition to the street operations there were several ice cream parlours and snack bars in Basildon town centre. These were branded Tonis and situated at 5 South Gunnels, and from around 1963, 11 Market Pavement. The Market Pavement shop lasted until the 1980s before being bought by Tony Dow of Martins Mobile Sales of Durham Road, Laindon, who then re-opened for a time as Diamonds Resturant.
In April 1966, and now operating as Tonibell (Essex) Limited, they relocated again to larger premises at Bentalls on Industrial Estate No.2 at Pipps Hill. At this time the Basildon concern was operating 24 vans which cost around £1,800 each when new or about £500 if second hand and up to the company's standard. In November 1967 as the business continued to expand they were advertising for Driver/Salesman aged 25 to 40 with potential earnings of between £20 to £40 a week. The successful applicants would also get to use the 'mobile shop' to and from home. It was at Bentalls around the turn of the 1970s that the livery change from blue to pink occured.
Tonibell remained at Bentalls until the early 1990s when the depot closed.
Tonibell is still seen around locally as Gary Levine of Canvey Island operates several vans in their livery and the chimes can still be heard on many T.V. programmes that feature the sound of an ice cream van on the background soundtrack.
For anyone wanting to learn more about the history of tonibell, Steve Tillyer has written a book called The tonibell Story".
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Williamstreeter
master brummie
Carolina dear Verrecchia probably the first ice cream maker to have an ice cream parlour 1953/55 just before the hill going up Dudley Rd from Spring Hill . May have been the first ice cream vans with fluorescent lights early 60's Tony Verrecchia used to cover quite a lot of Birmingham, I remember him in Winson Green area while visiting my sister RIP in Harding St. Tony carried the business on from his Father then Tony died some years ago
adap2it
master brummie
That's what we had in Paddington St. I thought it was Verrecchio's....
Dave A
Radiorails
master brummie
Another building, in the background, to identify, in adap2it's post/ This might be easier than the other thread. 
If there is not a Verrecchia ice cream presence in Birmingham any more there is in Cambridge. I am not sure whether this an relation but the surname is not uncommon. Many in France, but not all in the ice cream trade.
If there is not a Verrecchia ice cream presence in Birmingham any more there is in Cambridge. I am not sure whether this an relation but the surname is not uncommon. Many in France, but not all in the ice cream trade.
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Williamstreeter
master brummie
Dave Verrecchia no o at the end
sospiri
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
WilliamStreeter,
Some languages change the ending of forenames and surnames according to whether they are males or female, and according to whether you are talking about them or talking to them. I'm not sure what the rules are in Italian as I don't speak the language. In Greek, a name of, say, Manolis Fragakis would, when referring to his wife or daughter, be, for instance, Sofia Fragaki. If I was talking to Manolis rather than about him, I would address him as Manoli.
A drummer friend of mine, who was married to an Italian lady, always said it was a very difficult language to learn. I can speak personally about learning the Greek language, which has the additional complication of not using the Latin alphabet like most of northen Europe. Fortunately I have a Greek son-in-law who speaks excellent English!
Maurice
Some languages change the ending of forenames and surnames according to whether they are males or female, and according to whether you are talking about them or talking to them. I'm not sure what the rules are in Italian as I don't speak the language. In Greek, a name of, say, Manolis Fragakis would, when referring to his wife or daughter, be, for instance, Sofia Fragaki. If I was talking to Manolis rather than about him, I would address him as Manoli.
A drummer friend of mine, who was married to an Italian lady, always said it was a very difficult language to learn. I can speak personally about learning the Greek language, which has the additional complication of not using the Latin alphabet like most of northen Europe. Fortunately I have a Greek son-in-law who speaks excellent English!
Maurice
Radiorails
master brummie
Italian is part of the languages usually known as Romance which derive from Latin (Classical and Vulgar). One thing about Italian, usually, is that most letters are pronounced, that is why it sounds expressive to some peoples ears.
adap2it
master brummie
O...no!
Dave A
Williamstreeter
master brummie
WilliamStreeter,
Some languages change the ending of forenames and surnames according to whether they are males or female, and according to whether you are talking about them or talking to them. I'm not sure what the rules are in Italian as I don't speak the language. In Greek, a name of, say, Manolis Fragakis would, when referring to his wife or daughter, be, for instance, Sofia Fragaki. If I was talking to Manolis rather than about him, I would address him as Manoli.
A drummer friend of mine, who was married to an Italian lady, always said it was a very difficult language to learn. I can speak personally about learning the Greek language, which has the additional complication of not using the Latin alphabet like most of northen Europe. Fortunately I have a Greek son-in-law who speaks excellent English!
Maurice
I appreciate your point Maurice, I pointed this out mainly for the fact that all the ice cream vans and the parlour on Dudley Rd were all spelt with an a at the end of the surname . After all they were Bona Fide Italians and would know how they spelt their own name
maypolebaz
master brummie
"O" Blimey !
mw0njm.
A Brummie Dude
na. honey ice cream made in Aberaeron is better.me thinks
sistersue61
master brummie
Ahh but I like whippy ice cream better - like the honey one too.
Hi Dave89,
I remember that brand of ice cream very well when I lived in Brum it was lovely (soft & smooth). I left Brum in the early sixties with my parents and moved out to a country village in Staffs & the ice cream man used to come round on Sunday on his sidecar outfit & ring a bell to let you know he was around ha ha.
Lozellian.
I remember that brand of ice cream very well when I lived in Brum it was lovely (soft & smooth). I left Brum in the early sixties with my parents and moved out to a country village in Staffs & the ice cream man used to come round on Sunday on his sidecar outfit & ring a bell to let you know he was around ha ha.
Lozellian.
Robert Ensor (bob)
master brummie
How about the best cone ever a 99 that soft serve ice cream with a Cadburys Flake poking out the top, or the red sauce on top or the sprinkles (we called them 100's and Thousands) and do not forget the crushed nuts,
Hi Bob,
I certainly wouldn't disagree with you on that one mate I can almost taste one right now ha ha mmm. Do you remember the fruit sundaes you could get from the ice cream man, I seem to recall there were a variety of fruits, but they were mostly fruit cocktail, which came in little tubs complete with a wooden spoon mmm.
Lozellian.
Robert Ensor (bob)
master brummie
Walls Ice cream, the same kind the girl sold at the pictures during the intermission with that tray hanging round her neck with the little light,. How about Butterkist popcorn remember the add "do you love me" "of course l do I buy you Butterkist"
