• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

P.J. Evans Essex Street

vicfarlowe

veteran brummie
Anyone out there work at The Jaguar Rover Triumph spares department in the early 70s? I was there 1973-74 on the front counter and Jaguar telephone enquiries. I remember the legend Mike Collins, Johnny Bow, Chris Spilsbury, John Bromley, Melvyn Shufflebottom, Albert Stretton, Steve Kazee. It was the best 18 months of all my time in the motor trade and I should have stayed much longer. Mr Studeholme is unforgettable!!
 
I remember trying to buy a master cylinder for a 1962 Etype in the late sixties from PJ Evans as repair kits from Girling not available, had to drive around with only the front brakes working untill I could afford one.
 
I worked for Watsons in Broad Street, P J Evans Jaguar showroom and Hangers Ford were in the same row, we had a guy come in looking at cars, he was a rag and bone man in his day clothes, we chatted for a while, he said he was looking for a new car, he went from our place into P J Evans and was snubbed by the sales staff they had no time for scruffs like him then went on into Hangers, bought a new Zodiac and paid cash on the spot.
Best example of 'don't judge a book by its cover' I've ever seen.
 
i hate it when shops staff go by look and are dam right rude to the hard workers for a living
 
Last edited:
Anyone out there work at The Jaguar Rover Triumph spares department in the early 70s? I was there 1973-74 on the front counter and Jaguar telephone enquiries. I remember the legend Mike Collins, Johnny Bow, Chris Spilsbury, John Bromley, Melvyn Shufflebottom, Albert Stretton, Steve Kazee. It was the best 18 months of all my time in the motor trade and I should have stayed much longer. Mr Studeholme is unforgettable!!
Mr Studeholme is a name I remember....cant think why. Was he a manager or
 
Mr Studeholme is a name I remember....cant think why. Was he a manager or
He was the Parts Director and based at Essex Street. His outbursts were legendary but I've worked for far worse. His managers were the excellent John Bromley (Jaguar parts) and also excellent Melvyn Shufflebottom (Triumph parts). The front counter was overseen by Mike Collins, the best partsman I ever worked with.
 
I've just realised I should have put PJ's in Essex Street NOT Lower Essex Street!!
Hi Vic, do you recall Steve Dutton, we used to go to a rock club in Handsworth on Sat nights (long wild hair - had a twin brother Jaime) and another Steve who was a part time bouncer, (I think) both worked in the stores at PJE Granville Street when I was there. Same time as Melvyn - who I think I now recall as Mel - same time as Carol the parts driver.
 
Hi Vic, do you recall Steve Dutton, we used to go to a rock club in Handsworth on Sat nights (long wild hair - had a twin brother Jaime) and another Steve who was a part time bouncer, (I think) both worked in the stores at PJE Granville Street when I was there. Same time as Melvyn - who I think I now recall as Mel - same time as Carol the parts driver.
Steve Dutton sounds vaguely familiar. I think he came to Essex Street with his mate Albert Stretton and they were both put on the front counter at Essex Street when I was there. Albert Stretton was definitely at Essex Street 73/74.
 
Steve Dutton would have came down from PJE Granville Street to PJE Essex Street with the rest of us. Although a few years ago PJE Granville Street moved lock, stock and barrel to Essex Street. It was a wonderful 4 and half years (1970-74/5) for this young 'apprentice to mechanic' to be in Birmingham. The world seemed so open, exciting and with so much hope. Met some great characters during that formative period. Such a pity that more have not found this incredible site!
 
I now remember Steve Dutton. I was wrong to say he was on the front counter in Essex Street. He was down the road in the stores in PJ's workshop in Essex Street. That must be where you knew him from. He was a mate of Albert Stretton's who was on the front counter with me, Mike Collins and Johnny Bow. It's 47 years this month since I started at PJ's!! If I had not been so silly for my age (22) I would have appreciated those days at the time. I have never missed the poor wages and conditions in the motor trade but have always missed the camaraderie and the cars. Smashing lads to work with.
 
I now remember Steve Dutton. I was wrong to say he was on the front counter in Essex Street. He was down the road in the stores in PJ's workshop in Essex Street. That must be where you knew him from. He was a mate of Albert Stretton's who was on the front counter with me, Mike Collins and Johnny Bow. It's 47 years this month since I started at PJ's!! If I had not been so silly for my age (22) I would have appreciated those days at the time. I have never missed the poor wages and conditions in the motor trade but have always missed the camaraderie and the cars. Smashing lads to work with.
Hi Vic, so glad we got there and that Steve Dutton and co did exist (just deown the road..) not just a figment of my imagination. I should have been clearer that I was talking about PJ's workshop in Essex Street. It is often the case that appreciation comes in retrospect and 'youth is wasted on the young', lol. Although I loved my youth and time at PJ's.
 
So Triumph and Jaguar moved to Essex Street and Rolls Royce/Bentley moved into Granville Street? I kept thinking that the Essex Street workshop was just Jaguar. I used to watch the rolling road if it was being used when I had to go to the workshop as some parts were stored upstairs. However you've reminded me that there were Triumphs in the workshop as well. Some of the Blues players (Ray Martin was one I saw there) had Triumphs serviced there.
 
I'm sorry for this late contribution to the website, but I've only just joined and am catching up with threads of the past. There was a thread concerning the car showroom and garage, R J Evans and Kitchen. I can perhaps answer many questions on this subject as my father worked there for many years and I worked with him there in the sixties and seventies for my Saturday and holiday jobs and then full time before going to university
 
Good evening, I'm wondering if you could help me, I've taken over 32 to 34 Essex street in Birmingham. The 3 buildings are in a shocking state of decay. Perhaps 10years ago, something could have been done to save the buildings, but sadly they can't be saved. I'm taking them down brick by brick, as they are in such a bad state. I would dearly love to know a bit about the history of these buildings. if someone could help that would be great.
 
Anyone remember Malcolm Palmer who was a mechanic at PJ's then opened his own place in Thimblemill Lane Aston servicing/repairing Jaguars? He was the first person I served on the front counter in Essex Street in May 73. It was for a gasket for a Borg Warner 35 auto box. He was a pal of star partsman Mike Collins. I also remember Malcolm telling me his ways of seeing whether a potential customer could actually afford to pay for repairs. He looked at the tyres of the car and/or the customer's shoes. If they were well worn Malcolm Palmer did not want to know. He said this prevented bad payers. I've never forgotten this. It obviously worked for him and he was well worth listening to on many motor trade topics especially for a naïve 22 year old as I was then.
 
Anyone remember Malcolm Palmer who was a mechanic at PJ's then opened his own place in Thimblemill Lane Aston servicing/repairing Jaguars? He was the first person I served on the front counter in Essex Street in May 73. It was for a gasket for a Borg Warner 35 auto box. He was a pal of star partsman Mike Collins. I also remember Malcolm telling me his ways of seeing whether a potential customer could actually afford to pay for repairs. He looked at the tyres of the car and/or the customer's shoes. If they were well worn Malcolm Palmer did not want to know. He said this prevented bad payers. I've never forgotten this. It obviously worked for him and he was well worth listening to on many motor trade topics especially for a naïve 22 year old as I was then.
Hello Vic - I was certainly at P J Evans from 1970 to 1974 - firstly at Granville St then we all moved to Lower Essex St. I was an apprentice mechanic (completed in 1974) in those days as you may have seen in my earlier posts. I have long been interested in what became of the people I met and worked with then - and some of the customers too. As you suggest, and I agree, it was a time of (I certainly had) wonderful and exciting experiences (so many) with what I now recognise as powerful and impacting relationships/friendships. Perhaps it was a matter of 'time and place' - the 1970's, my youth/age and belief that anything was possible...got degrees inc DPsych much later - . I recall a number of Malcolms during that time - Malcolm 'flea pit' Fletcher, he was one of triplet boys and a really quiet and helpful person; Malcolm Bassett, lanky and long hair with a beard, had a Reliant 3 wheel car we called the 'plastic pig'. He used to give me a lift home to Moseley before I got a car, we used to pick his wife up on the way, she worked at a bank. Malcolm (I wonder if this is Palmer) who I think had ginger hair and who was about my age then, not an apprentice but learning on the job.
 
The shopfitting firm I worked for back in the 60/70's was in Bow St, just across Bristol St . We did all of PJ Evans maintenance inc the directors houses, we even had a Mrs Evans, one of their ex wives, working in our office
 
Back
Top