Recent content by Barry Hughes

Hello Jackie! Great to see some responses to the family's attempts to trace our memories and history! Can you post the picture of Dad sitting on one of our bargain ''antique'' chairs on the shop frontage? (I haven't a clue how to!) It might trigger a few more replies and unlock a few more...

When browsing through these pages of fascinating memories of our history, my eyes clapped onto Scrap Metal Merchants..... my Dad ran such a business around 1961, at 926, Stratford Road, Sparkhill, B11. The yard had big wooden gates that opened onto the main Stratford Road, Solihull Road marked...

Mr Trevor Hedges if I remember correctly, training dept with Miss Thaw? .....mid seventies?

Hello, I worked in the Display Department in Lewis's Birmingham from the early 70's to lare 80's. I remember Mr Pickervance and Mr Aaron from the Publicity Department, although my ranking in the early days meant that I never came into contact with them, although my bosses worked closely with...

I remember queueing up the stairs at Lewis's to see Father Christmas, being thrilled with the magic of the Grotto scenes, looking forward to getting a present, but then getting nervous as my turn to sit on FC's knee came....he'd know that I hadn't been as good as I should have been, and tell my...

The fifth floor to be exact, as that was where the toy floor was situated. The Lewis's Grotto was the best in town, although I might be slightly biased, as I spent many years building and eventually designing them too! A great part of my working life was spent learning my skills in the Lewis's...

The recollections sent into the Sunday Mercury published on the 23rd and 30th March I thought were interesting, then on closer examination I noticed that one of the letters had been written by my work colleague and mentor within the Display Department at Lewis's Birmingham! Norman H Taylor...

I started work at 16, my 1st job was as a trainee junior window dresser (1972) with Lewis's display Department. I was fortunate to have a long and happy time at Birminghams' favorite store. I ended up as Assistant Promotions Manager (1990). Along the way I helped to design and build many...

1968 to1973..... approx

Hello, I remember the ''WAJ'', his long reign came to end during my time at Yardley. I was there 1968-1973 (approx!) There were many long serving members of staff, ''GUV'' Young, and "Sam'', Mr Saunders, two that spring to mind. I had Latin with Mr Young in the first form, and he did games too...

Hello Robert, just a little bit beyond my childhood stomping ground I think, as that would be in Formans Road? my patch was the Warwick road end of Reddings Lane. When Mom took us swimming to Sparkhill Baths we'd have walked back past it on the way home, if we'd missed the 36!

Living in Reddings Lane I have memories of the MEM, LUCAS, and the other factories up our road. As a young lad me and my mate from down the road used to make a guy around the end of October and sit on the pavement most evenings after 5:00pm to catch the workers with our ''Penny for the Guy!''...

equally gutted, seems like all of my past has been destroyed too, MEM, YARDLEY GRAMMAR SCHOOL, AP SPRINGS, BAKELITE FACTORY, pubs, THE GREET, THE BRITANNIA (old and new!) THE SERK there are so many more places that are now just memories, sign of the times I suppose, sign I'm getting old definitely!!

this photograph has been taken on the frontage of our shop, the telephone box that I mentioned in my recent post is just out of the picture on the right hand side. Sadly, no one in the family has any pictures of the shop when we were in ''residence'' It looked nothing like the current view as...

I heard that the wall to the Warwick Road side of the school was the only part of the building that was listed, therefore didn't get demolished..... Might be an urban myth who knows, sad to see it go despite not appreciating the old school when I went there during the 70's. I noticed that...