• 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

334 Monument Road

Shortie

Shortie

master brummie
I would like to know if 334 Monument Road, Ladywood, was a shop please. I have some information which leads me to believe it might have been a sweet shop. Shortie
 
In 1912-1913 it is listed as James Brown, tailor. In 1908 1915and 1921 it is not listed and in 1903 it is a private address.
mike
 
Thanks Shera and Mikejee. At one time, James Davies' mother ran a sweet shop, but it must have also been in conjunction with the tailoring business. James's father, Charles Davies, was a tailor at 3 Friston Street (1907), Charles died at 334 Monument Road in 1912. Charles's granddaughter remembered being able to turn the handle on the ice cream maker - she was born in 1901. Can anyone suggest how I can find this out - perhaps 3 Friston Street was also a sweet shop?. On the 1911 census, James's sister and sister-in law were both sweet shop assistants - so I am finding this altogether puzzling. Shortie
 
The 1908 Kellys gives Charles Davies as tailor at 8 friston St. could your 3 be 8 ? There is no listing of no 3 any year around then. No listing for 8 in 1912 and is a Pountney, dressmaker in 1904. In 1904 there is a Mrs Clara Davies, tobacconist (they could sell sweets?) at 68 monument road , and a miss julia davies, confectioner (though in kellys this could be a cake confectioner also) at 84 holloway Head.
Mike
 
Last edited:
in 1911 3 friston street is occupied by the barrall family and the father is a hardware dealer working on own account, so presumably it was a hardware shop at that time.

in 1913 kellys these are the only davies i can see as confectioners. miss sarah davies. confectioner. 36 park rd. aston
mrs mary ann davies. confectioner. 359 high st. smethwick . and evan davies. confectioner. 152 hockley hill.
 
Mike, I shall have to check, I have a lot of ppostcards in an album from about 1905 to 1917, and I am sure I have one for 3 Friston Street, but 8 might be the main one (James the son was at No 3 if I remember, but will check later). Charles Davies' wife was Elizabeth, what I thought might have happened was that Charles and James were tailoring upstairs and Elizabeth had a downstairs shop. I knew a lady in 1957 who had a shop in her front room and in the hallway. What comes to mind as I type this is that the lady who rememberd (she died in 1996) might have acutally visited the shop that the sister and sister in law worked at, rather than it belonging to her granny. That you so much for your help. Shortie.
 
I have found Shortie that , very often, very small shops and cafes weren't bothered if they were in the directories, presumably because all their trade was very local and didn't need to look them up. A tailor would be different and would want to advertise their presence, so your explanation is very possible
Mike
 
Hi, Mike: Just a shortie... Can I ask whether Kelly's record the addresses of private families as opposed to business people? I have a particular interest in the set-up in the 1930's.

Cheers,

Jim
 
Jim
Private families are recorded. In very early directories the section is listed as "Court" unless commercial and private are put together, but later they are always separated as "private residents". As a proportion of the total occupants most (but definitely not all) commercial businesses were listed, but the proportion of private residents is much smaller, and is particularly low in the back courts.
Hope that answers your question
Mike
 
OK, Mike: Thanks for your help. I'm chasing up one of my ancestors and there is now a possibility that they may be recorded in Kelly's...

Thanks again,

Cheers,

Jim
 
Shortie said:
Mike, I shall have to check, I have a lot of ppostcards in an album from about 1905 to 1917, and I am sure I have one for 3 Friston Street, but 8 might be the main one (James the son was at No 3 if I remember, but will check later). Charles Davies' wife was Elizabeth, what I thought might have happened was that Charles and James were tailoring upstairs and Elizabeth had a downstairs shop. I knew a lady in 1957 who had a shop in her front room and in the hallway. What comes to mind as I type this is that the lady who rememberd (she died in 1996) might have acutally visited the shop that the sister and sister in law worked at, rather than it belonging to her granny. That you so much for your help. Shortie.
Click to expand...
Hi. Did you find the postcard for 3 Friston? That would be Francis Barrall’s hardware shop. He later moved to Ledsham Street. His father was a renowned whistle maker; John Barrall, who lived at 19 Friston Street.
 
Welcome Pete. Shortie hasn't posted on the forum for a while, but hopefully your post will be picked up. Thanks for posting. Viv.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top