Barrows Stores

[jennyann]

Hi Viv: I remember Barrow's Store very well. I remember their window displays and also they had items from their store
on sale in a small kiosk at New Street Station. I believe it was on the platform where the London trains left from. This would be around 1957.
I like this connection to the store and it might answer who the artist was that did drawings for Barrow's letterhead, etc.
The reference to the artist Sarah Nechamkin is mentioned in a poster's comment on the Barrow's page.https://theironroom.wordpress.com/2011/12/19/barrows-stores-christmas-list/

https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Sa...874&pagename=BCC/Common/Wrapper/InlineWrapper

 

[Jayell]

I remember going into the cafe at Barrows in Corporation Street now and then. It was a lovely store. I also remember there was a fad for 'unusual' food items in the early 60s and you could buy weird things on one of their counters - I had some chocolate covered red ants!!!! Don't ask me why!

 

[brummie nick]

I was working at Barrows store in the late 1940's, I was an electricians mate doing contract work, remember seeing the girls hand decorating the cakes, they gave me one that was a bit miss shaped, tasted lovely.

 

[Vivienne14]

Hi Viv: .............
The reference to the artist Sarah Nechamkin is mentioned in a poster's comment on the Barrow's page.https://theironroom.wordpress.com/2011/12/19/barrows-stores-christmas-list/

https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Sa...874&pagename=BCC/Common/Wrapper/InlineWrapper

Thanks Jennyann, very helpful. Barrows seem to have treated their staff very well and maybe the Dutch girl in the ad was an acknowledgement of the artist then. That's lovely if it was. Viv.

 

[mikeya]

The 150 year Barrow's Store Record looks interesting. On the advert (middle photo) it shows, what I think is, a Dutch girl. Well the hat looks Dutch. Wondered what the connection might be, if there is one. Thanks Mikeya. Be very interested to see more. Viv.

The Dutch Girl is interesting - this sort of design is often connected with Holland and cocoa and I wonder if it is a link back to Barrow's origins and connections with Cadbury's and John Cadbury's shop that opened in Bull St in 1824 and which was passed over to Richard Cadbury Barrow in 1849. The first publication I have with the Dutch Girl on is 1914 when it was noted as a 'Registered Trade Mark". It appears on the 1947 Staff Excursion leaflet but has been replaced by the Reynolds Stone trademark device by the Staff Visit of 1951 leaflet so you can assume they replaced it c1950.

 

[Vivienne14]

Thanks Mikeye. How interesting. I think it's always worth looking into these things and although we might not always be 100% certain as to their origins it's well worth exploring. We find out so much more that way. The Cadbury link is interesting, and Barrows obviously carried on the same ethos with their staff. We could do with more of these companies these days. Viv.

 

[ColinB]

From today's Sunday Mercury :-

J.R.R Tolkien used to meet Chris Wiseman, Geoffrey Bache Smith and Rob Gilson as schoolboys at the cafe in Barrows Store, they called themselves the Tea Club Barrovian Society, they would meet to discuss their latest work,all vowed to become literary greats. They all went off to war and Bache Smith and Gilson were both killed, Tolkien was badly shaken and deeply shocked by what he saw and was inspired to base the battle scenes in his book Lord of the Rings on his experiences

Colin


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Vivienne14]

Barrows were selling Simnell cakes as a Mother's Day specialty in 1939. Thought these were Easter exclusive. Viv.

 

[pjmburns]

It was originally made for mid-lent Sunday (ie Mothering Sunday). On that day the "fast" would be relaxed.

Janice

 

[Vivienne14]

Thanks Janice. Shall be asking for this next Mother's Day. Love Simnel. Viv.

 

[Phil]

I never ever as much as set foot inside the Barrows Store, was the one in Bull Street connected to the one in Corporation Street? Here are a few images of the one in Bull Street through the years.

 

[devonjim]

Thanks Janice. Shall be asking for this next Mother's Day. Love Simnel. Viv.

Aren't you meant to keep the cake through to Easter? Such temptation! Another somewhat trivial link of Cadbury's with Barrow's. My wife's first vehicle was an old Ford Escort delivery van(VVP 970) that had belonged to Barrows, you could see the imprint of their logo on the side despite lots of sanding and many coats of paint and she worked at Cadbury's in their Art Studios.

 

[Phil]

Some more images of Barrows Department Store, though these I believe are more centred on the Corporation Street side of the store. It looks as if me question on the previous post has been answered by the drawing here and that the store in Bull Street was physically connected to the one around the corner in Corporation Street.

 

[mikejee]

At ssoemtime on another thread I posted the map below from the mid 1880s showing hoe Barrows had a frontage on both streets

 

[Jayell]

Thanks Phil and Mike for that interesting information about Barrows. I had never really thought as to whether the Corporation Street and Bull Street shops were connected, so its nice to see that they were. I used to go into Barrows in Corporation Street quite a lot as a teenager when I was working in town, particularly to use the cafe which I think was on the top floor. I also remember buying Chocolate Covered Red Ants from their Delicatessen Department to take to a party at one time. There was a craze for unusual foods in the late 50s! Don't think I would like to eat them now though! It was a really nice store in those days.

Judy

 

[paul stacey]

I remember that stores, but to posh for the likes of my family, we went to "John Favours", Weoley Square where we had (tick). ​Paul

 

[Phil]

At ssoemtime on another thread I posted the map below from the mid 1880s showing hoe Barrows had a frontage on both streets

Thanks Mike,

As I said I never went through the doors and didn't even realise that they had two stores, were they separate at one time or was there only one store and the other added later?

 

[mikejee]

That I don't know Phil.

 

[Gravon]

My very first job at Barrows in 1959! I worked in the stores, filling shelves. My posh Aunt and Uncle had their
groceries delivered in a Barrows van.

 

[E A A]

Here's a photo from 1955, probably uploaded by Lyn. If not, apologies to the member who did!

View attachment 73756

I remember Barrows ..they sold fabulous cakes! My first job was a junior at Swears and Wells the fur coat shop just round the corner on Corporation Street. I was sent tl Barrows every day to get cakes for the senior sales ladies.

 

[Dancing Queen 15]

I remember Mc Convilles in Bull Street . I used to catch the bus there when I became working age 15. Henry store was at the bottom. Also Jerome the photography studio at the top where I was taken every year for a studio photo when I was little. Hated it !

 

[Stitcher]

Re. Barrows Store

 

[Radiorails]

The Cadbury family ancestry seems to be the Exeter area of Devon: both this one and the more famous chocolate ones.
It is interesting that his house was called Uffculme, a place near Exeter and in a great dairy area. Noting the location of Barrows in Corporation Street reminds me of the time I got lost there. I had not noticed my guardian (nanny) and her friends going into a shop: I was far more interested in the buses that were passing by. It might well have been the Barrows emporium that they went into. I was only eight oor nine years old but had the sense to 'cadge' money for bus fare home from a flower seller lady. 2d. in old money by BCT and walk the rest of the way (Red territory) home. I was castigated on their return, but being safe and sound was a saving grace I guess. Anyway the streets were far safer just after WW2.

 

[Vivienne14]

The closure of Barrows reported in November 1973. Viv.

 

[Vivienne14]

Would this drawing (8/3/1884) from the Birmingham & Aston Chronicle be of the Bull Street warehouse or Corporation Street store ? Viv.

 

[mikejee]

Viv
Yes it seems it was the Corporation st store


Y

 

[mikejee]

The two Barrows Stores threads have been merged, and here is a piece containing memories of the stores from Carl's Old Brum mag

 

[Vivienne14]

1930s Barrow’s ‘chorus line’. Viv.

 

[paul stacey]

Great bit of British humor, now long gone and forgotten, Thanks for posting, Viv, Paul.

 

[Vivienne14]

A sad day for the store staff and customers. Viv.
Source: British Newspaper Archive