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Bell and Nicholson Drapers' Warehouse Department Store

A great photo from John Ball's website and this extract from the 1962 Kelly's Directory.


Bell & Nicolson Ltd. who. drapers, Cannon ho. 18 Priory,
Ringway 4. T A " Textiles " ; Central 7055
The wholesale drapery firm of Bell and Nicolsons grew from small Victorian beginnings to become one of the largest textile distribution companies in the country. B and N.jpgIts role was to supply the hundreds of small shopkeepers who were the main source of clothing, drapery and household goods for most people in the first half of the twentieth century. Small shop keepers would come to one of B&N’s warehouses, or be visited by one of its commercial travelers, and would place orders for goods that were then delivered by the company’s distinctive olive green vans.
John Macdonald Nicolson and Henry Bell jointly founded the company with Henry Bell, and Nicolson was its managing director for 40 years until his death in 1944, He studied the latest American retail, distribution and business methods and rather like his contemporary Gordon Selfridge applied these methods to an industry that was still often hide-bound by Victorian traditions. The firm prided itself on its relationship with its workers, providing various pension and welfare benefits that were ahead of its time, and creating a ‘family’ working environment that was often commented upon by visitors.
Bell and Nicolsons went from strength to strength as the century progressed. Their Cannon Street Warehouse was one of the largest blocks in the City, and 1936 the firm owned what was then the tallest building in Birmingham, Union Chambers. There were branches in Cardiff, Bristol, Nottingham, Stoke, Chester, and Belfast. But by the 1960’s the era of the small shop keeper, like that of the kelp gatherer of JMN’s grandparents, had passed. In high-streets across the country large retail chains which had their own distribution networks, were replacing the individual shopkeeper, and there was little need for independent wholesalers. However B&N’s still owned valuable real estate with offices and warehouses in most towns and cities in the Midlands and the North, and it was probably this that attracted the giant Courtauld corporation to buy out the company [albeit for a knock-down price] in the 1960’s. It soon became clear that Courtauld had bought B&N’s for its real estate value rather than to maintain a business that was shrinking year by year. Warehouses, offices and garages were sold off inexorable year by year, until by the late ‘70’s nothing remained of the business that my John Nicolson had spent most of his life building up.
In 1924 JMN bought ‘Winterbourne’, a large ‘Arts and Crafts’ house in the leafy suburb of Edgbaston, close to the University, which had been built in 1903 by the metal tycoon John Nettlefold, and over the next 20 years John Nicolson developed these into one of the most magnificent private spaces in the city. When JMN died in 1944 he bequeathed the house and gardens to the University of Birmingham on condition that they were well-maintained and remained open to the public. For many years Winterbourne was used by the University for the extra-mural department, as a botanical research centre, and as a women’s’ Hall of Residence. Whilst the gardens were maintained meticulously by the University, the interior of the house had taken on a rather shabby academic tattiness, but in 2010, after a major refurbishment costing several millions, Winterbourne was reopened in its original Edwardian splendour.
 
Bell and Nicolson

Hello Nick 42, I found your post about Bell and Nicolson of great interest as my Nicolson ancestors were from the same part of Skye as JMN's Nicolson roots. I believe the families are closely related. Are you also a descendant of the same family of Nicolsons? I look forward to hearing from you should you come back to the forum.
 
Bell & Nicolson Drapery Warehouse

Hi, would anyone have information about the Henry Bell who co-founded this company with John Nicolson.
Many thanks
 
'Nicolson' not 'Nicholson'. This wholesaling company had numerous branches all over the country and a large fleet of delivery vans and travelling salesmen serving mainly small shopkeepers. The small shops upon which it's prosperity had been based were a dying breed by the 1950's, and the company was It was sold to Courtaulds who wanted it mainly for the value of its real estate. The company's founder, John Macdonald Nicolson, gave Winterbourne, his large Edgbaston house and its gardens, to the University of Birmingham when he died in 1944.
 
Bell and Nicolson

Hello Nick 42, I found your post about Bell and Nicolson of great interest as my Nicolson ancestors were from the same part of Skye as JMN's Nicolson roots. I believe the families are closely related. Are you also a descendant of the same family of Nicolsons? I look forward to hearing from you should you come back to the forum.
Hello! Sorry it's taken me an age to get back to this site. I am Colin Nicolson the grandson of John Macdonald Nicolson. His family came from Peingown on the extreme north of the Isle of Skye, but in the 1850's they were were forced to emigrate because of famine and the collapse of the kelp-farming industry. They moved first to to Liverpool and then to Birmingham.
 
A great photo from John Ball's website and this extract from the 1962 Kelly's Directory.


Bell & Nicolson Ltd. who. drapers, Cannon ho. 18 Priory,
Ringway 4. T A " Textiles " ; Central 7055

Does anyone remember the "smart" jewellers that was just here? I think the building subsequently became Halfords. Perry Greaves or Mappin and Webb seem to ring bells.
 
Bell and Nicolson

Hello Nick 42, I found your post about Bell and Nicolson of great interest as my Nicolson ancestors were from the same part of Skye as JMN's Nicolson roots. I believe the families are closely related. Are you also a descendant of the same family of Nicolsons? I look forward to hearing from you should you come back to the forum.
Hi my son is the great grandson of JMN
 
Hello Michelle, I was delighted to read your message. I think my great grandfather, Angus Nicolson who died in 1901 in Skye, may have been a brother of John MacDonald Nicolson's grandfather. I also grew up in Skye where the Nicolson's of Bell and Nicolson originated. If you would like to get in touch with me outside the forum([email protected]) perhaps we could share family tree information. Katie
 
I worked at Bell Nicholson Lunt at Priory Queensway in the early 70's. At reception was Linda Timbrell, Ann Boland and Lynn Bridges who handed out the customers order slips. Mr Law I think was in charge of security, an ex police officer. I remember some of the staff in the departments, Roger from the furniture department who married a customer from Polesworth, Mac I think was in menswear and Leo who handed out the customers purchases as they left the building.
I remember there were 2 caretakers who lived at the top of the building and there was Ron who wore a very smart navy blue uniform and guarded the rotating entrance door and lobby.
Only just come across this post, my Dad used at Bell and Nicholson in the 70’s. His name was Len White, he used to look after the maintenance of the building and had a workshop at the top of the building, Jimmy Lang I think it was that was a caretaker. He and his family used to live in one of the flats there. I remember working there during school holidays, every night at 5 it was round to the pub next door in Steelhouse Lane for a couple of pints before driving home. A couple of other names you might remember, Norman Moore who was a rep and Johnny Paige who worked in the Loading Bay/Goods In.
 
Does anyone have any information on this establishment or employees at all ?
One of my relatives used to work here from 1936 onwards as a telephonist, and I am trying to find records of who else was employed by the company at the time, it would also be great to see a picture of the store !
Many Thanks
Michelle
I still have a fold over address pad from this warehouse as my parents used to get dfapery from there
 
I'm Stan Thomas, and I'm over 87 now. I was a mechanic along with John Taviner from 1962 until 1966 and we serviced and repaired all the Morris LD2 delivery vans and manager's and rep's cars at the garage in Milk Street, and were paid £14 a week. The caretaker's name there was Harry Pride, and his daughter Pat worked up in the main offices. His missus used to get "dolled up" to go up the town, for which she earned the nick-name of the "Duchess of Digbeth".

Harry was paid a pittance - but occassionaly old "Snuffy Bill" Nicolson (a nick-name derived from his habit of taking snuff) would come in the warehouse and give him some cast-off clothing or shoes, such was the neo-victorian attitude of master and servant which still prevailed. Once John and I had to deliver a new car to "Mr John" Nicolson's house, and we were given a shilling (5p) each as a tip - and I was also given a broom to sweep the garage out.

Up in the corner of the garage was a vintage Rolls Royce 20/25 covered in dust sheets which John and I were constantly "reminded" under strict instructions (well, threatened actually) that on no account we must touch it. Eventually Bill Nicolson decided to sell it, but could they get it to run? No way - it just popped and banged a few times before it was ignominiously towed away! ..................... but we never did hear back if and when they found the potato rammed up the exhaust pipe.

Percy was the "odd job man" and manned the petrol pumps, along with Harry Pride. Percy was rather a sad person who had never spoken to his wife for years although they still lived in the same house, and he drove a Ford Popular. Although he had given years of loyal service, dead on his 65th birthday it just unceremoniously ended, and the day he left he came to work with a few belongings to go to live with his sister. However, John and I had banded together beforehand to make sure he left with a fitting but secret "company" retirement present - probably the finest fully-overhauled Ford Popular anyone could wish for! We never heard from Percy again. How sad.

The stories are legion, one being that Harry Pride was serving petrol once when the car went up in flames - and he quickly drove it into the street to burn, and for which the company gave him a gold watch - without ever knowing that at least according to the witnesses present, it was probably caused by Harry's fag that had dropped into the tank!!

The M.D's name was Fred Baker, Ray Hooper was Company Secretary and Bill Trout was The personnel manager, all of whom were the victims of a night of long knives when an ensuing merger with Richard Lunt came about. "Ben" Gun ran the shirt department, and Len White did all the maintenance jobs. A chap named Marshal looked after the underground car park up in the main building and he'd ring down to tip us off if any manager was on his way to Milk Street.

Among the more notable reps was John ("Fangio") Fewins who drove a Morris Minor. We had to hide him down the pit one day because he cut up some enraged chap who followed him into the garage threatening to "smash his face in". Some time later he came into the garage out of puff from running - as he had hit another car on a crosroads and just bolted in panic. John and I had to go out driving around the local streets until we found the wreck!.

Once, John and I stuffed some overalls with rag to make a life-like dummy lying under a jacked-up car with the legs sticking out, complete with a leadlight and spanners and a pull-string which operated a hammer- and everyone coming into the workshop half-crouched down to talk to it - including the Managing Director. It really was a laugh-a-minute working there.

We had about thirty reps, among them was Mary Green, who drove a Morris Traveller (or a Tudor foulpen as they were nicknamed in those days) - which I collected new for her from Locomotors and cost £545. Then there was Johnny Sheasby and one we called "popeye", and Malcolm Cambell - the heart-throb among the ladies. The Dispatch Manager was Ron Thatcher, but he was replaced by "comic" Cutts - a Major straight from the army so they said, who began by alienating all the drivers by taking out a van to "time" their runs. He was a right pillock.

True story! He phoned us once whilst out "timing" the delivery runs saying he had a puncture - so we whizzed out taking an hydraulic jack and a replacement wheel which we kept ready for such an occasion. We found the van, but not him - so we quickly fitted the replacement wheel and then he came strolling down the road. So with a straight face, I said "Where's the puncture"? and he looked down and said (and I kid you not) "Could it have blown itself up again", whilst John was in convulsions of laughter behind our van. Army Major - no wonder it took six years to win World War Two.

However, in 1966 B & N merged with Richard Lunt, and as they also had two mechanics, I was "displaced" because I was the only one with some formal qualification and therefore considered "the easiest one" to get another job - but for which I successfully brought an action for unfair dismissal in an Industrial Tribunal which awarded me a redundancy payment of four weeks wages. Rather a sad and unpleasant way to end my otherwise happy association with the company.

However, whilst preparing the procedings, I had to attend Waverley Road Employment Exchange in Small Heath - where I saw a rather despondant figure shuffing along in the queue to get his dole money. It was Bill Trout, the Personnel manager. I could not resist it - as I walked past him I reflected in a loud mutter "My God, how the mighty have fallen"!

John Taviner (who sadly died about 18 months ago) went on to become a self-employed mobile mechanic, and I became Company Engineer for a major national brewery, then when the empire was broken up in the mid-1980's with mass redundancies, I became a self-employed Transport Consultant to the legal profession providing expert testimony in the civil and criminal courts for the next 35 years, from which emerged my daughter's desire to be a barrister, and eventually become a Judge.

Looking back, I still relish those now distant days when there was far more camaraderie and personal contact with those you worked with and going to work was a joy, whereas now I'm told you just sit in front of a VDU screen emailing someone you can see the other side of the office! As Confucious said over two thousand years ago,"He who choses a job he loves will never work a day in his life".

Sadly though, looking back it was all so very long ago, but then again, the memories make it seem as if it were only yesterday.
 
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