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Crowthers Boutique

A Sparks

master brummie
Does anyone remember Crowthers boutique in New Street (sorry if it's been mentioned anywhere else before)?
I think it was in the corner building that used to be the Kardomah occupying the ground floor and the basement area.
They had quite unusual clothes (ladies fashions), alot of maxi style things.
 
They opened in 1969 - I installed the music system there, and later when they opened in Kensington.

John Crowther was a clever fashion retailer and made a success of his outlets in Manchester, Birmingham and London. He was also manager of Barclay James Harvest.
 
Thanks for sharing that information - I was beginning to think I must be the only person to remember Crowthers!
I did a Google search but the only thing I could find was an advert in a Manchester newspaper.
Do you know why the shops finished as a matter of interest?
 
Thanks for sharing that information - I was beginning to think I must be the only person to remember Crowthers!
I did a Google search but the only thing I could find was an advert in a Manchester newspaper.
Do you know why the shops finished as a matter of interest?

Sorry Sparks - I don't really know. After I had done the music installations in Birmingham and London, I slowly lost touch with John Crowther and his circle. This was basically because I moved away from Manchester and started work on slightly different projects.

There's no question in my mind that he was a very competent businessman and also pretty successful in popular fashion, at least for a few years.

Your location says you are in London - do you know where Crowthers was in Kensington High Street? It was a big store in a very good location.
 
No I wouldn't have known the London Crowthers as I have only lived in London for 13 years - I am originally from Brum.
I remember visiting Biba on a day trip to London - I think that was in Kensington High St.
 
No I wouldn't have known the London Crowthers as I have only lived in London for 13 years - I am originally from Brum.
I remember visiting Biba on a day trip to London - I think that was in Kensington High St.


Biba took over the entire building that was Derrys (Derry and Toms).

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=e...oid=xpHwpUKIaYcjhwKA-0Az1Q&cbp=13,198.18,,0,5

I expect you remember – it was an enormous store, and solidly Biba-themed throughout. The building now has Gap, H&M and Marks and Spencer. The Roof Gardens that Derry and Toms created are still in use, managed by Virgin as a club/bar/restaurant venue.


Crowthers was further up Kensington High Street, in the building now occupied by Zara.

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=e...oid=N0eMibLnTNip50u663eP4w&cbp=13,329.72,,0,5

There’s no question these are great retail positions, and Crowthers quickly became a very successful brand, building on its locations in Manchester, Birmingham and London.
 
Oh I remember Crowthers! I thought it was in Corporation Street (on the left-hand side as you walked away from New St station - I think opposite what was then C&A. Although I could be completely wrong on this!!). Bought some great clothes there. They were very much in the style of Biba. Also loved Bus Stop in New Street which I think was once Hudson's Bookshop. Viv.
 
Oh I remember Crowthers! I thought it was in Corporation Street (on the left-hand side as you walked away from New St station - I think opposite what was then C&A. Although I could be completely wrong on this!!). Bought some great clothes there. They were very much in the style of Biba. Also loved Bus Stop in New Street which I think was once Hudson's Bookshop. Viv.

Thanks for your input.

It's a long time since I was there...

I have tried looking on Google's Street View, to see if there is anything that will jog my memory. However, because New Street is largely pedestrianised there are not many images of the shops and buildings there. It will probably have to wait until the next time I'm in Birmingham with an hour to spare; then I'll do a bit of walking and see if anything rings a bell. But if you can pinpoint the building, feel free to resolve the uncertainty.
 
I've been trying to remember exactly where it was myself, I know it was on a corner of a small side road.

As I mentioned in my original post, I was thinking it could have been in New Street in the building that was once the Kardomah Cafe and is now a menswear shop, sort of opposite the Burlington Arcade but it could have been somewhere opposite C&A - maybe someone will remember!!
 
Hi all. Just had a look around using Google Street View to jog my memory. I think if you walk up Corporation Street away from New St station, Crowthers was (I think) where Regis Hairstylist now is (i.e on the corner of City Plaza and just up from Alliance and Leicester). I seem to remember the entrance to Crowthers was located on the corner of Regis (now a window). Also think they had a spiral staircase in the shop to go downstairs. Don't know if this helps to jog anyones memory. Regards Viv.
 
Should have said above I'm referring to the corner of Fore Street and Corporation Street!! Viv
 
Should have said above I'm referring to the corner of Fore Street and Corporation Street!! Viv

Yes - I had a look at that corner in Street View, but I couldn't be certain. It was definitely on a corner somewhere!

Sparks and Viv, thanks very much for your help. We will find the answer eventually.
 
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As I have mentioned, my contact with Crowthers Boutique was through John Crowther. As well as the fashion businesses, he also managed Barclay James Harvest.

I am very sorry to say that Woolly Wolstenholme, one of the core musicians in BJH, died yesterday. He was a very warm individual, and immensely talented - greatly missed.

See
www.bjharvest.co.uk
 
My boutique was nelsons clothing for the fashions of the day they started at the corner of albert st city cente
the bee hive ground floor high street at the old dale end
he later opened another one in the subway to the bull ring and the owner at this precise time of his shops was a very nice jewish gentleman
from birmingham a councillor and later became lord mayor of birmingham
i had the pleasure of getting to know him and meeting him quite often through friends
he called his corner sales pitch below the behive nelson house best wishes astonion
 
Well, that would put it where Regis (hairdresser) is now.

That's plausible, because I remember that Crowthers was on a corner. In a couple of weeks (early April) I will be in Corporation street and I will take some photographs. If I post them, I hope that A Sparks and Vivienne14 will be able to tell me if it's the right location as they remember it.

By the way - sorry I didn't make it to the Christmas gathering. I'm sure the conversations could have gone on for hours.
 
I have a feeling that long before this time it was the site of the restaurant, Pattisons, although not 100% certain on that one. Someone under another thread on this site was looking for a photo of the Pattison building, so would be nice to have a pic for them to see too. Thanks Spectator. Viv.
 
Here's a photo of Pattisons on the corner of Fore St and Corporation St in 1960. It's now Regis hairdressers. The entrance used to be on the corner of Fore St but I think this has been changed to an entrance from Corporation St. I remember an entrance to Crowthers on an angle, like in the Pattisons photo. Viv.


View attachment 66505
 
I visited the city centre this afternoon, and looked at the building on the corner of Corporation Street and Fore Street (now occupied by Regis hairdressers). I didn’t get much sense of recognition that this had been Crowthers, so I looked at a few other corner sites in the neighbourhood.


When I walked round into New Street, I took a look at the buildings on the corners of New Street and Cannon Street, and then New Street and Needless Alley. This last really did ring some bells. It is now occupied by Hawes and Curtis (men’s clothes) and Muji. I do think this is where Crowthers was, but the area is hard to research online because (for obvious reasons) Google StreetView has not driven down large parts of New Street! I went in to the corner building (Hawes and Curtis), and parts of it seemed familiar. Then I went next door to Muji, and down into their basement. This could easily have been a new version of Crowthers basement. I took some photos outside – and on the corner of the building you can see where a sign used to say Kardomah café. This building of course was identified by A Sparks as the Crowthers location, so I am happy to agree. Vivienne14, does that make sense to you too?

Below are three photos out of the several I took today. If anyone wants to see more photos from these locations, please PM me and I will give you a link to PhotoBucket where I have uploaded the pictures.





Corner of Corporation Street and Fore Street

S5000010.jpg


New Street and Cannon Street

IMAG0083.jpg


New Street and Needless Alley

IMAG0085.jpg
 
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