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Emily's Stores. Washwood Heath

Les

master brummie
Does anyone remember Emily's Stores which was the post office in Washwood Heath Road between Aston Church Road and St Marks Church. I worked there in the late 50's delivering laundry in a three wheel basket truck. The shop acted as agents for the laundry and people left their laundry there to be cleaned .
Other shops I remember were shops on the other side of Aston Church Road in Washwood Heath . The three shops owned by the Young family. One was a barbers, one was a lady's hairdressers and the other a gents outfitters run by Bernard Young. I have got a photograph of my Dad standing outside Youngs in the second world war.
There were several shops along here. One of them was Powells the greengrocers and another was Franklins on the corner of Bennetts Road.
There was also a Co-op butchers just a bit further along.
On the other side of Bennetts Road was the old Heath Cinema which is now a Cash and Carry Warehouse but in the early 50's it was a factory/warehouse and a little later a car showroom.
My Dad told me that in the war there were stables at the back of the cinema and when it got bombed he and my uncle who were both in the home guard had to lead the horses through the cinema to safety.
 
There was a chemists shop on the corner of Aston Church and Washwood Heath. Can't remember the name but was at school with a boy from there. This was just next door or so from Ted Youngs. On the other side of Washwood Heath was Wrights, tobaconist and newspapers, seems to be demolished now. There is another thread about the Heath cinema on here somewhere. Never was a cinema in my time and could not remember it although I must have past it many times. Yes the co-op was further down Washwood Heath around the bend. Saw a tram come off the rails there one time. The sand hills was on the left and there used to be a lime pit there one time. I seem to remember an army barracks on the right going down towards the Gate just about there. Looking at the 1890 survey map I think that Washwood Heath would have been a pleasant place to live around then or just after. I remember the post office and it seems to me the butchers just there also. You might remember the old large wheeled carts on Washwood Heath being pulled by shire horses with the driver with a cap sitting on a burlap sack on the front. Hmm..I sudenly feel old.
On the corner of Wright Road and Malthouse Lane there was a fish and chip shop and a bit further up Wright on the same side a green grocers. Cant remember the name. I suspect that these places have dissappeared now.

Think the boy from the Chemists was Geoff Hull; I think I just remembered. Er...maybe.
 
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The chemist shop was called Hulls and a Mrs Brookes who lived in Bennetts Road worked there for many years.

The chip shop in Wright Road was actually on the corner of Malthose Lane. The police houses were on the corner of Wright Road/Washwood Heath Road.

On the opposite side corner of Wright Road was a cafe. ( I think it was called 'Mom's Cafe' at one time. Not really sure.) and next in Washwood Heath Road was Wright's the newsagents. (Remember Lilly Wright?). Next to that was Norm's Book Shop and then houses. The pavement was double stepped at that time.

Just down Aston Church Road (on the left) was Dixons the coal merchants. Then there was a shop and then houses. A family called Mc Bride lived in one of these houses in the 1950/60's

The army barracks on Washwood Heath Road just past Bennetts Road(To city) consisted of several huts and two large hanger type buildings in which army vehicles were stored.
In Bennetts Road there were two maisonettes that belonged to the army and service families lived in them.

Opposite the army barracks were cottages and a large house which I believe was called Hutton House. This was demolished in the 50's when the Hutton Estate was built on the site.
 
I lived in Washwood Heath Road 1960/1967
Our flat was above Carpet shop owned by Ernie Lucas who had the hardware shop across the road.We were the first building next to the railway bridge.After a couple of years I moved next door to a larger flat still owned by Ernie,it was over a babywear shop called Valeries.
Next shop was Withers (sweet shop) then a butchers(oh the stink when the bone lorry came)then a launderette(Les you might remember Andrew and Peggy White they both worked on the buses and lived in the flat above),the Post Office and then my memory fails me until I cross Aston church Rd to Youngs and the fish and chip shop.
Across the railway bridge in the opposite direction were (and still there, St Marks and a row of very large houses owned by Jack Ireland which he let out as flats.Dear friends of mine Gerry and Maura Doran lived there ,Gerry worked on the buses in fact so did most of my neighbours, we were a proper little community.
Only downside ,when a they were short of drivers an inspector would come to wake my husband at some ungodly hour to help them out.
Very happy days.
 
Alberta. What memories are flooding back!
I remember all of those shops. I can remember Peggy White but can't recall Andrew White. I can however remember an Ambrose White.
Some of the condructresses I remember were Kitty Walker, Mabel Smith, Flo' ( Hammond?), Pauline Murray and a few more.
I also remember Gerry whom I believe left to work as a tanker driver at the Kingsbury Oil Depot.
Bus inspectors in those days were Charlie Peel, Alf Reid, Larry Monahan, George Yardley, Vic Fletcher, Vic Martin, Des Orr, Jimmy Rawbone, George Phillpots, Tommy Bench and a couple of others.
Jack Ireland's son Barry was a school chum of mine and we were in the Boy Scouts together based at St Marks Church hall. The caretakers there were the Jame's family and their son Christopher was also a school chum and fellow scout.
 
Les, you are right it was Ambrose.
Gerry retired a couple of years ago from the oil depot,he is enjoying his retirement with his 13 (I think at the last count) grandchildren.
My sister Norma was also a conductress.
As you say memories flood back,Alf Reid(Big Louey)Another lovely bloke Eric Cadwallader.
 
I cant remember a horse meat shop. The only butchers I can remember down there was Horton's just up from Ralph Road.
Lenny Horton who owned it lived in Bennetts Road.

Eric left the buses to become a pub licencee same as his mate Bill Jones(Bus Driving Instuctor) who had left to be the licencee of the Tilt? at Saltley Gate and then the Cross Guns and later the Dog and Doublet at Lea Marston. I'm not sure which pubs Eric had.

I remember your sister Norma!
 
Correction.

Horton's butchers was just up past George Arthur Road. Not Ralph Road.

Les :)
 
There was another butcher's at the Gate just in Washwood Heath Road between Potters Van Sales and the Penguin Cafe by the bus stop.

Just remembered another butcher! Just inside Alum Rock Road on the left before the newsagents and old cinema (not the Rock Cinema)(opposite Tesco's).

Not sure if they sold horsemeat though!! :)
 
Alberta. What memories are flooding back!
I remember all of those shops. I can remember Peggy White but can't recall Andrew White. I can however remember an Ambrose White.
Some of the condructresses I remember were Kitty Walker, Mabel Smith, Flo' ( Hammond?), Pauline Murray and a few more.
I also remember Gerry whom I believe left to work as a tanker driver at the Kingsbury Oil Depot.
Bus inspectors in those days were Charlie Peel, Alf Reid, Larry Monahan, George Yardley, Vic Fletcher, Vic Martin, Des Orr, Jimmy Rawbone, George Phillpots, Tommy Bench and a couple of others.
Jack Ireland's son Barry was a school chum of mine and we were in the Boy Scouts together based at St Marks Church hall. The caretakers there were the Jame's family and their son Christopher was also a school chum and fellow scout.
kitty the conductress used to have a little monkey on her shoulder and remember being on the bus coming back from town and the circus was in town and all the clowns were walking down the street and the lorrys with cages with lions in and the elephants walking down the road and Kitty stopped the bus so all the children on the bus could watch the show.
 
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