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fish and chip shops

gingerjon

gingerjon

master brummie
which was the best fish and chip shop in your area we were lucky we had four in Park Lane Jones opposite the out door
Morris's next door to Dunn's the greengrocers Jelf's opposite the billiard hall and one all most next to the billiard can any remember the name of this one or was they both Jelf's
the most popular fish in my era was hake with a big bone in the middle it was called round hake
on my mom's side of the family mom's sisters had there own fish shops in Smethwick Handsworth also my Aunt Mick had a wet fish shop that supplied the fish to most of the fish shops in Smethwick and Handsworth
at most shops they gave you free scratchings some times they tasted better than the chips in my ere you could have threepenny bags and sixpenny bags the tanner was almost to much to eat it was OK if you were sharing a bag the best value (size of chip bag) was a fish and chip shop in Park Road on the way to the onion fair who owned this shop
who sold the best chips?
 
fish'n'chips

Hi John, i always liked the chippy in potters hill just up from the Bartons Arms,then secondly the one next to hay place by the Globe, you seemed to get more bits in theirs. Chips don't seem to have the same taste today: Maybe it was the wrapping in newspaper that added to the taste.
 
Fish and Chips

There was a Fish and Chip shop for years in Serpentine Road just across the road from Aston Park. It was always a treat to take some Fish and Chips and walk up the long drive to Aston Hall find a bench and have
an alfresco meal in lovely surroundings. Did this for years until the road disappeared. I think I can remember that Fish and Chip shop being there when the Onion Fair came all those years ago. It also did a roaring trade on home match days when The Villa played.
 
in answer to john question about the fish/chip shop on park lane
it was owned by the jelf`s (ernest) my grandfather, the one next to billard hall aston cross
and my mom was joyce ivvy jelf and born in parliment street aston
and the shop oppsite was ran by mom&dad and fridays/saturdays nights
because people treated them selfs and eat their fish/chips and peas
& pies in the back dinner room of the shop and scratching if you wanted
:D

the shop next to billard hall was for taking away only.

then they when to live at the coffee shop on number 1 new canal street
which was a transport cafe for the lorry drivers who stayed overnight
for delivery to ty phoo next door to the cafe also the hide&skin slaughter house

he had serveral fish/chips shops & cafes & grocery warehouses round birmingham

upto til he died at mothers at 47 victoria road aston aged 70 in 1969
sir billy cotton came to his funernal as they was old friends from music halls
days also one time friend "sandy powell" before he died they used to go
around the world together on holidays with my granddad & grandmother
bertha victoria jelf "nee Hinton" my sister has got old photos of them in
venice alltogether

astonian

p.s does anybody remember them? :)
 
Chips Chips and more Chips please

Mary..............I've had fish and chips from Ninevah Road too, and they are smashin!

My Local Fish and Chip shop as a child was in Booth Street Handsworth. When we came out of The Regal Picture House on a Saturday morning, we would walk down Booth St and get a sixpeneth of chips, batter bits and a pickled onion each........you are so right John, the portions were huge and could be shared by all.

I miss the newspaper wrapping.............I'm not sure if its psychological or not, but fish and chips just dont taste the same anymore :(

PS - Nowadays 'Orange Chips' from Queenies in Great Bridge are to die for, physically and emotionally. They are coooked in dripping I think?........huge chunky beasts, orange in appearance and taste like heaven.....real 'heart clogging' cuisine. We risk them at least once a year :wink:
 
Hi Mary I was born in Soho Road 1938 and later lived at number twenty Booth street circa 1939 my Aunt Nance also lived in Booth street can't remember the nuber but it was almost next door to the Regal their garden was next to the car park their name was Melhuish Uncle Ernie was a taxi driver did you know them?
what era did you live in Booth Street
 
Fish & Chip Shops

I wonder if anyone knows when fish & chip shops started, my great grandmother ran a fish & chip shop at 26 Newtown Row according to the 1881 Census as did some of her sisters and also my grandmother for a time but I don't know where, must have been Aston, and my g.g.grandfather
Richard Birch was a fishmonger at 65 Gt. Hampton Street in 1881
 
So the delicacy was not brought here by Greek Cypriots after all! :wink:

As a kid, I s'pose my favourite was Gittin's (I think) on Winson Green Road. Later in life, I used to stagger from the Plaza in Rookery Road, across to one more or less oposite. Mind, they could've sold me an old boot and stick of chalk and I'd have wolfed it down me. 8)
 
I cant recall any that were particlaulrygood as a youngster .

I do remember in 1980,s that the chip shop at the bottom of coventry road near to where asda is Bedders i think won a prize for thiers .

And they were v nice indeed ..

The reason that fish and chipps toadt are not so good is the oil used ..

They used to use beef dripping for cooking fish and chips but this cahnged to vegetable oils .

Harry Ramsdens still use beef dripping as far as I,m aware and I know they are a franchise they do taste much bettar than most.

There was a big ramsdens along cov rd which now seems to be a macdonalds although i have noticed on my travels that they are apprearing at the motorway service stations .. I think there is one up at the Tamworth services off the a5.
 
Bedders

Bedders was a fantastic chippy, I used it a lot during the late seventies, daily in fact. The chips were brilliant. There is a chippy in the Black Country Museum which has smashing chips, but I can't honestly say they are as good as they were back then?

I was dissapointed with a visit to Harry Ramsdens, I had a peice of fish which I firmly beleived had been looted from a Egyptian Pyramid, it was so dry!!
 
Are the chips still as good? At Bedders.

I worked for a good while on a house just around the corner, during the late seventies, one of the Old Police Houses. Had my dinner almost every day from the chippy.
 
Mallosa quite correct O0 & Yes Rod ,, BEDDER,s still the Best Chip Shop in Birmingham

Quality of Fish & Chips remains their pride & joy,Traditionalists, Clean,,Crisp & Quality above all

Its the only chippie that i see with very long queues formed at Midday & early Evening,
Surely an endorsment of Their Worthiness,,, Cheers John :)
 
Does anyone know where there might be a photo of the chippie in Maxstoke St circa 1913 - My ILES ancestors ran it
Ta!
 
>>>>it was owned by the jelf`s (ernest) my grandfather, the one next to billard hall aston cross
>>>and my mom was joyce ivvy jelf

Did your Jelfs originate in Banbury before moving to Brum - if so we may have a connection
 
The chip shop I remember as a child was on Lozells Road adjacent to the Co-op and roughly opposite the Royal Oak public house. As we lived in William Street it was quite close. The last person I remember running it was a huge fat Welshman who everyone knew as Taffy ( no surprises there !! ) He also ran a Sunday school in the nearby Gower Street school and was always trying to get the kids interested ( without too much success as I recall ) At the back of the shop were two steps up into a room where you could 'eat in' if you wanted to. We sometimes used to and I loved the 'chip shop vinegar' much more than the proper stuff at home.

Colin
 
I used to go in the one by the billiard hall when I worked at Aston Cross
There was another one we used in Victoria Road I think about halfway up on the left coming from Lichfield road
I can still picture the woman behind the counter serving away with a fag hanging from her mouth :-\
 
ALF. Sorry to disappoint you Alf. but l complained that the fish had bones in it but my gran said that they dont make fish without bones. Chips were thrupence a bag and fish was tenpence, the fish shop was near Evans betting shop in Henry Street and just a few doors from The Sheppard and Sheppardess Pub.
 
HI ROD.YES BEDDER,S ARE STILL THERE STILL PACKING THEM IN EVERY LUNCH TIME, THERE CHIPS ARE THE BEST IN BRUM, EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT TOO GET A TABLE FOR LUNCH THEY START QUEING AT IO, 3O, AT THE SHOP DOOR AND HE DOES,T OPEN TILL II 3O AM EVERY DAY, AND CLOSE,S AT 2 PM. AND ONLY OPENS ON FRIDAY EVENING 4 PM TILL 7 PM. SATURDAY LUNCH TIME ONLY,THEY HAVE WON MANY AWARDS AS MANY AS CHIPS THEY HAVE SOLD BEDDERS ARE NOW BECOMING A NATIONWIDE HOUSEHOLD NAME;.;THEY DON,T HAVE TO WIN ANY MORE AWARDS TO PRVE THERE SALT. I THINK IT WAS THE LATE 7O ,S OR THE 8O ,S THERE WAS A LATE NIGHT CELEBERTY SHOW WHEN THEY ASKED MARTIN AND THE SON TO APPEAR ON THE SHOWW TO TALK ABOUT THERE LONG FAMILY AWARD WINNING BUSSINESS
 
YES ROD ;BEDDER,S ARE STILL GOING STRONG THERE FATHER IS STILL AROUND WHOM MADE THE BUSSINES HE HELP,S AROUND IN THE BACK ROOM ;IF BEDDERS CLOSED DOWN TOMMOW IT WOULD BE THE END OF ERA; JUAND A GREAT LOSS TO B,HAMAND ST LIKE THE JELF,S COFFEE HOUSE,S AND CHIP SHOPS; AROUND BIRMINGHAM;BUT IT WOULD BE VERY SAD AND A VERY BIG LOSS TO BRUM IF WE SHOULD LOSE THE BEDDRS CHIPPIE OUR VERY OWN TRADIONAL FISH AND CHIPS THERE;S NO ONE IN BRUM TO MATCH THEM ; THEY ARE COMING IN THE DROVE;S EVERY DAY TO BUY AND TRY AND EAT IN ; BYCAR ; VAN;S ; LORRIES AND ON FOOT FROM MILES AWAY FOR THE EXPERIENCE OF THE BEST FISH CHIPS IN BIRMINGHAM;
 
Hi, John, the fish & chip shop in Park lane was owned by jelffs as well, my mom & aunt helped clean there around 1940s my aunt lived at 266 Park Lane.
The BEST fish & chips, MRS JACKSON IN CLIFTON ROAD. WOW 3d of chips were a meal on there own.
GREAT SITE.
ASTON
 
I've been told that there was or maybe there was a fish and chip shop on the Coventry Road that may have been run by the Underhills namely Joseph married to Emma nee Williams in the 1900's. Apparently a family photo was put in the local Birmingham Choice newspaper in 1987 the photo may have been taken 1900, does anyone recollect this.
 
How about Reid's Fish and Chip shop on Hutton Road  Handsworth
 
Some friends of ours owned a fish and chip shop.
I think it was on Wheeler Street. It was run by the family for years. :)
They are not there now but maybe the shop is.
 
I don't think fish and chip shops in the midlands could have started before the railways were in place to the fishing ports, maybe mid. 1800s or later. After that perishable goods could be delivered to markets more quickly. I wonder when salt water fish became a commodity in Birmingham, could canal flyboats have done the transportation from the ports. Even with their higher speed it would have taken a couple of days. Would ice have been used?

The Nation's Favourite Dish -  Fish and Chips

Ahh....  Fish, chips and mushy peas  There is nothing more British than fish and chips.  Freshly cooked, piping hot fish and chips, smothered in salt and soused with vinegar, wrapped in newspaper and eaten out of doors on a cold and wintry day  it simply cannot be beaten!

So how, when and where did this quintessentially British dish come about?

The potato is thought to have been brought to England from the New World in the 17th century by Sir Walter Raleigh although it is believed that the French invented the fried potato chip.

Both Lancashire and London stake a claim to being the first to invent this famous meal  chips were a cheap, staple food of the industrial north whilst fried fish was introduced in Londons East End. In 1839 Charles Dickens referred to a fried fish warehouse in his novel, Oliver Twist.

The populace soon decided that putting fried fish and chips together was a very tasty combination and so was born our national dish of fish and chips

The first fish and chip shop in the North of England is thought to have opened in Mossely, near Oldham, Lancashire, around 1863.  Mr Lees sold fish and chips from a wooden hut in the market and later he transferred the business to a permanent shop across the road which had the following inscription in the window, This is the first fish and chip shop in the world.   

However in London, it is said that Joseph Malin opened a fish and chip shop in Cleveland Street within the sound of Bow Bells in 1860. 

Fish and chip shops were originally small family businesses, often run from the front room of the house and were commonplace by the late 19th century. 

Through the latter part of the 19th century and well into the 20th century, the fish and chip trade expanded greatly to satisfy the needs of the growing industrial population of Great Britain. In fact you might say that the Industrial Revolution was fuelled partly by fish and chips

The development of the steam trawler brought fish from all over the North Atlantic, Iceland and Greenland and the steam railways allowed easy and fast distribution of the fish around the country.

Fish and chips became so essential to the diet of the ordinary man and woman that one shop in Bradford had to employ a doorman to control the queue at busy times during 1931. The Territorial Army prepared for battle on fish and chips provided in special catering tents erected at training camps in the 1930 s.

The fish and chip shop was invaluable in supplementing the familys weekly diet in the Second World War, as fish and chips were among the few foods not to be rationed. Queues were often hours long when the word went round that the chip shop had fish  On one occasion at Brians Fish and Chip Shop in Leeds, when fish was scarce, homemade fish cakes were sold  along with the confusing, and slightly worrying, warning Patrons We do not recommend the use of  vinegar with these fish cakes   

So are fish and chips any good for us, nutritionally? Fish and chips are a valuable source of protein, fibre, iron and vitamins, providing a third of the recommended daily allowance of vitamins for men and nearly half for women. Magnus Pyke cites it as an example of a traditional dish once jeered at by food snobs and even censured by health food devotees but now fully appreciated as a nutritious combination.

In 1999, the British consumed nearly 300 million servings of fish and chips  that equates to six servings for every man, woman and child in the country. There are now around 8,500 fish and chip shops across the UK - thats eight for every one McDonalds outlet, making British Fish and Chips the nations favourite take-away.

 
 
my grandfather Edward Jones started is fish and chip shop business in 1890's they were called Oyster eating houses at that time the business was run from the front room of the house in Brasshouse Lane Smethwick by is wife Hannah they spent some time in Wales before moving back to 113 Newcombe Road the best fish and chip shop in Handsworth this was a converted house as were most shops of the era
 
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