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Fred Dawkins Cafe Highgate Road Balsall Heath

L

laary

Brummie babby
Does anyone remember the cafe run by the Dawkins family at 53a Highgate Road on the corner with Kyrwicks Lane.

It was founded by Louisa Jane Dawkins, known as Jenny, as the Dawkins Cafe about 1914 and run by her until she retired after World War 2. It was then taken over by her son Fred Dawkins and renamed Fred's Cafe. He ran it until the 1980s when he retired.

Can anyone help?
 
Re: Fred Dawkins Cafe Highgate Road Balsall Heath

Hi laary

I knew Fred's well and most of the people that used it right up until he retired and he moved to Kings Heath I met him once on the high st. I lived in Larches St, but we often popped in to Fred's for a sos & tom, but I would never drink tea from that machine. Not even when he put a bottle of whisky in it a Christmas.

Phil
 
Re: Fred Dawkins Cafe Highgate Road Balsall Heath

Hi I remember "Freds Cafe" very well I used to work at the Standard sweet factory in Woodfield Road we used to got to the cafe to get a sandwich in our lunch break I used to look at the rude post cards, and have a chuckle to my self, if you smiled you had to put a pennie in the collection box. This was 1955/6.
 
Re: Fred Dawkins Cafe Highgate Road Balsall Heath

is that the cafe that had chess games going on while you were eating
 
Re: Fred Dawkins Cafe Highgate Road Balsall Heath

Whilst half the people in Sparkbrook were waiting for their repairs to be completed, the builders were sitting in Fred's drinking tea and eating his bread pudding (delicious) and saying make it best of three then.

Phil
 
Re: Fred Dawkins Cafe Highgate Road Balsall Heath

I remember the cafe well, I went to School with Fred's son Peter. Anyone in touch with Peter?

Great forum by the way chaps and chappesses :)

Richard, ex-brummie now in South Wales.
 
Re: Fred Dawkins Cafe Highgate Road Balsall Heath

I remember "Fred's Cafe" when I worked at a little back street garage in Balsall Heath in around 1960, cannot remember the name or street as only there for a short while, I do remember the door steps bacon sandwiches though.
paul
 
Re: Fred Dawkins Cafe Highgate Road Balsall Heath

I used Fred’s café too, the tea machine, and the ‘guard’ cat who was permanent fixture in the gas heater.



Fred could do this trick where he would back spin a coin onto a tea plate.
 
As an apprentice at Youngs Lifting Appliances on the Moseley Road in the late 1970's, I was sent to Fred's Cafe everyday for all the sandwiches. It was a nice way to spend an hour out of the factory. I'd write all the orders on the paper bags and hand them over whilst I nipped out to buy some newspapers and ciggies. I recall the Evening Mail doing a story on the cafe and including a photo of his cat sitting on the heater.
 
Hi Paul

The late 70's would have been very near the time that Fred closed the doors for the last time. I wonder what happened to that tea machine, I bet it's in some museum somewhere.
 
Hi Phil, I was still going there in the early 1980’s, although I went every day he appeared to be a man of few words, perhaps because I was just a kid at the time. Occasionally I’d get a free cup out of the urn, at that age you don’t take too much notice of the hygiene etc, i certainly took a lot business in there, but had to get there before all the council workers rolled up ! He used to have the newspaper cutting l mentioned, pinned to the wall above the cat on the heater. On my ‘run’ I’d also go to ‘Allebons’ newsagents, the bookies, ‘Birds’ chip shop and the cycle shop, all on the Moseley Road.
 
Paul I Didn't realise that Freds was still open until the 8o's though I was still using the cafe on the odd occasion. Mind you I had moved to Solihull by then and our business premises had moved to Greet. Though I could have sworn that most of the area was clreared by 77/78.
 
i used to use freds cafe for many years,,,he was a lovely man,,,after he retired he did gardening and did my nieghbours for a few years,,,in kings heath,,he once told me no one was interested in his old tea machine,,which he said was a great buy,,.saving lots of labour,,in his 80s he still did a very large garden in 4 hrs,,once a week,,hedges, grass ,borders,,,etc,,,,he was a great worker,,very fit, i still miss our chats over the hedge,
 
in 1968 I was a plumbers mate on a motorbike (BSA 650cc) and sidecar with all tools in it. The builders yard was in Brunswick road. First stop every morning at 7.30 am was Freds cafe... no waiting...just walked in and poured yourself a tea from hid famous push tea urn........
 
I am not sure who Fred was in relation to the Coffee Room as in 1921 it was owned by Arthur Dawkins (died 1938) Louisa Jane Woodward was his wife. My mother in law was a relative of his and I have been in contact with his grand-daughter.

I cannot see that he had a son called Fred so I shall have to look into the family tree a bit further.
 
fred dawkins ran the cafe after his mother retired, ,,up until it finally closed for demolition,,,,after he retired he did my neighbours garden for at least 10yrs,,in kings heath,,,he was a great worker well into his 80s,,,i think he did the garden more for something to do,he kept it immaculate,,,,and it was huge,,,,,he had no interest in his famous tea machine after he tried to sell, it, when he closed down,,,,i often had chats with him and used to pass him out a cup of tea,,,,he was a very clever man, john griffin
 
fred told me a rep walked in one day ,,to demonstrate the machine,,and explained the saving in labour ,as customers helped themselves,,,this would of been in the 50s,fred bought one ,but made the spares needed over the years as company went out of business,,fred repaired my electric drill, as i was almost throwing it out, i could see he was very clever,,,he advertised tea machine but had no reponse which amazed him,,,,it got left in cafe, he moved to kings heath,,,he could repair anything,,,,!
 
suemalings said:
I am not sure who Fred was in relation to the Coffee Room as in 1921 it was owned by Arthur Dawkins (died 1938) Louisa Jane Woodward was his wife. My mother in law was a relative of his and I have been in contact with his grand-daughter.

I cannot see that he had a son called Fred so I shall have to look into the family tree a bit further.
Click to expand...
Hi Fred Dawkins was my father, one of 11 children born to Louisa and Arthur Dawkins. My dad who ran the cafe shop with my mom Rita, eventually he owned the cafe after it was left to the children of Louisa Jane after her death. My dad bought the shop from the other members of the family in the 1950’s and continued to run it until it was compulsory purchased in the 80’s by Birmingham City Council for supposedly Road widening but somehow that land now has notices on it saying it belongs to the Sparkbrook Muslim Association.
My dad moved to Kings Heath to be closer to his brother Arthur Dawkins and sisters Dorothy and Sylvia. He sadly passed at the age of 92 in 2003.
 
PeterDawkins said:
Hi Fred Dawkins was my father, one of 11 children born to Louisa and Arthur Dawkins. My dad who ran the cafe shop with my mom Rita, eventually he owned the cafe after it was left to the children of Louisa Jane after her death. My dad bought the shop from the other members of the family in the 1950’s and continued to run it until it was compulsory purchased in the 80’s by Birmingham City Council for supposedly Road widening but somehow that land now has notices on it saying it belongs to the Sparkbrook Muslim Association.
My dad moved to Kings Heath to be closer to his brother Arthur Dawkins and sisters Dorothy and Sylvia. He sadly passed at the age of 92 in 2003.
Just to add his real name was actually Clinton Fredrick Dawkins but was always called Fred.
Click to expand...
 
Hi Peter, My mother in law is Margaret Dawkins, I think Arthur was her dad's brother. Have to have a look at the family tree. Marg is in her 90's (still living in Yardley) and I have been working on her family tree. I think I may have been in touch with your sister ?
 
suemalings said:
Hi Peter, My mother in law is Margaret Dawkins, I think Arthur was her dad's brother. Have to have a look at the family tree. Marg is in her 90's (still living in Yardley) and I have been working on her family tree. I think I may have been in touch with your sister ?
Click to expand...
Hi Sue, thanks for getting in touch. My sister Jeanette who now lives in Brighton is probably who you got in touch with, her husband Jim Andrews is well up with the family tree and does a lot of communication about it. Jeanette is actually 82 today as I write this. It would be a pleasure to get in touch with your mother in law and as you say she is in her 90’s which seams to be a family trait, nearly all the Dawkins clan seem to live into their 90’s.
My dad was super fit up to his 90th birthday but then broke his hip tripping over a cable of his lawn mower while he was at work in the gardens of an old peoples home, and always commented about how there was people in there 20 years younger than him. Unfortunately he only lasted two more years after that.
Where in Yardley is Margaret living, I first moved to Bordesley Green and my wife Carole used to live in Yardley (Richmond Rd).
I’m sure I could go on but for now all the best, Pete.
 
PeterDawkins said:
Hi Sue, thanks for getting in touch. My sister Jeanette who now lives in Brighton is probably who you got in touch with, her husband Jim Andrews is well up with the family tree and does a lot of communication about it. Jeanette is actually 82 today as I write this. It would be a pleasure to get in touch with your mother in law and as you say she is in her 90’s which seams to be a family trait, nearly all the Dawkins clan seem to live into their 90’s.
My dad was super fit up to his 90th birthday but then broke his hip tripping over a cable of his lawn mower while he was at work in the gardens of an old peoples home, and always commented about how there was people in there 20 years younger than him. Unfortunately he only lasted two more years after that.
Where in Yardley is Margaret living, I first moved to Bordesley Green and my wife Carole used to live in Yardley (Richmond Rd).
I’m sure I could go on but for now all the best, Pete.
Click to expand...

PeterDawkins said:
Peter. I have been trying to send you a private message but don't seem to be able to find you! Can you send one to me and I will give you an email address and Margaret's details
Click to expand...
 
peter ,your dad was a lovely man,i used the cafe for many yrs,,it was great value,,,he quietly gave meals to the odd poor worker,,down on his luck,,later he did my next door neighbours large garden in kings heath, i used to pass him mugs of tea over the hedge,,,he had the talent /know how to fix things,,,he repaired my drill and mower,,as i was about to take to the tip, to say i was a fan is an understatement,,,i still miss our many chats,,,his sister dolly was a wonderful cook, she made the cafe as she was very fast,,at her job,,,,best wishes john griffin, ps my neighbour thought the world of him,
 
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