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Joseph Houghton's Wireless Shops - 1927 t0 1939

malcolmdee

New Member
My maternal grandfather owned a successful string of wireless shops in Birmingham between approx. 1927 and 1939. At around that time he sold all but one which was situated at 1514, Stratford Road, Hall Green and run by his son "Jock" Houghton. I used to rummage through discarded items at the back of the shop as a youngster. I still have a surface coated mirror from an early projection TV somewhere. I have a photo of his first shop, No.89, at the Corner of Nineveh Road and Grasmere Road taken circa 1936 and on trawling the internet was amazed to find (in 2016) that it was still there and even featured his name on it. I attach a composite showing both images spanning 80 years. My grandfather was something of an entrepenuer when he moved to Birmingham from Liverpool in 1911 and after a brief spell as a Pawnbroker's Assistant he opened a shop at the corner of Heaton Street selling clothing from one window and Jewellery from the other! I found a glass negative of the shop a print of which I attach here. The date could be anything from 1913 to 1921. It was a long time ago but any memories, photos or information relating to my grandfather's businesses would be most welcome.
 

Attachments

  • Houghton Shop - Captioned 1936 - 2016..jpg
    Houghton Shop - Captioned 1936 - 2016..jpg
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  • Houghton Shop, Heaton St, Bham - From a glass negative..jpg
    Houghton Shop, Heaton St, Bham - From a glass negative..jpg
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Welcome Malcolm. Good to hear about your family business and to see your photos. Hopefully members will be able to post more information and memories. Viv.
 
hi malcolm how great that the shop is still standing....would you know on what corner with heaton st your grandads other shop was

lyn
 
I can only find the Stratford Road address in Kelly's at the moment but intriguingly the 1913 directory shows the following in Heaton Street
1579534643642.png
In a later directory they are still there with musical instruments added.

1913 and 1915 directories have a Joseph Houghton at 14 Lodge Road (corner of Heaton Street) listed as a clothier.
 
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thanks jan....i think that the shop is still there...street view shows corner of heaton st and lodge road have counted back in ones from the corner of lodge road and ford st and it seems about right

lyn

 
My maternal grandfather owned a successful string of wireless shops in Birmingham between approx. 1927 and 1939. At around that time he sold all but one which was situated at 1514, Stratford Road, Hall Green and run by his son "Jock" Houghton. I used to rummage through discarded items at the back of the shop as a youngster. I still have a surface coated mirror from an early projection TV somewhere. I have a photo of his first shop, No.89, at the Corner of Nineveh Road and Grasmere Road taken circa 1936 and on trawling the internet was amazed to find (in 2016) that it was still there and even featured his name on it. I attach a composite showing both images spanning 80 years. My grandfather was something of an entrepenuer when he moved to Birmingham from Liverpool in 1911 and after a brief spell as a Pawnbroker's Assistant he opened a shop at the corner of Heaton Street selling clothing from one window and Jewellery from the other! I found a glass negative of the shop a print of which I attach here. The date could be anything from 1913 to 1921. It was a long time ago but any memories, photos or information relating to my grandfather's businesses would be most welcome.
Malcolm,
When I interviewed past employees of the old Morris Commercial works in Foundry Lane, Soho, I was told the company had a Radio Club which employees could join for one shilling per year, and this allowed them to get discounts off 'wireless equipment' from your grandfathers shop in Nineveh Road.
Boomy
 
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