• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Lathams Shops

I remember Lathams at Glebe Farm when I first started knitting I used to buy my wool from there. If i remember right it had a wooden floor.It had big windows both side of the door on a corner.It was the last shop before you went round the corner.
 
Here’s the Glebe Farm Road shop. I don’t remember this branch, but I do remember the Kingstanding shop (Dyas Rd/Kingstanding Road). Would love to see a photo of the Kingstanding shop if anyone has one. Viv.

B3BCD7ED-F867-448B-AF84-E3A710A5CA01.jpeg
 
viv i will have a look but i cant recall having one showing lathams..fingers crossed

lyn
 
Viv

Not my area at all, but is this the Kingstanding shop, I've got it marked as Hawthorne Road, but there is no Hawthorne Road in Kingstanding is there?

Kingstanding Hawthorne Rd (3).jpg
 
Great Lyn, I wasn't sure at all. Once past Perry Barr I'm lost, I don't think I ever got anywhere near Kingstanding until I was in my mid 30's.
 
Wow thanks Phil. That’s it. Latham’s curved right around that corner to the left onto Dyas Road. There was a #28 bus stop near there too.

Oh and I remember so clearly queuing at Clarkes’ for cod roe and soft roes. Always a queue there. Must have been good. Next To Clarkes’ fish section was Kirtons newspaper shop.

That’s brought back so many memories. Thanks ! Viv.
 
My mum would’ve got some of her ‘nets’ from Latham’s. She was mad on them. She had several sets. And they were at every single window in the house. The ones in the photo below were more than likely from Latham’s as mum generally shopped locally having worked in and managed local shops, she was very aware of how important it was to support local traders. Viv.

Oh and the rabbit was “Mandy” - used to regularly bite me ! Viscous little creature.

67CD8D36-AF47-4F8A-8794-1E751DDA1FD9.jpeg
 
The pride and dynamics of net curtains. Your social standing Would be notched up, or significantly down several points by the state of your net curtains

PS where was this taken Viv?
 
Taken in Atlantic Road, Kingstanding Morturn. Would have been taken about 1960. It was a 1930s house, all of Atlantic Road is still there. If you walk the length to the junction with Dyas Road, Latham’s was just around the corner to the left. I expect this parade where Lathams had their shop dates from the 1930s too, along with all the shops along Hawthorn Road. Must have been one huge building site at the time.

A drapers would have been essential in the 30s - 50s, all those houses, all needing nets ! They’d have been the first stop for antemacassars (mom had those too on every chair where possible). I remember Lathams sold the plain cotton/linen tablecloths you could buy with the printed flower outlines on ready for needleworking. I did one - took me quite a while to complete, must have been about 12 or 13. Think this was where I discovered a love of sewing - still at it today. I’ve saved the family and friends hundreds of pounds on alterations over the years.

Viv.
 
Taken in Atlantic Road, Kingstanding Morturn. Would have been taken about 1960. It was a 1930s house, all of Atlantic Road is still there. If you walk the length to the junction with Dyas Road, Latham’s was just around the corner to the left. I expect this parade where Lathams had their shop dates from the 1930s too, along with all the shops along Hawthorn Road. Must have been one huge building site at the time.

A drapers would have been essential in the 30s - 50s, all those houses, all needing nets ! They’d have been the first stop for antemacassars (mom had those too on every chair where possible). I remember Lathams sold the plain cotton/linen tablecloths you could buy with the printed flower outlines on ready for needleworking. I did one - took me quite a while to complete, must have been about 12 or 13. Think this was where I discovered a love of sewing - still at it today. I’ve saved the family and friends hundreds of pounds on alterations over the years.

Viv.
We live in a bungalow and our bedroom is at the front facing the road, so we still have nets as the pavement is higher than the front of the bungalow, but yes they showed your social standing and they also showed how well off you were, tightly stretched nets meant you could only afford the window width, pleated (if I can use that word) nets showed an ability to be able to buy a window and a half, which was the standard for measuring how much net you needed for a proper hang. Antimacassars what a memory, both my grans and a lot of the aunts had them on every chair. Of course those were the days when men put noxious greasy substances on their heads, now a quick spray of Harmony (because we are worth it) and it holds all day. Motoring through the City the other day, I went from Chester Road, Castle Bromwich to Halesowen via Kingstanding and Great Barr and did a memory run around Kingstanding and a lot of the shops built late thirties with their flats above are still there (and I noticed this later in Acocks Green, Kings Norton and Yardley), although they sell very different goods nowadays. We bemoan the loss of local businesses and it did seem that there were no local drapers, television and radio, cycle shops, but kebab and pizza houses, except coming through Stirchley, where there were a great many shops seemingly devoted to selling what I assume was Sari materials and what seemed like hundreds of greengrocers.
Bob
 
Interesting observations of lifestyles of yesteryear, some of which are still much in evidence. This reminds me of the expression - which I only ever heard in Birmingham - as someone being "kippers and curtains". ;)
 
Taken in Atlantic Road, Kingstanding Morturn. Would have been taken about 1960. It was a 1930s house, all of Atlantic Road is still there. If you walk the length to the junction with Dyas Road, Latham’s was just around the corner to the left. I expect this parade where Lathams had their shop dates from the 1930s too, along with all the shops along Hawthorn Road. Must have been one huge building site at the time.

A drapers would have been essential in the 30s - 50s, all those houses, all needing nets ! They’d have been the first stop for antemacassars (mom had those too on every chair where possible). I remember Lathams sold the plain cotton/linen tablecloths you could buy with the printed flower outlines on ready for needleworking. I did one - took me quite a while to complete, must have been about 12 or 13. Think this was where I discovered a love of sewing - still at it today. I’ve saved the family and friends hundreds of pounds on alterations over the years.

Viv.

Thanks Viv, I know Atlantic Road quite well, being from Erdington, Short Heath. Mon would shop on Hawthorn Road, we would catch the No 28.
 
Me and mum and her antemacassars ! Most likely a Kingstanding Lathams purchase. (And my toy poodle called FuFu - looks pretty creepy to me. We're watching TV in this photo - probably Emergency Ward 10, a favourite of both of us). Photo about 1960, taken in the back room Atlantic Road. Viv.

image.jpeg
 
viv i have a feeling i have seen a fuller pic of that shop and yes i will stick me neck out and say it was lathams... will see if i can find that photo for you

lyn
 
yes viv i was right its one of rays pics...could be our mom used this one as we were right on the no 8 route

Aston cross (2).jpg
 
Back
Top