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Milliners Hurst Street

Katie

master brummie
I wonder if anyone can help me with this one. In the mid to late 1940's my aunt used to work as a milliner in Hurst Street. I have traced this to be No: 63 and the lady who owned the shop was a Mrs Ida Mantle I believe this is where the back to back houses now are. If anyone has any pictures of Hurst Street at this time or any information on Hurst Street during the 1940/1950's I would love to hear from them. I spent many hours in the workroom of this milliners.
 
Hi Katie

Chris Upton mentions the shop in his book "Living Back to Back", which is surely the best place for you to learn about Hurst St.

"In 1931 the shop next to the Reads (63 Hurst Street) was occupied by Mrs Ida G. Mantle, milliner. Ida almost rivals the Reads in endurance, her occupation lasting through the two wars from 1914 to 1951. This stands in marked contrast to the earlier years of the century, when the shop passed through six different owners in 13 years".

Paul
 
Hello Paul

Thank you so much for the information re Mrs Ida Mantle's milliners shop. I will certainly try and obtain a copy of Chris Upton's book, wil ask at the library, I am a good customer there!!!! Re the picture mentioned in the email but not on the forum, I have not been able to open this, would obviously love to see it. Any ideas??
I just knew someone would turn up trumps on this forum.

Katie
 
Hi Katie

I tried to upload a pic of Hurst Street in 1959, but it didn't work so I edited my post. Let's try again, a different way:


Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Paul
 
I can certainly recommend "Living Back to Back" Katie. I had it for a Christmas present a few years ago, and it is a great book. I'm sure the library will be able to get it for you. I must go and get my copy out again to read about Ida Mantle

Judy
 
Paul
You are a star, it was one of the shops on the left there. Can't believe I now have this record. Have been searching on Amazon and Ebay for the book, the copy on Ebay is over £100 so that's a no no and they have a copy for £20 on Amazon so I will head for the library next week. It certainly looks like a good read.

Katie
 
Katie
I'm not sure to which picture you refer, but the one from the book which shows the shop is below. No 63 is the shop behind the lamp post

hurst_st_1953A.jpg
 
Hi Judy,
I am so excited to have come up with this information and will look forward to reading the book. I got in touch with Carl Chinn and the National Trust but neither of them could give me any information, I now know where to look. My Aunt used to work at this milliners and as a little girl I would spend quite a lot of time in her workroom above the shop, where she actually made the hats to order. And at lunch times we would go a couple of doors away and buy 'paloni' for our sandwiches and big cream buns.
Katie
 
I hope you find out a lot more Katie. My auntie was also a milliner around the same time as yours, but I don't know where she worked in Birmingham. It would be funny if it was at the same place in Hurst Street wouldn't it?

Judy
 
Hello Paul,

Have obtained "Living Back to Back" by Chris Upton from the library. Found it very informative and a good read. Thanks.

Katie
 
You're very welcome Katie,

Have you visited the back-to-backs yet? I went on the day they opened, and I found them fascinating. As you spent a lot of time there they might be interested in your memories, so I think it would be worth a visit.

Regards

Paul
 
I'm a bit late replying to this thread, but no 63 in MikeJee's photograph is the shop on the left which, after Ida Mantle was there, was used as offices by Worthington's Coaches. Worthingtons bought the court of back-to-back houses to the left of the ones in the photograph, and demolished them as access to their garage in Inge Street. They also built the single storey building (no 65) as a booking office.
The car on the left was Jack Worthington's and his chauffeur would drive him up the road for a shave every morning.
The building on the extreme left was the Black Lion pub which was used by a newspaper & toy wholesaler at the time this photograph was taken.
The tower on the Hippodrome was demolished in the early 1960s.
I hope that this helps.
 
I'm a bit late replying to this thread, but no 63 in MikeJee's photograph is the shop on the left which, after Ida Mantle was there, was used as offices by Worthington's Coaches. Worthingtons bought the court of back-to-back houses to the left of the ones in the photograph, and demolished them as access to their garage in Inge Street. They also built the single storey building (no 65) as a booking office.
The car on the left was Jack Worthington's and his chauffeur would drive him up the road for a shave every morning.
The building on the extreme left was the Black Lion pub which was used by a newspaper & toy wholesaler at the time this photograph was taken.
The tower on the Hippodrome was demolished in the early 1960s.
I hope that this helps.
thanks for the further info re photo very interesting in deed.
 
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