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My grandfather, Arthur Howells owned and ran a furniture shop at 131 and 133 Soho Road Birmingham. He was listed as a cabinet maker and upholsterer

T

tex

New Member
My grandfather, Arthur Howells owned and ran a furniture shop at 131 and 133 Soho Road Birmingham. He was listed as a cabinet maker and upholsterer. He was born in 1871 and married in 1897. The 1911 census shows him and his family living above the shops and as far as I have been able to establish he continued into the 1920's and perhaps 1930's. He died in 1942. I am searching for a postcard which would show the shop (or an other picture) but haven't been able to establish where on Soho Road it would have been. Can anyone help please
 
Here is a map c1950 sowing 131-133
map c1950.soho road showing 131-133.jpg

And here is a very blurred image from the 1950s with 131-133 in the distance (Waverhill road corner is on the far right of the photo

131 Soho road 1950sA.jpg
 
The 1930 Kelly's (would have been taken in 1929) shows your Grandfather at 131-133 Soho Road, as you have said.
I have many photos of post cards of this area but most seem to be further up the road near the library.
I believe your Grandfather's shop to be almost opposite the Elite picture House.

131 soho road.PNG
 
This photo taken in the 1960s, shows Jubilee Dry Cleaners at 141 Soho Road, centre right so 131-133 should be around the bus stop, note Elite picture house opposite.

131-133 Soho road.PNG
 
Thank you everybody for the pictures and information. I now know to look out for postcards showing the Elite cinema area. My mother told me her father had a full sized billiard table above the shop and used to entertain his friends there. Unfortunately he was too generous with (and too keen on) alcohol and eventually had to sell the shops
 
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