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Paynes shoe repairs

I used to go and work on the bus that Brian? Watts ( Billy and Ivy Watts son) used to bring from by the Wagon and Horses to the Radleys to help out on Saturdays. I was parked on a site at the Radleys before the pub was built. Paynes eventually opened a shop at the end of the row shops in Sheldon Heath Rd.
 
I am currently researching my great uncle (Harry H Payne) and grandfather (William R Payne) buisness, Paynes Shoe Repairs. Is there any one who worked or has relatives who worked for them. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Hi William Payne was married to my Grans sister Nellie Seamark Eagles. They had a daughter Waveney who I remember meeting as a child. I was also told about the shoe repair business. I would be greatful for any information you are willing to share.
Thanks
 
I am currently researching my great uncle (Harry H Payne) and grandfather (William R Payne) buisness, Paynes Shoe Repairs. Is there any one who worked or has relatives who worked for them. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

My grandfather was Harry H Payne's brother John Edward Payne. John Edward worked in the business and lived in Brazil for a time with his wife and son (my father). Are we second cousins?
 
SRWALW,
Bit of a long shot but are your rels from Brum? My family are Paynes, originally from Blockley in Gloucestershire, but the sons then all moved to Brum in the late 1800's and the family became estranged my dad didn't know he had rels other than his grandad and single aunts and uncles, grandad never talked about his brothers. The names you mention are common in Dads family too.
Sue
 
Hi,
My grandfather was William Richard Payne, Harry and Johns brother. I have done the family tree with a few gaps !! if you are interested. Val
 
Not sure if anyone already has this but I used to know a Harold Burnett who was reputedly married into the Payne (shoe repair) family.

There is an entry on FreeBMD Q1 1935 for Harold S Burnett and Annie K Payne, which would possibly fit.

They used to live in the house on the corner of Wake Green Road and Yardley Wood Road.
 
Re: Paynes shoe repairers

I wonder if SRWALW could help me, I am trying to find information about a John Edward Payne who married my grandmother in the fifties, we were told he was one of the paynes shoe repairers family but whether it was true I do not know. All I know was that he was living in Addison Rd Kings Heath before they married in 1950. I don't know who his parents were or his first wifes name, so I don't know where to start to look him up. Hope you can help.
 
Don't know if this is any help, but according to the electoral roll for 1950 (which would apply from the beginning of 1950, brfore he was married) at 111 addison road there was John E, Leslie C & Joan F Payne.
 
Hello EarlGary

Don't know if this is any help. I lived in Addison Road throughout my childhood and the co owner (or worker) of the garage at number 54, was a Payne. Think the other man was Hackett whose name was over the door. Attached is a photo, apologies I don't know where it came from.View attachment 71131
 
Thank you Mikejee, at least I have two other names I can look into, I know nothing about the man except his name and where he lived before he married my grandmother.
 
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Hello Val
Thanks for the offer of the family tree I would be very interested but I am not sure how you would get it to me. By the way one of my father's cousins was Anne Bishop. Ring any bells?
Thanks again, Jill.
 
Re: Paynes shoe repairs

Foxglove I have only just realised you are John Edward Paynes grandaughter, could you help with my query? Did your grandfather ever remarry or live in Addison Rd, Kings Heath? I would be grateful for any help.
 
Hello Earlgary

My grandfather did remarry and lived in Birmingahm but unfortunately although I did meet the lady I was very young and I have no historical info except that I know she passed away before Grandpa.
 
Hi Foxglove, Thank you for replying to my question. I think I can safetly say that we are talking about the same John Edward Payne,I was only young when my grandmother married him in 1950, and when you are young you don't really pay any attention as to what is going on around you. My grandmother died in 1958 and I don't remember what happened to him after that time. I am pleased to have found that what I thought I remembered
about him being related to the Paynes shoe repairers family was true.
 
I used to work at the Vicaridge Road Kings Heath shop in 1959 & lost my right eye working there with a cobblers knife they then moved me to the factory in Mosley & I worked in the factory/warehouse on the leather presses & I then lost my thumb & smashed up another finger,They then they started up spraying shoes in differnt colours & put me in a garden shed with no extraction fan & I started coughing up black rubbish off my lungs,so I left there & went to live in devon.H.H.Paynes did not have a very good safety record for its workers my pay was £1.10 shillings for a 48 hours 15/16 years old at the time,Another girl was scalpped on a machine at one off there shops in Birmingham,The only good thing I got out of Paynes I meet my First wife there who worked at The Cotteridge shop & was moved to the warehouse & I had 24 years off marriage with her till she passed away.I did sue Paynes & got a settlement for there neglet for there safety rules
 
I used to work at the Vicaridge Road Kings Heath shop in 1959 & lost my right eye working there with a cobblers knife they then moved me to the factory in Mosley & I worked in the factory/warehouse on the leather presses & I then lost my thumb & smashed up another finger,They then they started up spraying shoes in differnt colours & put me in a garden shed with no extraction fan & I started coughing up black rubbish off my lungs,so I left there & went to live in devon.H.H.Paynes did not have a very good safety record for its workers my pay was £1.10 shillings for a 48 hours 15/16 years old at the time,Another girl was scalpped on a machine at one off there shops in Birmingham,The only good thing I got out of Paynes I meet my First wife there who worked at The Cotteridge shop & was moved to the warehouse & I had 24 years off marriage with her till she passed away.I did sue Paynes & got a settlement for there neglet for there safety rules



I am sorry to hear that you time with Paynes was fraught with accidents, but sadly unlike today health and safety in the work place was not madatory. My grandfather W.R.Payne (uncle Harry's brother) did not escape injury, even manegment had ther fair share of accidents, so you where not alone.
I was agasted to read you only earned £2.10 shillings a week, so I have just looked up the weekly wages and profit shares, unfortunately I can only put my hands on the years 1946-1947 which is not really any help. Interestingly in 1946 the National Wages Council fixed the minimum weekly rate for the Boot and Shoe
Repairing Trade at £6.4s.6p.
I hope you don't think I am being presumptuous but would you mind telling me the year you sued Paynes, it's just that I can't find any thing in the records.
Regards val ( nee Payne)
 
Scan10006.JPGHello Val.rember was 15/16 years old & paynes did employ a lot off youngsters in those days,so I would not have been paid the full rates,I started proceedings in 1960/1 & in 1964 was awarded £1,100.which was enough to buy a 3 bedroom terraced house in those days, My wife Carol was working in the Cotteridge shop before being moved to the warehouse in Mosley her wages at the time was £2.00 per 48 hr per week,Somwere in the house is the legal documents to the case am still looking for them,but I do have a photo of the press that had my thumb & finger away,the manager at the vicarge shop was a bloke called Len Williams & the other cobbler that worked there was called Reg & the lady that worked in the shop was called Trudi,another bit off information for you all the shoes that where not collected from the shops where sent to warehouse & then given to the male & female prisioners but the majnagement would not give or sell to there employees please remember the above picture is over 50 years old & you had to put your hands underneath the press to hold the sole cutter.Wish you all the Best on your research.Dave
 
Hi Dave.
Thank you for the photo very interesting, I can see how accidents would happen and for the information re your Legal case against Paynes.
1914 uncle Harry was called up to join the army and refused to attest under the Derby Scheme on religious grounds, at his Tribunal he lost his case, and later his Appeal also. His war years where spent in Norton Barracks, Wormwood Scrubs and finally Dartmore Prison.
I can't condone his actions, but can understand why he gave the shoe's to prisoners.

Regards Val.
 
I just came across this thread, several years after your first posting. My Grandfather was Albert Plant, who worked with Harry Payne and is the man in the photograph in the book to which several other contributors have referred. He is merely "an employee" in the book, but in fact I think he and Harry were good mates in the early years and worked closely together, sharing a pacificist/egalitarian philosophy which perhaps got rather lost as the firm became more hierarchical and Harry Payne became more of a boss.
 
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