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Pressburgers

changinman1

changinman1

master brummie
Hi...back in the 1980,s there was a jewish tailor that I and a lot of the mod community used to use up on Bristol Street called Pressburgers where I had some most fantastic mohair suits made . After about 1986 I never used them again and they disappeared......For me they were the best tailors in Bham ...they knew the look they knew the cut and the cloth and most importantly knew what the young mod wanted to look like......perfect for me..

Anyway what I want to know is ....
1-when did they shut their doors.
2- did they move from Bristol strreet to somewhere else ?
3-why did they shut
4-are they trading somewhere else under a different name (but they were old guys back then and probably made their name in the 60,s....

Anyone want to share their memories or have any answers to my questions...


cheers KRO..
 
Hi changinman1. In one of my back to back books there is an article about a Harry Cohen and his alteration service. He served the Hippodrome well into the 1970's. There was also a George Saunders in Hurst street who was a tailor from St Kitts. His reputation was built up by word of mouth. I will post the photo's when I get round to coppying them. TTFN. GGJ.
 
Hi Jean.....ye I know about those tailors bit before my time still would be interested to know what you have got...but I particularly wanted info on Mr Pressburger.... thanks for the kind resonse....x
 
Pressburger had gone out of fashion by the middle 60s, the palce to go was Tommy Waters in Hurst Street (or Walters)
 
Pressbugers did not go out of fashion in the 60s all the footballers at the time had their suits made there Tom Waters if you dont mind the pun was'nt a patch on pressburgers

Mossy
 
A matter of opinion, we went to Tom's because all the footballers went there too plus Johnny Prescott--didnt think much of my suit anyway. Went back to Burton's for the next one
 
Forgotten about CG's-- an upmarket shop, I remember buying some Mod gear there--had a crevat which just appeared behind you collar, thought I was the bees until a girl came up to me in Erdington and said--Hard luck mate, your out of fashion!
 
It was opposite the Odeon by a ladies shop called Richards. Near Marshall and Snelgrove's
 
All I want to know is why and when they closed their doors.....they really knew their stuff....and treated you well....last one I had was about 1985...mohair...silver grey...3 button jacket double vented....drainpipes with stepped bottoms.....boy did I think I looked the business...
 
I think you will find Pressburgers were around for awhile before the 60s. His work was well known amongst the door staff at the better establishments. It was very early 60s when I had my evening suit for the door at the Tower Ballroom made there. I was advised by others to use pressburgers because of the good quality.
 
True story. 1967. Just before my wedding. Pressburgers Tailors, Bristol Street.

My Mate Ron Downes "Kurt my boy, will you make me a lovely suit out of this tonic mohair I bought in the pub?"
Kurt Pressburger "Sure Big feller, usual style - from your last measurements?"
Ron " Yes, pause...for a blue'un of course"
Kurt " No. no more like a tenner to make from your own schmutterl"
Ron " Robbery with violence Kurt - no way - for the usual blue'un ok?"
Kurt " Okay, okay oi vay, but vyfor you wanna suit wiv one arm?"

Priceless Jewish humour....and a bloody good tailor. God knows what happened to them though...lost contact after that...

Photo at Mackadown Bar, October 1967. Suits courtesy of

From L/R Tom Waters, Pressburger, Pressburger, Pressburger (with Two arms - he paid in the end..), Tommy Waters. Ah, those were the days...
 
man ...they look soooooooo smart......what a great look......the mackadown ...I lived in Tile cross from 68 when I was a toddler until the late 80,s ...my folks still live there. The pressburger that made my suits was the second from left I think , bt he had put on a bit of weight in the mid 80,s .....bless him.....I cant believe that nobody klnows what has happened to these guys....???????????
 
Uh-oh! Sorry changinman, should have been more explicit. My wedding day pic. The SUITS are as listed, the PERSONNEL in them are Left to Right - Barry Dorman RIP (Butcher for Thompson's Butchers Coleshill), Ralph Merrilll (RIP, Forward Radiator), Me, Ron Downes ( RIP Sumlock Comptometers), and Johnny Woodfield (Managing Director of Atlas Express Haulage Co) - well known in Bordeslsey Green Pubs and The Ritz cafe, and all Clubs in Town...and Stitcher probably threw us out of most of them....Thanks for the comments anyway!!!

Den
 
So did a few folks actually, but he never got any discount! And why did we all want to look like Ron & Reggie Kray??? Still, for ordinary blokes with ordinary jobs we did look smarter than the youth of today, but then we would say that wouldn't we? I thought nothing of saving for ages and paying a months wages for a suit...and I suspect I was not alone. Doubt they do that now. My nipper looks like Worzel Gummidge on a bad day when he's 'poshed up'. Sheesh...
 
I went to Pressburgers in 1958 to have a suit made to measure. It was the first suit I had ever bought. Three button Italian style all the rage at the time. A mate took me one Saturday, I hadn't got a clue what sort of suit I wanted, or what sort of cloth I wanted. Mr Pressburger was getting impatient, when I couldn't make up my mind. All of a sudden, he blurted out. "Make up your mind, what sort of a F-------ing suit do you want" I soon decided after that. It was a pin striped blue suit, that really did look smart, and did pull the birds, well I thought so, in those far off days. One things for sure, if I still had that suit, there's no way I would get it on today, even if it was in fashion.
 
Although mohair suits where mostly fashionable from the mid sixties, 3 button high with 10 inch center vents with ticket pockets and slim lappels that were hand stiched, we used John Salisbury's in Hall Green and Tom Collier in Kings Heath. Then came thick triple ply mohair and then we went into hop-sack suits by 1969. The only old mod tailor that still trades today is my old mate Colin Callaghan who's shop moved from Hurst Street and today is opposite the "Mail Box" on the upper Queensway. And still makes great bespoke mohair suits, he made my mohair Wedding suit 40 years ago.

No it doesn't fit know!!!

I do believe that the tailor Mr Pressburger a very fine hand made and cut jewish tailor passed away and was closed not sure of the year though?
 
Maybe this will help, from "The London Gazette" 11 Oct 1984?
APPLICATIONS BY OFFICIAL RECEIVER TO
CONSIDER DISCHARGE OF BANKRUPTS

PRESSBURGER, Kurt, Tailor and Company, Edgbaston Birmingham.

Clarkie
 
bobsummers said:
Although mohair suits where mostly fashionable from the mid sixties, 3 button high with 10 inch center vents with ticket pockets and slim lappels that were hand stiched, we used John Salisbury's in Hall Green and Tom Collier in Kings Heath. Then came thick triple ply mohair and then we went into hop-sack suits by 1969. The only old mod tailor that still trades today is my old mate Colin Callaghan who's shop moved from Hurst Street and today is opposite the "Mail Box" on the upper Queensway. And still makes great bespoke mohair suits, he made my mohair Wedding suit 40 years ago.

No it doesn't fit know!!!

I do believe that the tailor Mr Pressburger a very fine hand made and cut jewish tailor passed away and was closed not sure of the year though?
Click to expand...

Bob I had a three piece mohair made at Jacksons in New St , I had the silk facing took off it and it was two guineas cheaper, ruined the strides though in Torquay . Thats another story though
 
changinman1 said:
Hi...back in the 1980,s there was a jewish tailor that I and a lot of the mod community used to use up on Bristol Street called Pressburgers where I had some most fantastic mohair suits made . After about 1986 I never used them again and they disappeared......For me they were the best tailors in Bham ...they knew the look they knew the cut and the cloth and most importantly knew what the young mod wanted to look like......perfect for me..

Anyway what I want to know is ....
1-when did they shut their doors.
2- did they move from Bristol strreet to somewhere else ?
3-why did they shut
4-are they trading somewhere else under a different name (but they were old guys back then and probably made their name in the 60,s....

Anyone want to share their memories or have any answers to my questions...


cheers KRO..
Click to expand...
In mallorca 60th wedding anniversary. Suit from K as we called him. Had my 1st in 1955 Italian style. Still got jacket and it fits today. His Dad was there at 1st shop nearer to Bromsgrove st. Dad passed away there. K also opened in Wolverhampton. Later moved to near ring road. Good old days.
 
Someone wanted to know what happened to pressburger tailor shop on Bristol rd, and what his name was? Kurt pressburger and his son Ricky run the shop for many years and moved into the bullring shopping centre, unfortunately Kurt pressburger past away many years ago I think in the late 90s. Kurt was a fantastic man best tailor in Birmingham always friendly any helpful. I used to do various jobs for him as being in the building trade. I'm not sure if the shop is still open.hope this is helpful kind regards.
 
Hi Nicole .....as i said earlier in the thread I bought a couple of suits back in the 80s and other items and they were real nice guys but I stopped using them and then all of a sudden theyd gone without trace ......can you give us the details of what happened that lead them to closing it down and what happened after ?
 
changinman1 said:
Hi Nicole .....as i said earlier in the thread I bought a couple of suits back in the 80s and other items and they were real nice guys but I stopped using them and then all of a sudden theyd gone without trace ......can you give us the details of what happened that lead them to closing it down and what happened after ?
Click to expand...
In all honestly I was probs under 5 when the shop closed down, I don’t even remember it very well apart from playing with the clothes tags, the hangers and running and hiding in the suits LOL. My guess is either a family arguement between my dad (Ricky) and grandad (Kurt) or my grandads health declined. My Dad I know moved to work in chino chitiro (dunno is that’s spelt right) in birmingham city and then when that closed down moved to Rackhams.
 
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