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coopbill7
very old brummie
sylviasayers
master brummie
Patty, yes I remember Barrows, it was a lovely food store, I couldn't afford much at the time but bought the occasional treat from there.
Lewis's
What about the wonderful cakes
.... those huge gateau slab cakes...(looked about a mile long) and you could say where you wanted them to cut you a piece off. All decorated up with cream... yummy.
Georgie
What about the wonderful cakes
.... those huge gateau slab cakes...(looked about a mile long) and you could say where you wanted them to cut you a piece off. All decorated up with cream... yummy.Georgie
I worked at Grey's 1963-5 and although I had a 12 and a half per cent discount I couldn't afford to buy clothes from there. I used to go to spend 19/11d at C&A when I got my wages which were £4 a week for office workers aged 15. I was told that was 10/- more than the Rackham's office workers! "Button-up" cardigans were then 29/11d at Marks and Spencers.
I got stockings for 1/11d from a small shop in Four Oaks(where the Pint Pot pub now stands in Tower Road), shoes for 19/11d in town---Freeman, Hardy and Willis usually.
I had an emerald green suit that came from the other end of Bull Street that my mother bought. She did get me a coat from Grey's and although they altered it for me it was several sizes too big!
I got stockings for 1/11d from a small shop in Four Oaks(where the Pint Pot pub now stands in Tower Road), shoes for 19/11d in town---Freeman, Hardy and Willis usually.
I had an emerald green suit that came from the other end of Bull Street that my mother bought. She did get me a coat from Grey's and although they altered it for me it was several sizes too big!
I bought a pair of cord jeans from Nelson House, back in the late sixities, and wore them that evening when I had a date with a new girl-friend. As I was getting out of the car outside her house the zip broke and there was no way I get the flippin' thing to zip up again. Her mom opened the door to see me with my hands in a strategic position and asked me if I was all right. Fortunately she had a sense of humour and mended the zip. That was my one and only date with that girl...wonder why? I had a right game getting my money back at Nelson House, to add insult to injury. After that, I bit the bullet and clothes-shopped at Cecil Gee and Rackham's.
There was also a gents' outfitters called The Don, in New Street I think. They were big on school-uniforms. Very old-fashioned but high-quality duds, and my dad sometimes bought his clothes there. Trousers with the waist-band just under your chin and 26" bottoms, and double-breasted jackets that made you look like you'd just been de-mobbed.
Big Gee
There was also a gents' outfitters called The Don, in New Street I think. They were big on school-uniforms. Very old-fashioned but high-quality duds, and my dad sometimes bought his clothes there. Trousers with the waist-band just under your chin and 26" bottoms, and double-breasted jackets that made you look like you'd just been de-mobbed.
Big Gee
B
badger
Guest
A friend of our worked at the "Beehive" .........living in the 'suburbs' we only got into town on special occasions, as ayoung 'um I would be taken in with mom and an Aunt. My aunt used to collect the window cleaning money from Rackhams and other big stores (my uncle was a master window cleaner.) but as a youth, about once a week or two just top up the meagre wardrobe!
Phil
Gone, but not forgotten.
Big Gee
I also shopped at Nelson House, but in the early sixties when it was at the top of Albert St on Dale End. Good modern gear every week but it was rubbish.
I also shopped at Celil Gee in New St, expensive but good. Rackhams didn't seem to have much modern or up to date gear and they were mega expensive.
Other places I shopped for clothes were a couple of shops down Ladypool Rd, Sparkbrook, Tony's and M & J 's. Tony's wasn't too bad, but M & J's was just like Nelson House up to date gear but rubbish. You used to buy clothes knowing they were only going to last you a month before you had to throw it out.
pmc1947
I also shopped at Nelson House, but in the early sixties when it was at the top of Albert St on Dale End. Good modern gear every week but it was rubbish.
I also shopped at Celil Gee in New St, expensive but good. Rackhams didn't seem to have much modern or up to date gear and they were mega expensive.
Other places I shopped for clothes were a couple of shops down Ladypool Rd, Sparkbrook, Tony's and M & J 's. Tony's wasn't too bad, but M & J's was just like Nelson House up to date gear but rubbish. You used to buy clothes knowing they were only going to last you a month before you had to throw it out.
pmc1947
H
harley
Guest
record shop
i remember the record shop in the sixties ,you could go in and listen to your favourite record in a booth and earphones to put on, before buying the one you liked .there would be loads of people in there all waiting there turn as the music was put on over the counter .it would be played to you. oh ,and if you were very brave, you could also cut your own disc, couple of mates singing away ha ha .
i remember the record shop in the sixties ,you could go in and listen to your favourite record in a booth and earphones to put on, before buying the one you liked .there would be loads of people in there all waiting there turn as the music was put on over the counter .it would be played to you. oh ,and if you were very brave, you could also cut your own disc,
couple of mates singing away ha ha .Hi PMC1947,
I always thought that Rackhams was pretty 'with it' (as we used to say), but you're right about the price of their gear. I bought a suit there in about 1967 - flared pants, wide lapels, and I had it when I got married in 1971. My wife tapered the trousers and did a nice job on the jacket, and it lasted me for at least another ten years. Real quality threads.
Once, when I was flush, I had a suit tailor-made by a man in Bristol Street (can't remember his name, but his little shop was near to where the piano shop is or was) and it never wore out. As the years advanced and I grew, er, slightly more rotund, I had the suit let out a couple of times, but eventually after about 20 years it had to go. Which confirms for me the old adage, "You gets what you pays for!"
Big Gee
I always thought that Rackhams was pretty 'with it' (as we used to say), but you're right about the price of their gear. I bought a suit there in about 1967 - flared pants, wide lapels, and I had it when I got married in 1971. My wife tapered the trousers and did a nice job on the jacket, and it lasted me for at least another ten years. Real quality threads.
Once, when I was flush, I had a suit tailor-made by a man in Bristol Street (can't remember his name, but his little shop was near to where the piano shop is or was) and it never wore out. As the years advanced and I grew, er, slightly more rotund, I had the suit let out a couple of times, but eventually after about 20 years it had to go. Which confirms for me the old adage, "You gets what you pays for!"
Big Gee
jennyann
Gone but not forgotten. R.I.P.
Great story about the suit.... Speaking of Rackhams..they had a a few listening booths in their basement years ago for LP records. We used to
go there on Saturdays just to listen in those booths. I don't ever remember buying a record from them though.
Yes, they had great quality clothes and my Mother loved their Red Dot sales that they held in the l970's. A Brummie friend of mine said that there isn;t anything in that shop that he could afford to buy!.
go there on Saturdays just to listen in those booths. I don't ever remember buying a record from them though.
Yes, they had great quality clothes and my Mother loved their Red Dot sales that they held in the l970's. A Brummie friend of mine said that there isn;t anything in that shop that he could afford to buy!.
Phil
Gone, but not forgotten.
Big Gee
What about Chetwyn's in Navigation Street did you ever use there. They were known to have a few items for up to date gear there. When buying a fitted suit I used to go to Maurice Goldstien on Moseley Rd Balsall Heath. When he made you a suit, you grew out of it before it wore out.
Maurice was well known in Table Tennis circles, he was the secretary of the The Table Tennis Association for a great number of years.
pmc1947
What about Chetwyn's in Navigation Street did you ever use there. They were known to have a few items for up to date gear there. When buying a fitted suit I used to go to Maurice Goldstien on Moseley Rd Balsall Heath. When he made you a suit, you grew out of it before it wore out.
Maurice was well known in Table Tennis circles, he was the secretary of the The Table Tennis Association for a great number of years.
pmc1947
Hiya PMC,
Yep, I do remember Chetwyn's, but never shopped there because to me they seemed stuck in a 1950's time-warp (or so I recall).
There was a really good tailor in The Parade, Sutton Coldfield - can't remember the name of the shop, and I don't think it's there any more. I bought a suit there in about 1975 - pure wool, charcoal, very faint pin-stripe, classic cut, and I still wear the trousers (not in my house, I hear the missus say!). The jacket, sadly, no longer stretches around my somewhat expanded upper body.
I think the consensus, looking at the posts to this thread, is that clothes in the Sixties were made, as my gran would put it, 'with a red-hot needle and burning thread'!
Suits you, sir!
Big Gee
Yep, I do remember Chetwyn's, but never shopped there because to me they seemed stuck in a 1950's time-warp (or so I recall).
There was a really good tailor in The Parade, Sutton Coldfield - can't remember the name of the shop, and I don't think it's there any more. I bought a suit there in about 1975 - pure wool, charcoal, very faint pin-stripe, classic cut, and I still wear the trousers (not in my house, I hear the missus say!). The jacket, sadly, no longer stretches around my somewhat expanded upper body.
I think the consensus, looking at the posts to this thread, is that clothes in the Sixties were made, as my gran would put it, 'with a red-hot needle and burning thread'!
Suits you, sir!
Big Gee
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WINSTON
master brummie
Not sure if this is the right thread.but heres the latest viceo from the birmingham mail.
THE BULL RING.from the 50s.but it maybe the 60s or 70s .well worth watching for ten minutes
https://www.birminghammail.net/birm...ng-centre-from-the-1950s-pt-3-97319-20849208/
THE BULL RING.from the 50s.but it maybe the 60s or 70s .well worth watching for ten minutes
https://www.birminghammail.net/birm...ng-centre-from-the-1950s-pt-3-97319-20849208/
George Wheeler
master brummie
Must be poor washing techniques, I have lost count of the number of times we have washed our Primark band shirts over the last eight years. Never yet been let down by Primark shirts.
P.S. I am not a Primark shareholder
P.S. I am not a Primark shareholder
Ragga,
Be warned about the script. Its not "X" certificate but it is very dated. It will have you giggling for hours on end.......
