The firm Aston and Fincher started trading from two rooms on the ground floor of a large Victorian House at 13 Soho Rd in 1959.
Not sure if it's any help Sue, but when I was a teenager in Handsworth I used to buy my records from Whites at 145 Soho Road. I guess this would be between 1953 and 1956. I still have some of my old 78s in their original covers with the shop's name and address printed on.
Judy
That young director must have been Howard Hodgson, who conducted my grandfather's (1976), and my father's (1977) funerals with great style! He went on to build up the business and then sell it for an amazing amount of money!Sue - just seeing your mention of the funeral home at the top end of Soho Road reminded me that I had a two week temp job there back in the late 70's (I think it was) covering for someone on holiday.
I was asked to take a dictation from the young Director (in long hand as I can't do shorthand) which involved instructions about tying labels on toes!
It was definitely a cinema! My aunt's friend ran an antiques business (junk shop?) from the small attached shop on the library side, and I think my ex-husband's grandmother was a previous tenant (greengrocery?).In the 1960s, my close friend from school lived in the station house in the fire station yard at the back of the cinema, and we found a back way into the shop itself and created a den among the cinema seats which had been stored in there!Hi All
By the Library, same side as if you are walking up to Soho Road station, there used to be a large frontage which I am sure was like blue engineering bricks. It later became (I think) we will call it an Ironmongers/cement that sort of stuff (Asians). Big Gee? Stephen002, do you remember this? Did it used to be a cinema? I know it used to have bill poster all over it. Or was it part of the railway station. I was just sitting here doing some revision and could see this building that I had completely forgotton about. It is Soho supermarket now on Google Earth?
Can anybody help.
SueB
Hi Rich - sorry for delay in replying. The church - was it not St. James'. I was a Brownie up there. I was also an ABC Minor. Remember the song we used to sing (to the old war/army tune) #The Minors of the ABC, and every Saturday all line up, to see the films we like and shout along with glee. We like to laugh and have a sing, song, oh how happy we will beeeeee. (can't remember the rest). Good days - nothing to worry about other than making sure you did not spend the fish and chip money 1s and 6d in my day. I went to the Regal with mom and dad to see Laurence of Arabia. god knows how old I was, but I wouldn't take a nipper to see that long film. Hadn't got a clue what it was about. They couldn't get a baby sitter. Used to watch lots of Jerry Lewis films there with dad, Spring and Port Wine, and Funny Girl, with Big Sis. I used to love the decor, the lighting and the curtains - like the Gaumont eh. The circle was brilliant - posh up there. Do you remember the stair case and also the walkway through to the cinema area upstairs that had all the pictures on the wall of people. Who were they, do you know? Always remind me now of all the pictures of people that they have in council houses - and the posh stairs.
SueB
It's amazing how that bus stop is still there - given all the changes.
Hockley garage - always reminds me of Freddy Thorpe - do you remember him. That Garage has changed now hasn't it.
Now remembered - it was "The Elite", and I've found a picture:It was definitely a cinema! My aunt's friend ran an antiques business (junk shop?) from the small attached shop on the library side, and I think my ex-husband's grandmother was a previous tenant (greengrocery?).In the 1960s, my close friend from school lived in the station house in the fire station yard at the back of the cinema, and we found a back way into the shop itself and created a den among the cinema seats which had been stored in there!
That young director must have been Howard Hodgson, who conducted my grandfather's (1976), and my father's (1977) funerals with great style! He went on to build up the business and then sell it for an amazing amount of money!
The young Howard (he of the toe labels) is now an author and lives in Malta, see: https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/bed-and-board-howard-s-way-1255061.html
and:
His great grandfather knew my great grandmother, Louisa Farrell the midwife, from the days when they both lived in Aston and they were good friends all their lives, sometimes known as the "hatch and dispatch" pair. Following Louisa's move to a bigger house in Handsworth and her need for a new bedroom suite, it was made in the coffin making workshop at Hodgeson's! I still have the chest of drawers which was part of it! Old Mr. Hodgson also, of course, knew Louisa's sister Edith Littley, and she worked for him as receptionist, living "over the shop" at their office premises next door to the "Queen's Head" pub, near the Regal cinema. With such connections, I believe my grandmother "walked out" for a short while with the next generation Mr. Hodgson, but years later, my mother sent her counterpart packing very quickly!The Prince And I - The Malta Independent
A new book on Charles casts the prince in an unusually favourable light, as a good man and loving father. All the rest is myth, says author Howard Hodgson, who researched his subject for four years. Here he talks to Sandra Aquilinawww.independent.com.mt