Unusual Toys

[Paula Bryars]

My mother used to push me in my pram from 'the terminus' (by the Yenton pub) to 'the village' (Erdington). Once, my grandmother had visited the fishmonger at the terminus and had purchased a fish. She brought it home and arranged a piece of newspaper neatly round it, which she then gave to me, saying, 'Here's a dolly for you!' I refused to be parted from my new doll and my mother pushed me to Erdington library with it. She eventually removed it after I had gone to sleep. I can only have been two or three years old at the time, but it is one of my earliest memories. Has anybody heard of a similar 'doll'? I'd love to know! My grandmother was initially brought up in Unett Street and Tower Street.

 

[Lady Penelope]

Hi Paula,
I live near to the Yenton shopping centre and worked in Penns Lane from around 1968. I think it must've been part of Bennett's shop which had the fishmongery department. There were lots of lovely old-fashioned shops in the 1960's and the only one left is the Co-op albeit much modernised now. Wrenson's is long gone. There were 5 or 6 butchers but only one now. Bennett's was a huge shop with a butchery department on one side and a deli on the other. I don't remember whether the fishmonger's was part of this shop or completely separate. I'm sure someone will know. Lots of barbers, hairdressers and charity shops now.
Mom always bought our fish from the Co-op on Stockland Green and I loved to watch it being expertly filleted. I remember the long thing, funny shaped knife which must have been honed almost to extinction.
Good job it wasn't a hot day when you were cuddling your 'doll'!