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Barrows Stores

Hi all

I have recently stumbled across this forum and am interested in the history of Barrows Stores, particularly after uncovering the below enamelled sign during a building project. I have read much of the content on this thread so know the high level history/location of the stores but was wondering in particular if anyone recognised the sign, or would be able to date it.

I think its a really attractive thing and would love to know more. Any help much appreciated!
IMG-20220801-WA0000.jpg
 
wwhiting28 said:
Hi all

I have recently stumbled across this forum and am interested in the history of Barrows Stores, particularly after uncovering the below enamelled sign during a building project. I have read much of the content on this thread so know the high level history/location of the stores but was wondering in particular if anyone recognised the sign, or would be able to date it.

I think its a really attractive thing and would love to know more. Any help much appreciated!
View attachment 172834
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What a great find
 
wwhiting28, I remember Barrows, I think they were an up market type of store, but I cannot remember how big they were, or how wide spread they were, certainly still around in 50's...
 
paul stacey said:
wwhiting28, I remember Barrows, I think they were an up market type of store, but I cannot remember how big they were, or how wide spread they were, certainly still around in 50's...
Click to expand...
My Mother worked on the counters there around 60’s/70’s. The store was somewhere near the underpass to Lewis’s main entrance then as I remember.
 
As mentioned earlier, I worked there in 1956/7 on the veg counter. It was such a laugh, with the lads I worked with. The van, which carried the logo' "Barrows" Stores. Birmingham, used to deliver to the Streetly area, of Sutton, with one lettuce and a quarter of tomatoes! Just so they could have the van seen on their road. Yes...it really was a posh store. We had to wear celluloid collars, with studs, and striped waistcoats, and each counter had a pair of chairs for "Madame" to sit on, while we attended to her requirements. But it was a great place to work. Gerry.
 
paul stacey said:
What a great photo Gerry, though I can't remember either stores, the busy Birmingham Street scene, full of hither and thither ,I do remember , mostly on Saturdays.
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I lived in Great Barr at the time, and would catch the 119 Midland RED into Birmingham. We would enter the store from the Bull Street entrance, and the store area was much the same as other big store back areas. a sort of organized chaos. We had a staff changing room ( unheard of then at most stores) with a long mirror, to ensure you looked smart; then we would line up for our manager (Greengrocery) to check us over, before being put on our counters. But having said that, it was a great place to work, and we had lots of fun working for them. Not too far from the underground shops in front of Lewis's, Zissman's was where I could by slim jim ties and multi-coloued socks, yellows and reds and white's; yes very happy times.
 
This year I have had a number of messages from firms asking if I would prefer to not receive mothers day rubbish (they did not call it that). I only wish they could do the same with Halloween
 
Reading all this about Barrows reminds me of an embarrasing moment there foe me. At the early stages of the war my mother was ill. I don't know what it was but the doctor told her the best thing to help her was Oysters. the only place to get them from was Barrows. Even then she had to get a doctors note to say she needed them. So every saturday we travelled into Birmingham to get seven oysters, one a day. There was always a queue which seemed to me a mile long. I waited in the queue whilst she went elsewhere to get other stuff. Then one day while waiting for Mom to get served I was looking round a large centre display of lovely food stuff and spotted some meat in the shape of a bowl which had what looked like a glass bowl over it. In those days we had never seen Pyrex, When Mom had finished I took her to see it and excitedly said Look at this glass bowl". I pointed to it with my figure and touched it only to discover it was not glass but clear Jelly. It resulted in a real mess and Mom quickly grabbed my hand and we escaped before anyone seeing it. I was never left to wander after that
 
Collect oysters to last a week and presumably no fridge then. Not a fan of oysters, but definitely not if they were a week old
 
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