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Chemist

G

GER22VAN

master brummie
At the corner of Heneage Street and Willis Street stood a Chemist run by a Mr Gill, l only knew him by that name. He always parked his Triumph Mayflower by the corner in Heneage Street.
When King George V l died Mr Gill had the small side window in Heneage Street Decorated with a portrait of the King in rememberance of him. When Mr Gill died l did hear that he donated his body to Medical Research. Certainly an upright Gentleman.
 
Postie.  A silly question but would you know its location ?  The picture looks as if it might be before my time but having said that l am quite sure that it is across the road from the pub called The Shepherd and The Shepherdess ( sold the beer that had the squirrel motif )  Well across the road from the pub was a factory on the other corner (Mum lived behind the factory ) walking away from the factory and Henry Street along Heneage Street was a butchers, then a shop for groceries l think where l used to get 1/2 penny packet of Fry's ? Cocoa when the sweets were on ration.  Next door l beleive was a shop that had the door in the entry, the only one that l can remember.  l feel sure that is the one in your photograph.
POSTIE   You are Amazing.
PS l guess the name will be in Kelly's.
Not quite as l remember it but sure looks like the same place, the shop entrance was inside the entrance that can be seen in the photograph.
 
The date of the picture I posted is 1961, I've also got a picture of Heneage St back to backs. O0

As to where abouts the shop was, I can't help you as I am not an Aston boy, I was born and bred in Bordesley Green / Small Heath. But, hey, who cares, we are all Brummies.
 
Postie Now l am less sure of myself when you say it is 1961, but l shall leave it there as someone may do better than me.
My Gran lived in Heneage Street back to back so l await with interest but do not expect it to be the right court.
 
l cannot place were this could be but l knew where there was a factory but not sure if it was the one in the photo.
In other words you have me completely baffled.
 
:angel: Hi Ernie that is how I remember Henage St. I think the first shop was Pedley's paper shop and the next one was Hollands. I will send the pic' to my Brother he will know for sure, he was a close friend of the pedley's.

Chris :angel:
 
Chris You are right , l shall have to look up my photo's as l have one of the meeting place across the road from the chemist. cannot remember the name but l always passed it on my way to school in the early 1950's.
Postie,s photo if l was correct was going in the other direction towards Windsor Street.
 
Ger22van,
The Gill's pharmacist you are talking about - did he have a son who also did Pharmacy??

Reason I am asking is I used to work for an M H Gill (I am sure his name ws michael) - he had a few different pharmacy and chemist type shops around Rubery, Northfield, Frankly area - I used to work in the warehouse on New Road sending all the medicines etc.. to the chain of shops etc.. (warehouse was the central distribution/stock depot for the chain) - I was working there late 1970's early 1980's - just curious as to whether it's the same family?
 
elizabeth1. Sorry to say that l did not know any more. l only knew him as Mr Gill and my gran told me what little l knew about him.
 
Hello Postie,

I've tried the link for the photo of Henage Street back to backs, but it doesn't seem to be working. Do you still have it? I'm looking for 180a, but the odds of finding that are remote. I wouldn't even know where in the street it was.
Thanks.
 
GER22VAN said:
elizabeth1. Sorry to say that l did not know any more. l only knew him as Mr Gill and my gran told me what little l knew about him.
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Phil,

This is an example of what I was going on about when I referred to reminiscences yesterday - your reference to Gill's, the chemists in Heneage Street. I haven't had a thought about Gill's for centuries and, as soon as you mention it, I recall the number of times my mom has sent me to Gill's for one thing or another...!

By the way, thanks a lot for the info about Francis street. It all helps to build up a picture of times gone by.

I'm still having problems with this Brick Kiln and Bricklin Street business.

I've had reports about an ancestor both from The Mormons in Utah, and Ancestry.co.uk. They both report that he and his family lived in Bricklin Street, Aston. But I can't find a Bricklin Street in the Duddeston/Aston area yet.

Yet I still have this funny (peculiar) feeling that I have seen it, in the past, on some map or other. And it was (my funny feeling tells me) opposite Dartmouth Street as it met the Aston Road, and Bricklin Street lay just off Allesley Street

But that's another item I have to do a little more probing on...

Catch you later,

Cheers,

Jim
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Hello Jim, I am pleased that you find some of it useful to you.
I have rechecked Kelly's 1904 for Bricklin Street but I cannot find any reference to it. I believe Brick Kiln Street I seem to remember is now buried under Aston University at Gosta Green. I cannot check Kelly's 1904 as my Adobe Reader is playing me up.
Take Care Jim Ernie.
 
GER22VAN said:
Hello Jim, I am pleased that you find some of it useful to you.
I have rechecked Kelly's 1904 for Bricklin Street but I cannot find any reference to it. I believe Brick Kiln Street I seem to remember is now buried under Aston University at Gosta Green. I cannot check Kelly's 1904 as my Adobe Reader is playing me up.
Take Care Jim Ernie.
Click to expand...

Hi, Ernie,

Thanks for taking another look for me. But I have picked up a census report which shows me that it was in 1881 that my gt.gt. grandfather lived with his wife, Maria. and family at No. 2 Bricklin Street, wherever it was...!

I tell you, Ernie, my Pedley ancestors are giving me no end of trouble...!!!

Thanks for your help.

Cheers,

Jim
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