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Chip Shop In Front Room Alcester Street

G

gensec

knowlegable brummie
Talking to my 80+ aunt the other day she told me that her grandmother, Annie Parks nee Heeley nee Hawkins (not sure if she married any of them!) lived in Rae/Bradford Street around the 1920/30s and used to supply factory workers with a cooked dinner each day. The workers would bring their basin, pay some money and she would give them a cooked dinner at dinner time. She then went on to open a fish and chip shop in the front room of the house (just imagine the health and safety issues now!). My grandmother used to go along to help clean the fish and the scales stuck to everything. My great Uncle, Tom Heeley, used to live in the same house, but kept his clothes at a relation's house down the road because of the smell and the fish scales.

When I next go into Birmingham library I must do some digging in the directories/electoral rolls to see if I can pinpoint where she lived.
 
Hi Gensec I have found Annie and George Parkes (with an e) and Thomas Heeley living at 53 Alcester Street, on 1925 and 1927 Deritend Electoral Roll and on 1930/1 there was also Florence Mabel Heeley. Alcester Street crosses Bradford Street and is very close to Rae Street - could these be yours?
 
That's brilliant, thank you so much. It will save me a trip into town. Tom Heeley was a well known athlete, belonging to Sparkhill Harriers. He was also a coach for 1964 olympics.
 
Looking at the electoral rolls (https://www.midlandshistoricaldata.org) I think the eaddress was 52 Alcester St. It is not listed in Kellys in 1921, 1932 , 1936 or 1939. It was usual for businesses to be in Kellys, but very small businesses were not always included. In one year the transcriber has put Sparkes.
The roll lists for no 53:
1920 Annie Heeley
1922 George & Annie Sparkes
1925 George & Annie Parkes & Thomas Heeley
1927 George & Annie Parkes & Thomas Heeley
1930 George & Annie Parkes & Thomas & Florence Mabel Heeley
From 1935 this and several numbers around it were not listed
 
Thank you to everybod who contacted me about the chip shop. My aunt is thrilled that against all odds she still has her marbles !:unconscious:
 
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