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Co-op High Street Birmingham

Hi It was Doug ClucasThe sports Dept was Myself Don Mcindoe and Geof Brown ( who married a young girl out of the dry goods office )when Basil Bourne and Mrs Swift were in charge.During this period Eric Preece moved to the basement and Tim Buxton became supervisor ground floor, then later was a carpet measurer...Mr B H Davenpoert and Fred Ickringhill held office as did Mrs Hood Pictures. Shelie Turten toys .There was a man on the gardening ex thebakery dept Tom Jones,and a man on the tools who was a bit of a whizz kid ???? we all remember the Hoover rep Mr Searle ( walter ) and was it Horrice lee on furniture,,.. other will come to mind I'me sure,, And I do have a few photos of the sports section ....
 
Yes I remember him I sold him a squash racket.......He and his wife were the face of the coop in the adverts at the time....
 
yes I remenber him I sold hima squash racket... He and his wife were the face of the coop at the time in all the adverts
 
Another Harrold on the deck was H Summers ( Pop Summers ) Always answered the phone "" Hello the Deck /Dispatch "" Everyone else said Goods Received....Anyone know why Harrold Cooper was dismissed ?? allegedly.in 1977/78 ??
 
img012.jpg

I have no date with this picture but just looking at it conjoures up some great memories.
 
I popped into the personnel department one day because i had just missed the 50 bus to see what jobs they had...ended up working for the co-op for about 15 years in different jobs. I had the choice of two shops to work at, Acocks Green or Strichley (formerly TASCO)...i picked Stirchley because it was near home. I had to go for a couple of days training and a medical at King Edward House in New St where we were given our uniforms. I remember doing a test when we arrived along the lines of, if you bought a four pairs of socks for a pound and a cabbage for six pence, how much change would you get for five pounds...HAHA.
A few of the people named in previous comments moved to Stirchley when Central closed...they moved the offices there. I remember Graham Mace, Frank White (proper nice chap) were a couple.
 
I was bassed at the Big top site, on the ground floor , we had no dealing with that area, I knew a few people from Great Brook Steet ,,, , being some of the carpet fitters.. ((( Eddie Allport ,,, Tim Buxton ...and a Mr Taylor accounts who also looked after the Football team... his was a nice man, had no bad word for anyone..... I remenber him in his last job in the Dry goods office ,working with Mark Thomas and Mrs Swift ...(((( Mark Thomas )) moved to Lichfield...when Central closed . Don
 
Hi co-op john,
your talking about what we at the store called "THE WORKS DEPARTMENT" and although I did have to go there on one or two occasions I am afraid it was not enough times for me to remember any names, I can remember the very tall dark haired electrician who wired up my office in the basement when it was refurbished his name was Charles I think.
 
Bruce was there to launch Dividend Stamps according to Ned Williams book, a photo of him and the co-op girls at central is printed in "Birmingham Shops" by Alton Douglas.
 
The store closed on 1 February 1985 according to David Harvey in the book "Birmingham Buses At Work" There are some colour photos including the rear of the store from 1984 on the Birmingham Moor Street Derelict Stations Web site.
 
In the late 1960's I worked in the cosmetics department on the general counter on the ground floor. I remember Pat Fall and Mollie Longmore, we used to sell stuff like Nivea cream and Oil of Ulay etc. There were specific counters for Max Factor, Coty, Revlon and Yardley who had beauty consultants who worked for those specific companies, we wore pink or blue gingham overalls and each sales girl had a wooden drawer with a mortice lock for a till, every sale was written down in the ticket book and we had to write the customer's co-op number so they got their dividend, we had to add everything up in our heads as I don't think calculators were invented then never mind computerised tills that are in the shops nowadays.
 
Great memories Patricia. I remember the Co Op then, you jolted my memory about the uniform. I have a book somewhere on the Co Op will sort it out and see what photo's there are.
 
Hi, I worked in the basement on the tool section in the early 1960`s. Ted Turner was in charge, Mr. Buxton Supervisor with Mr. Fackerall and Mr. Archer ran the floor.
DOES ANYONE HAVE PHOTOS OR MEMORIES DURING THAT TIME.
 
changinman1 said:
I would like to see some from the early 80,s if anyone has any, I am sure the food hall manager at the time was a guy called Pete...cant remember his surname, does anyone know it. If I remember rightly the staff canteen was on the top floor...maybe 6th floor....remember it well. The deli manager in 1982 was a guy called Dexter if my memory serves me well...
Click to expand...
His name was Pete Whitmore
 
does anyone remember those great girls in the typing dept, big top site furnishing dept during the 1960`s or any memories from the big top in the 60`s
 
Hi i was an apprentice butcher there in 1982 working for Bob Marston, the food hall manager was Pete somebody , cant think of his surname, marion were you there in 82/83 ???
 
I have many memories of the Co op in Brum. My dad, Bill Letts worked ofr them for many years from Baker to Finance.

I know he was awarded his long service award for over forty years when he left.

Think he started with them @1940 and was a baker delivering bread....at some point he moved to the top floor department, working in Kingstanding collecting money for the goods people purchased. I remeber the lifts well:) When dad had to go in to do his banking, i would go with him and told to sit there quietly whilst he did the banking:) That was during the early 70's

He was also in a dance band from the 1940's, that would play in the basement restaurant at christmas and new year for staff does. Mum worked for the co op too, so i would get to go along as well. I loved arriving early, having the whole dance floor to myself whilst dad and the band tuned up:)
The band had several names, including the Hal Letts Band and just Bill letts band.
There were four or so members, dad on drums, a piano/organ, saxophone and bass, occassionally a singer too.

If anyone remembers the band, let me know, i have some pictures which i can attempt to upload!

Brummieletts.
 
Hi,
sorry to say I don't remember the band, but during my time at High Street, which was from 1967 to 1979, In my day I am sure Billy Letts was what we called a Club Collector, in other words he called at customers houses collecting the repayments from customers who shopped using Club Stamps he had sold them to purchase goods, it was sort of a deferred payments scheme operated by the Co-Op, also I am sure that he was also a Union Representative, It was such a long time ago now, but as I remember him he was a short chap, always ready with a joke, and he had a way of chatting up the lady customers to sell them Club Stamps, and if I remember rightly at times he wore a natty little trilby hat, because like I am now his thatch had worn thin. If I was asked what famous person he reminded me of I would have to say the comedian Charlie Drake. Hope I have got the right person, and no offence meant by any of my comments. He was a proper card and an out and out Brummy.
Kind Regards Chris Bryan
 
Hi,
I was at High Street (BCS Central) from 1979 - 1981 where I worked in the Mens & Boys Wear warehouse on the first floor. My job was to unpack & check all the menswear that came into the department and put it into stock. We also used to handle all the menswear requests for the branches.

The head of the menswear warehouse was Bob Taylor, a real off the wall character. Also working in the warehouse during my time there were Ken (can't remember his surname), Michael Cloonan, Roger Boden (who went on to work for Domec) and me; George... Also tucked away in some small offices located within the warehouse were: Harry Chambers (bespoke tailoring), Clem Owen (menswear buyer), and the head of everything menswear; Mr Mumby.

I'll put a list of people I can remember at the end of this message.

I also got roped into playing football on Sunday mornings for BCS Central with Dave Cutler (Co-op Bank) and Andy Lees (Menswear) at the rather wonderful Co-op Sports & Social Club... That was such a bonus to have that club for free, you wouldn't get that these days.

Things certainly have changed since the 70's... I would join a bunch of the menswear sales staff virtually every lunchtime for a couple of pints & a 'pie, chips 'n peas' at the Yard Of Ale in New Street, then we'd all come back to work and breathe lager fumes over the customers for the rest of the afternoon!
I can remember getting so bladdered one lunchbreak around Christmas time, that when I returned to the warehouse the older guys laid some suits on the floor between the racks of clothing and I was ordered to get my head down & sleep it off!!... Truly great days from a by-gone age.
Here's a list of people I can remember, if you recognise any of them, please let me know!



Mr Mumby (God of Menswear!)
Clem Owen (Menswear Buyer)
Ray ? (Menswear Buyer)
Chris Potter (Menswear)
Trevor Graham (Menswear)
Michael Dukes (Menswear)
Ron Smith (a.k.a. ‘Bengie’) (Menswear)
Andy Lees (Menswear & BCS Central football team)
Ian Wilson (Menswear)
Jonathon Whitlock (Menswear)
Wendy ? (Mens Underwear & Shirts)
Harry Chambers (Bespoke & Alterations)
Bob Taylor (Menswear Stores)
Michael Cloonan (Menswear Stores)
Roger Boden (Menswear Stores & Domec)
George (Menswear Stores & BCS Central football team)
Ken ? (Menswear Stores)
Janet North (Footwear)
Christine Stapley (Footwear)
Dave Cutler (Co-op Bank & BCS Central football team)​

​

 
Just found this photo taken on the Menswear Dept; first floor, High Street in 1980/81.
From left to right:
Trevor Graham - Michael Dukes - George (me)
This photo is clearly dated by my hairstyle!... Luckily I was 'behind the scenes' for most of the time, but my looks did raise some eyebrows amongst the old-school type management at the Co-op.... It really was like working at Grace Brothers. :)


Click photo to enlarge. Edit 35 1981.jpg
 
Here is a picture of The Grand Louvre's china department which was part of the Co-op on High Street but was on the opposite side of the road to the main store.

High Street The Grand Louvre.jpg
 
Now that's what I'd call a proper china/glass department Carolina. I expect the 'rivetted' feature was appealing because of it's reflective qualities. Since the disappearance of many department stores, these displays are not often seen. Even in existing stores, the glass and china department is not what it once was. Viv.
 
Me neither Carolina. Sounds 'fancy' to me. It was mentioned in this BHF thread

https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=39537

Also this ad shows the High St Co-op to the right and the GL building to the left (it has the BCS sign up so it must have been some time after BCS bought out GL).

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1375551773.399944.jpg


The BHF link above includes this photo of the Midland Arcade with an entrance to G L on the left.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1375551847.689194.jpg

Viv.
 
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