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CORONET CAMERA COMPANY 48 Great Hampton Street

  • Thread starter Thread starter Gerry-Coronet
  • Start date Start date
G

Gerry-Coronet

Guest
Hello,

This may be along shot but I wonder if you and anyone interested in Lucas, would also remember the *CORONET CAMERA COMPANY: they were based at **
48 Great Hampton Street and then at 308-310 Summer Lane, Aston, Birmingham. *

As Brummy, I have been fascinated in the above Co., for years and have collected *Coronet* cameras for over a quarter of century.

Presently, I am preparing an article on the Co.s formation and development from 1926 to its demise in 1966.

I would be pleased to hear from former factory workers, but also office staff and or those with any *coronet* cameras, e.g., with anecdotes of when and why they bought them, etc.
I am also keen to buy or view photographic company trade catalogues relating to any of the *Coronet* companies, which also included *Standard Camera Works, Conway and Rex*.


Perhaps some archives of these Companies may still exist, so if anyone can help to discover more about the above interesting and largely forgotten company, please contact me via message system


Thanks

Gerry

* *
 
Last edited by a moderator:
hi gerry. the coronet building in summer lane is still there. the year before last brian harding(ex summerlaner) opened up the premises for the purpose of showing photos of the schools pubs and people who lived in the area. also on show were some old coronet cameras which is just what they were looking for people to donate. brian has not been to well this past few months but i am happy to say he seems to be on the mend. he opened up the shop twice a week but obviously due to ill health its been closed for a while. i have heard he will shortly be reopening. it was opened by prof carl chinn and we all had a great time. especially as the stag pub is right opposite ha ha anyway heres a pic of the shop on opening day. think im somewhere on the steps with my brother. wales.
 
Hi,
Yes, many thanks, I have been in contact with the author. I do already have this info., but really want to speak to people that worked at the factory and or have Coronet collections. Please tell anyone to contact me should they have any snippets of information.
Thanks
Gerry
 
Happened to come across this Thread whilst browsing and thought it might be a good place to post this. As a kid, I wanted to replace a Kodak Brownie 127 with one of these so cut the advert from a Meccano Magazine to hawk round the family as an ideal Christmas present for me. Sadly nobody took the bait and I still have the 127.
 
nice one mike. i am sure gerry will find this interesting. he is still looking for a photo of the coronet building that was in summer lane if anyone has one that would be great.

wales.:)
 
Hi Mike,
I am interested, as i understand it it was an advert for a Coronet camera in Meccano Magazine and yuo wanted to swap a Brownie 127 for a Coronet, am i right Sir? :). What year was the advert, i guess you don't have it now, or remember whuch camera it was? What did yuo think of the the Coronet cameras?
Any info., yuo have on the factory or camera etc., would be most wellcome.
best wishes,
Gerry
 
Gerry-Coronet said:
Hi Mike,
I am interested, as i understand it it was an advert for a Coronet camera in Meccano Magazine and yuo wanted to swap a Brownie 127 for a Coronet, am i right Sir? :). What year was the advert, i guess you don't have it now, or remember whuch camera it was? What did yuo think of the the Coronet cameras?
Any info., yuo have on the factory or camera etc., would be most wellcome.
best wishes,
Gerry
Click to expand...

Hi Gerry,
I thought the Coronet 6-6 camera in the advert looked so much more attractive than the Kodak 127 and with flash synchro as well, it would be a great replacement for the 127 but such things had to be by way of a Birthday or Christmas present as pocket money then wouldn't run to such things without ages of saving up. This would have been in the mid 1950's The Meccano Magazine was disposed of when the ad was removed but the ad survives as it was inside a scrapbook (but not gliued in). I never did get to own a Coronet camera. You are welcome to the actual ad if you want it.
Mike
 
motorman-mike said:
Hi Gerry,
I thought the Coronet 6-6 camera in the advert looked so much more attractive than the Kodak 127 and with flash synchro as well, it would be a great replacement for the 127 but such things had to be by way of a Birthday or Christmas present as pocket money then wouldn't run to such things without ages of saving up. This would have been in the mid 1950's The Meccano Magazine was disposed of when the ad was removed but the ad survives as it was inside a scrapbook (but not gliued in). I never did get to own a Coronet camera. You are welcome to the actual ad if you want it.
Mike
Click to expand...
Mike,
Thanks fr the rapid reply.
Well what can i say but thanks for both the offer of the adverts that would be great and also the fact that you agree that the 6-6 with Flash is a nicer camera than the 127. If you can email me at [email protected] I can supply my address to forward the advert to me.
All the best
Gerry
 
Hi,
I am trying to find the first record of the above company who were based at 48 Great Hampton street, possibly from 1926 until 1931?

Gerry
 
Hi Gerry

Coronet Cameras were at 48 Gt Hampton Street in 1932. In 1933, they were at 310 Summer Lane.
 
Hi, I would most pleased to hear how you know these dates to be accurate. Please contact me and tell me more.
best wishes
Gerry
:)
 
Gerry, the info was from Kelly's directories which are online. Haven't found one for 1926 though.
 
Icarus said:
Gerry, the info was from Kelly's directories which are online. Haven't found one for 1926 though.
Click to expand...
Yes, i too have looked on line, but not accessed the full record. I am also trying to determine when the Co was at Gt Hampton St. Kelly's is only a rough guide as it was complied the year before it was published! Hope you can help more. I am not in Brun any more so i canot acess thingslocally.
Gerry

 
TCWARDPLUMBERS said:
Hi gerry, try this one.
Click to expand...
Terry,
That map is brilliant.
Any chance you could email it to me at the biggest size you have.
Is it an OS map?
What date is it please and what does the yellow section mean?

Is the Victoria Works (optical lenses) the British Lens and Opitcal factory?
They are so cloase to each other!
BLCo was at 316 summer lane and Coronet at 308-310, apparently just nextstore!

Also I see their is a steel nib factory close by who would that have belonged to, any ideas?

I am very greatful for your perserverance, this is most exiciting for me
Cheers
Gerry
P.S. Yes Lyn it is eciting and excllent.
 
Hi All,
Any one know about this camera "Cowens Ideal A1 camera"?

It was sold to me as CORONET box camera with packaging.
Admitedly the Cowen camera looks similar to the Coronet illustration on
the box, however, the label says Cowen, and thus it appears not be by
the Coronet Camera Co.!!

It is possible that early on, that Coronet sold other Co., cameras or
less likely they ran short in production and had to supply another make!
However, the similarity of the camera and that the box and camera have
survived probably 80+ years together suggests they are contemporary and
belong together:hence my puzzlement.


I think i know the name Cowen as something to do with
light-industries/motobikes but perhaps I am wrong?

Cheers,
Gerry
 
Gerry
Probably a dubious red herring, but in 1921 there was :
Cowen S. & Co. Limited,picture frame makers, 48 Edgbaston street (T A " Frames ; " T N 1,812 Midland) & gramophone dea'ers, 30 & 32 Worcester street
By 1932 they were listed just as picture frame makers at the edgebaston st address. they obviously were prepared to go to more technical things than picture frames if they sold gramophones. Could they have dabbled in cameras, made by Coronet?
Mike ​

.
 
Mike,
That sounds good, now how to find out more ! Hm!
I guess i need a trade catalog for Cowen S. & Co. Limited,
Gerry
 
Mike,
I just was wondering about the reference was this from the street directory and which one ?
Secondly, was T A " Frames part of Cowen S. & Co. Limited, picture frame makers?
Best wishes
Gerry
 
Gerry
The refs were from the 1921 and 1932 Kellys directories. I copied the whole reference from kellys as it stood. T.A "Frames" means the telegraphic address was "Frames". At one time all reasonable sized firms had them.
Mike
 
Mike,
Great, now i know the dates and what TA stands for , most kind :)
Gerry
 
My Mom worked at the Coronet for 15 years upto the time it closed down ,she worked in the assembly shop if you would like more details please contact me ,she has many happy memories of the time she spent there and the staff .
 
hi guyss ;
does anybody ever recall the little sixpence camera that you could buy from woolworths on the flat at hockley [ lodge rd ]
it was in a tiny box our mom bought us all us kids to keep the peice and stopped us qbbling over it whom which one was haveing it ;
it took some great little pictures we all got snap fever to see whom could take the best picture we took them around the corner on monument rd
at the chemist it cost 2/6d to get them delveloped
best wishes astonian;;
 
Astonian said:
hi guyss ;
does anybody ever recall the little sixpence camera that you could buy from woolworths on the flat at hockley [ lodge rd ]
it was in a tiny box our mom bought us all us kids to keep the peice and stopped us qbbling over it whom which one was haveing it ;
it took some great little pictures we all got snap fever to see whom could take the best picture we took them around the corner on monument rd
at the chemist it cost 2/6d to get them delveloped
best wishes astonian;;
Click to expand...
Only 5 years late in getting an answer to you, but I believe you are talking about a camera called the VP Twin made by Edwin Elliot in Birmingham (his factory was next to Coronets and there are links between the company) The camera came in 3 parts to keep it to Woolworths motto of everything 6d or under
 
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