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Fred the boot mender

dereklcg

dereklcg

master brummie
Where i lived in Cromwell st the top of grt lister st going towards the old soldiers,there was a boot mender our back yard backed onto the shop,i used to go in and help just for pennies we all knew him great bloke
his name was Fred Andie and the shop was English leather,
they had a main shop i think up ashted row? anyone out there remember it? i found a shop very similar last week in a museum and it took me right back. happy days regards dereklcg.
 
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When I was a child in Handsworth our neighbours in Putney Road were Jim and Hilda Buckley. They later went to open a shoe repair shop further up, near Crompton Road.
Imagine my surprise a few years ago, when my son asked his wife if she'd taken the shoes to be repaired at Buckleys! They were both working at Thornhill Road (Handsworth) Police Station at the time and always had their shoes repaired at Buckleys. I went to visit and found it was being run by Jim's son - but that Hilda was still alive and in her eighties. I was so thrilled to be able to meet up with them and the shop was like stepping into a time wharp. Exactly as I remembered it, even down to the smell of leather. Sadly, it closed down the following year. Too many people wear trainers or never get shoes mended now.
 
ditto the smell of new leather and all that goes with it
nice to share a story with you
happy days regards dereklcg..:)
 
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