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Lewis's Department Store

As Jenyann says lovely photo Mike. There must be so many of us here who probably stood on those never ending stairs together with such excitement waiting to see Father Christmas..........happy days!
 
Way back in 1943/44 when I was a good looking young man??? I worked at Cannings and sometimes dureing my lunch hour I would walk up town to look around in Lewis'. At that time they had a Record Dept. in the basement. I started down the stairs to look in there and there was such a large crowd of people in there,so I stopped on the stairs to see what was going on and there he was, a young Frank Sinatra promoting his latest record. Needless to say I went back up the stairs and walked back down Gt Hampton St back to work.

Have a nice day, Wally.
 
Oh my Lord, Wally. What a treat. I was still playing hopscotch at the time but that doesn't stop me feeling envious.
 
What a small world we live in, I was in my village hall market today, and a lady said thats a Brummie accent, it transpired that she was a Brummie, but now lives not far from me,in Freshwater I.O.Wight, well she was trying to find someone who worked in the rooftop zoo at Lewis's, I remeber it well as I used to take my daughter and niece to see father xmas every year, oh the long walk up the stairs queing to get to the grotto, one year my daughter and niece had thier photos taken with the chimps from the zoo on the top floor the photo was of two very frightened children ha ha something which was never repeated and something which I wouldnt even consider these days, but still my daughter laughs at the photo.
I have emailed this lady I met, to give her details of this web site , I did meet a man who lived just round the corner from me who also worked at Lewis's, but havent seen him for a while, perhaps someone may know what happened to the gentelman who worked at Lewis''s Zoo.
Gladi
 
Gladi

Here's a photo of my sister taken with leopards at the top floor Zoo at Lewis's. She looks a bit on edge, but was quite safe as she was standing behind a glass screen! Not sure of the date but would think it was the early 1950's.

Judy
 
Anyone recall Christmas's a few years back when a policeman with a loudhailer would stand on the canopy of the shops on Rackhams side of Bull Street bawling out insructions to the pedestrians ignoring the crossing lights to Lewis's door opposite. It was like a voice from the God's and comical to see people looking all around trying to see where it was coming from.
 
This was taken at Lewis' in 1960. My first born son was NOT too impressed at Father Christmas..............but who could blame him he was a miserable Santa and terried my son who was only 18 months old!!!

Strange.....we tell them not to talk to strangers and once a year we plonk them on a bearded old man's knee and expect them to smile??

It took me ages to pacify my boy after that visit.
 
The January Sales are on in this early 1970's view of Bull Street seen from outside Greys with Lewis's there in the background.
 
rowan said:
This was taken at Lewis' in 1960. My first born son was NOT too impressed at Father Christmas..............but who could blame him he was a miserable Santa and terried my son who was only 18 months old!!!

Strange.....we tell them not to talk to strangers and once a year we plonk them on a bearded old man's knee and expect them to smile??

It took me ages to pacify my boy after that visit.
Click to expand...
Exactly the same Father Christmas and backdrop as my picture posted a few pages earlier............
 
rowan said:
This was taken at Lewis' in 1960. My first born son was NOT too impressed at Father Christmas..............but who could blame him he was a miserable Santa and terried my son who was only 18 months old!!!

Strange.....we tell them not to talk to strangers and once a year we plonk them on a bearded old man's knee and expect them to smile??

It took me ages to pacify my boy after that visit.
Click to expand...
Good gracious Rowan that Father Christmas looks more like Fagin no wonder your son was terrified! Does he remember it?
 
I believe someone mentioned the Children's Hairdressing department on this thread. I found this whilst browsing through my photo collection the other day. It may be of interest.

Phil
 

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Great photo Phil. I remember the Children's Hairdressing Salon well, and think had my hair cut there a couple of times over the years, as did my sister. I think I will copy the photo and show it to her as she would enjoy seeing it - hope that is OK with you.

Judy
 
Hating going there to have my hair cut.
Why was a haircut so frightening?
Perhaps because we had to sit still,almost impossible when you are a child.
 
Hi Phil:Thanks for posting the Children's Hairdressing Department in Lewis's. We kids all went at one time. It was very innovative for Brum back then. I used ask my Mom to walk by there even when I wasn't having a hair cut. It fascinated me.
 
No he doesn't remember it Wendy, because I took him to a far nicer Father Christmas in Henry's.
He had a stuffed bunny rabbit for his present, that he adored for many years ('til he lost it and mourn for it for months), so bunny scrubbed the nasty Father Christmas from his mind
 
How strange Jennyann I was always facinated by the haidressers. I am not sure but it may have been the animals you sat on. I think I only had my hair cut once there.
Rowan I am pleased he got over it but sad to hear he lost his bunny.
 
Wendy:I THINK he has got over it by now but I'm not too sure.
(not the sort of question you ask a 491/2 year old is it, really hee hee)!!
 
just in time to upload this pic.. i found of me and my sister on muffin the mule when we visit lewis`s at xmas, we look scared im the one in the hoodie jacket with ice cream i think on my mouth lol
 
Pinkey what a wonderful picture, oh how I loved muffin the mule!

Len, I am sure you are right great memories!
 
Oh Jenny - I haven't even open your link and you have me singing the muffin the mule song, how do we remember these things but what happened an hour ago we have to think about.
I have looked at the link and saved it, I must go through them as I used to enough so many of those things. London to Brighton in four minutes, I remember that.Mo
 
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My mother used to work at the hospital and told us that people jumped off there a lot, she dreaded it....
 
Hi everyone, did Lewis's hairdressers have a squirrel as well as Muffin? Don't thin k I had my hair cut there. But I remember Muffin - before we had a TV my b rother and I went next door to watch the children's programmes including Muffin which was a bit young for me but it was fasinating to watch tv. My brother reminded me only yesterday that our first tv was an 9" dosen't seem possible now does it. The old ads reminded me of my dad who when the commercial channel hated tham so much that he got up every time to turn them down and then was shouted at when he didn't get up in time to turn it up again!! The funny thin gs people do.
Sheri
 
My grandad always said that his father (my great grandfather), as a bricklayers labourer, was involved in building Lewis's. He also told us that his father had a fall while working on Lewis's, breaking many bones but surviving to tell the tale.
However, when doing my family history, I discovered that my great grandfather was born in 1886, and Lewis's was completed in 1885, the year before he was born! Sadly my grandfather is no longer alive to shed any light on this mystery.
I was wondering if anyone knows whether Lewis's was ever reconstructed at any time, such as after the second world war?
 
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