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Lost in Time

Oisin

Oisin

gone but not forgotten
Last Saturday, whilst reluctantly being dragged around town, I was introduced to Roberts Jewellers on Corporation Street for the very first time. Although I'm no fan of that particular type of merchandise, I must say I was fascinated by this jewel of an old shop, which seems to be unchanged by decades. The shop windows, the display cabinets, the whole aura of the place gave the impression of entering a time capsule.

As is on all these occasions, I hadn't got my camera with me. I've searched for photos on the Net without success. So next time I'm in that area I promise to make an effort to go better equipped. In the meanwhile I would be interested in anyone else's memories, knowledge or photographs of the shop.
 
Well done Oisin look forward to that I think I remember the shop but??? O0
 
I remember "Lesley's" jewellers shop.........it had an eternal "Closing Down Sale"!!!!!!
 
I was always amazed by the advertising of a jewellers named Crooks, bit dodgy if you ask me. :-\
 
I can't place the shop Paul, but I always have a look in a the old jewellers shop in New Street, on the corner of the arcade.
 
Di,
That'd be Rex Johnston's. He shared the premises with Brecknell's milliners. You could go there and get yer wedding ring and mother in law's hat in one go. :2funny: Because we didn't go in for the full Monty white wedding, Gail got her wedding hat there. Sadly it closed down about a week ago.
 
What a nice photo, you both look great, Gail hasn't changed eh!

I think that store was everyones favourite stop.

Hats were my thing when I was young, never went to any special occassion without one, especially St Andrews every Sunday. :)

Mo
 
Brecknells - I remember it well

K8 would have loved Brecknells - THE place to buy a hat..............they had all colours all shapes and you never left the shop without a hat.....I dont think there was an outfit they couldnt match
 
I had my ears pierced there in the 70s,they have some lovely second hand jewellery. ;)
 
Di,
Gail says thank you ...What d'you think the attarction was? ;)

Here's a hat in Brecknell's window. I thought I had more so I guess you and Kate will have to draw straws for it. ^-^

I'll be in town over the weekend so hope to get an image or two of Roberts.
pictureflash2bz.gif
 
That is beautiful Paul, when did you take that? :smitten:

Did someone say the store has cloesed now? Mo
 
I took it when the closing down sale was taking place a while ago. Here's part of the EXIF File:


Make - EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
Model - KODAK Z740 ZOOM DIGITAL CAMERA
ExposureTime - 1/250 seconds
FNumber - 3.20
ExposureProgram - Normal program
ISOSpeedRatings - 200
ExifVersion - 0221
DateTimeOriginal - 2006:03:25 11:01:44
DateTimeDigitized - 2006:03:25 11:01:44
ShutterSpeedValue - 1/256 seconds
ApertureValue - F 3.25
ExposureBiasValue - 0.00
MaxApertureValue - F 3.25
MeteringMode - Multi-segment
LightSource - Auto
Flash - Not fired, compulsory flash mode
FocalLength - 11.50 mm
FlashPixVersion - 0100
ColorSpace - sRGB
FocalLengthIn35mmFilm - 69 mm
 
Oh yes anyone can understand that Oisin :-\

All my photos are taken by pressing the button on the Top of the Camera :o
 
:2funny: Strangely enough, Alf, that's what I did with this one. Every digital photo has a EXIF file though. I was just showing off by posting this one. ::)
 
We are all impressed Paul. Now I know why your photos are so good. O0

Like Alf I just press the button, with the occassional zoom in or out. :coolsmiley:
 
Don't worry, Paul I understood every word until I got to EXIF and then you lost me. >:D
 
Langstraat said:
Oisin,

The technicalities are obliviously an interest to you but do you know about Metadata tags which you can apply to your pictures?
Now we're talking best thing since sliced bread.
Click to expand...

D'you know, I'm beginning to get the feeling I shouldn't have been so smart-assed!
l9iblush.gif
 
Langstaat, my term "smart-assed" was in reference to myself posting the EXIF file. :uglystupid2:
However, I would be interested in learning more about metadata. To prevent boring the good folk by straying too far off topic, if you have the time, perhaps you would consider emailing or PMing any information you have on it to me? O0
Thanks,
O
 
Never mind data and stuff, I just loved the piccy of that hat....................... :)

If I'd known they had a closing down sale, I would have been there. You neverknow when you might need a nice hat.

Thanks for the photo's of Roberts, Paul. It jiggled my memory, I do know it - just forgot it. :smitten:
 
Langstraat,

That shop next to the Midland Hotel I think it was Watches of Switzerland
 
Great photos of the jewellers Paul. What street is it on?

I just hope they are not broken into tonight, as they might think you were casing the joint when you were taking the photos.

We will all say you were at home on the forum tonight. :police: :2funny:

Mo
 
Sakura, strange you should mention being broken into. In 1960 I became engaged and we went one Saturday to a jewellers on Corporation Street called King's. It was on the right hand side opposite another jewellers called Ciro's of Bond Street close to C&A's near the New Street corner. It was close to Christmas I remember. We purchased a ring with a single diamond, a solitaire on a gold band.
On the following Monday we learned that the manager of King's had been kidnapped after he left the store on Saturday and was forced to drive back to the store after the robbers blindfolded him, got his keys and raided the shop. They forced him to open the safe and took the money and cheques plus some jewellery from the store. This robbery was reported in the Birmingham Mail. During the week a large notice appeared in the paper asking that people who purchased jewellery on that Saturday, please return to the shop to repay the jeweller's for their purchases. I have never understood this but I suspect that the store didn't have any insurance to cover their losses. My fiancee actually went back to the store and repaid them for the ring. He received a letter later on thanking him for being so honest. It was noted that not many people had come back to the store who had been in on that Saturday and purchased jewellery. To cut short the story, two years later the romance failed and the last thing I did before leaving for Canada was to sell that ring. I took it to an old jewellery store called Goddard's on High Street close to Marks and Spencers in the City It turned out to have a huge carbon spot in the diamond and was worth five pounds at the most! I then took it to a jeweller's in High Street,Aston who verified the carbon spot and gave me five pounds for it. The whole thing was doomed it seemed and I believe the ring was seventy pounds originally plus the second payment due to the robbery. Basically, the ring was worthless.

I remember a very old fashioned jewellers a couple of doors up from King's called Nathan's. The shop front was made of fine wood and it had a oval glass pane in the door. The jewellery was very expensive in that shop. Could it have been renamed Roberts?
 
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