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Preedy Alfred Tobacconist

OtherHalf

OtherHalf

posher half
While out as usual looking round Cemeteries with my darling wife who takes delight in this sort of thing lol we came across this (picture attached) it is the resting place of several Preedys in St Thomas Dudley normally I just pass by (cause I am looking for something else) but while I was taking some pictures as I looked over the wall I saw this(picture attached) well because of that I went back and took another look at it and it sparked my interest in finding out more so I hope you can help have found out that Alfred Preedy started the tobacco wholesale business in about 1869 does anybody have anymore details he was born in 1840 thanks:)
 
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Re: Alfred Preedy Tobacconist

Am i a bit thick. I can't seem to get my head around him being born in 1840 and starting a business in 1809
 
Re: Alfred Preedy Tobacconist

lol Mike what I should have said his g father ?started in the tobacco trade 1809 he started the wholesale warehouses about 1869 Alfred was born 1840 lol booboo :P
 
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Re: Alfred Preedy Tobacconist

Only have af ew directories outside Brum, but can't find a mention of a Preedy being into wholesale, before the first world war anyway. All the references are to retail shops, though outside counties directories usually seem to be rubbish, so likely they have missed a lot out.. First shop seems to be 84 High st dudley, mentioned in 1884. Hes got one at 72 Lichfield st ,wolves in 1904 and then seems to expand with 2 in Brum in 1912 and about 7 in staffs in 1924.
 
Re: Alfred Preedy Tobacconist

cheers Mike think I am gonna have to go to Dudley archives and start from there:)
 
Re: Alfred Preedy Tobacconist

www.blackcountryhistory.org (the West Midlands Archive Service) have a 1970's photo of the Lichfield Street, Wolverhampton shop. Get back to me if you have trouble finding it on there (I bet you will LOL) Other Preedy shops of around the same period will occur in their indexes but you will need to do a fingertip search through each individual street name where they were located to find them

The Wolverhampton historian Ned Williams has a 1908 photo of the Dudley shop in his book "The Black Country-Past and Present" Page 36 of the 2002 printing which i have here with me. You can find copies of all Mr.Williams' local history books here at each library branch in Wolverhampton; certain titles are stocked at public libraries elsewhere in the West Midlands.
 
Re: Alfred Preedy Tobacconist

cheers Richie I want to find out about the man if I can it was just a coincidence but it is becoming a bit of a compulsion now lol nice link thanks:)
 
Re: Alfred Preedy Tobacconist

Alfred Preedy was born in Souldern,Oxon 1840. to Richard and Ann
1841 census for Souldern has Alfred age 8 months his father is an Agricultural labourer

1881 Dwelling: 84 High St
Census Place: Dudley, Worcester, England
Source: FHL Film 1341690 PRO Ref RG11 Piece 2876 Folio 76 Page 1
Marr Age Sex Birthplace
Alfred PREEDY M 40 M Souldern, Oxford, England
Rel: Head
Occ: Tobacconist Assistant
Sarah H. PREEDY M 39 F Stamford, Lincoln, England
Rel: Wife
Charles PREEDY 7 M Dudley, Worcester, England
Rel: Son
Occ: Scholar
Mary A. HART M 35 F Stamford, Lincoln, England
Rel: S In Law
Horace B. HART U 5 M Darlaston, Stafford, England
Rel: Nephew
Phoebe BUTLER U 17 F Lye, Worcester, England
Rel: Assistant
Esther A. LILLY U 15 F Woodside, Worcester, England
Occ: Domestic Servant
 
Re: Alfred Preedy Tobacconist

Alberta cheers for that now I can get on ..will find out more as I go all I had originally was the names ...I can now follow up thanks
icon3.gif
 
Hi, I was wondering if anyone has a picture of the actual Preedys shop in Harborne as I worked there in the late 70s thank you would very much appreciate it

Pam
 
When Alfred Preedy were quoted on the Stock Exchange, I bought a few shares. Paid too much and sold at a loss. Don't bother with the Stock Exchange these days. Leave that to my pension fund provider.
 
Larry Barker said:
Was manager in 70's think I put u in charge of book dept
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I think you put me on the record department counter under a girl called Monica Hayes who was in charge loved that job, I remember dressing up as a Mr man and stood outside the shop we also did a cowboy and cowgirl day this was when Preedys was in the bigger shop over the road have you any pictures Larry at all,
 
pam m said:
I think you put me on the record department counter under a girl called Monica Hayes who was in charge loved that job, I remember dressing up as a Mr man and stood outside the shop we also did a cowboy and cowgirl day this was when Preedys was in the bigger shop over the road have you any pictures Larry at all,
Click to expand...
 
Through a friend I have s box of Preedy's Paraffin Matches : Dudley. See attached photo. I was wondering how old they might be? Can anybody help?
 
This fits nicely with the image above, the earliest I can find the company.
 

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I worked for Preedys for 5 years
great company
worked at Castle Vale, bridge link, new st,and tile cross
happy times xxx
 
I worked for Preedy's in Moseley in 1978/79 about 18 months. Used to love doing the pipe and lighter display cabinet.
Hated having to do the paper rounds if the paper boy/girl did not show up.
 
I worked for Preedys from 1973 until 1979, they were a great firm to work for
i trained at Castle Vale, then Corporation Street before taking over New Street and at 18 becoming Preedys youngest manager
I then went to Tile Cross before leaving to start my family
Great times and many happy memories
 
Radiorails said:
Alfred Preedy & Sons

ALFRED PREEDY & SONS LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK

ALFRED PREEDY & SONS LIMITED - Free company information from Companies House including registered office address, filing history, accounts, annual return, officers, charges, business activity
find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk
Click to expand...
Interesting but this is not the Alfred Preedy & Sons Ltd that we knew as it appears the company names have been swopped round over the years as this company has had the Preedy name only since 1989. Way back in the 1970s when I was actively involved with trading on the Stock Exchange, I held some shares in the company then known as Alfred Preedy & Sons Ltd.
According to the information given it appears that there was a change of ownership in March this year from Tesco of Welwyn Garden City to One Stop Convenience Stores of Walsall who look as if they are doing some tidying up by liquidating this Alfred Preedy. The immediate holding company of this Alfred Preedy is or was Dillons Newsagents Ltd.
 
Alfred Preedy was my great great grandfather. My grandfather, Howard Preedy, was born in 1911 in Dudley. He ran Preedy's with one of my uncles (Stephen Preedy) until it was all sold in the early 80's I think. He used to take me with him to the branch in Barnt Green, where he would pick up his tobacco for free!
 
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