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Secondhand corner shop - Small Heath

J

J Hughes

New Member
Hi - Does anyone remember the secondhand/nearly new shop on the corner of Somerville/Mansell Road? It was run by my parents (Betty & Bill) for a number of years in the 70's - it was a great meeting place for a gossip & a cup of 'camp coffee'
Some of the furniture goods were displayed outside on the shop front - There was a telephone box on the corner - a cobblers shop across the road & a grocery store opposite
I have very fond & happy memories going there on a Saturday and popping into Braggs bakery on the way for cakes to enjoy with a cup of tea at the 'shop' - there certainly was some regular 'characters ' popping in
 
I remember that shop during the mld/late 60s (may have been before your parents time), as my aunt lived in Mansel Rd. Sometimes on the way down to Digby Park after a visit to her I would pop in to pick up some secondhand Dinky or Corgi model cars that were often for sale. And occasionally a I would buy an ex jukebox 45 single after I managed to save up enough from my paper round to buy a Dansette record player. There was a similar second hand shop on Coventry Rd opposite Small Heath Park. That's where the Dansette came from!
 
Hi John - Great to get a reply! They were happy & somewhat hard times - I remember a Mrs James (prob not the same one) popping in the shop always immaculate and her house was too - she had a daughter (name escapes me) very pretty - dark hair who later had a baby girl
This Mrs James lived close to a Mrs leach who carried a small black poodle under her arm everywhere- we used to play we her grandchildren in the garden at the back of the shop - my Dad & brother used to go to the ‘Blues’ ground every Saturday from the shop - happy memories
 
Mom and Dads' shop.....The shop was on the corner of Sommerville and Mansell roads, with two windows, one facing each street, the frontage was a large paved area, which served as an extension to the shop for displaying a multitude of items ranging from lawn mowers, washing machines and flatley driers!.....(just to give you an idea of the era!) to ''antique'' furniture and old heavy duty tools from my Dads' old scrapyard days. There was ''tons'' of stuff that had to be lugged out of the shop every morning before you could even get into the place, and then all piled back in at night before the place could be locked up. I really don't know how my Mom managed on her own sometimes, travelling on two buses, the 36 from our home in Tyseley, to the Cov Road, then the 58 or 60 up to the George & Dragon (I think!) then the long traipse down Mansell Road, then getting the stock out of the shop on to the frontage, open and ready for trading!
One other thing that relates to the shop front was that ''our'' corner of the crossroads had the telephone kiosk on it, very important for me and my two sisters for ringing Mom if we had any problems at home, many times one of us would call from our party line (remember them?) to ask some random passerby ''can you get the lady from the second hand shop please!'' Mobiles were decorations you hung up at Christmas back then! The shop was a lock up unit rented by my parents, the rest of the building being flats/bedsits, if I remember correctly we had access through a door behind our counter to a kitchenette so that we could make a brew, and wash the cups, very basic. Well, dear reader, I hope these memories of my Mom, Betty and my Dad, Bill spur a few of you on to respond with your recollections of their second hand shop days in Small Heath!
 
Betty Hughes on the corner of Somerville road/Mansell Road outside the secondhand shop she ran with my Dad Bill
 

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J Hughes said:
Betty Hughes on the corner of Somerville road/Mansell Road outside the secondhand shop she ran with my Dad Bill
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this photograph has been taken on the frontage of our shop, the telephone box that I mentioned in my recent post is just out of the picture on the right hand side. Sadly, no one in the family has any pictures of the shop when we were in ''residence'' It looked nothing like the current view as the google photos show it.
 
J Hughes said:
Hi John - Great to get a reply! They were happy & somewhat hard times - I remember a Mrs James (prob not the same one) popping in the shop always immaculate and her house was too - she had a daughter (name escapes me) very pretty - dark hair who later had a baby girl
This Mrs James lived close to a Mrs leach who carried a small black poodle under her arm everywhere- we used to play we her grandchildren in the garden at the back of the shop - my Dad & brother used to go to the ‘Blues’ ground every Saturday from the shop - happy memories
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Hi J Hughes. "James" is my second Christian name so I'm not related to the James family that you mention. I left Small Heath in 1974 and have not lived in Brum since then. Amongst other things surviving from my childhood in Small Heath, I still have a James Bond Aston Martin that I bought from that little shop on the corner of Mansell Rd/Somerville Rd. Great memories....
 
I remember betty very well my mom was mrs james. And she and betty were good friends. Mom had my sister living with her i was married and had moved away. My sister was pat and yes she did have a little girl..does any one remember the cobbler across the road and what his name was. My name is jill
 
I am trying to find out about the shoe repair shop on the corner of mansell and somerville road can any brummie help
 
petej said:
I am trying to find out about the shoe repair shop on the corner of mansell and somerville road can any brummie help
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I remember that shop, it was on an elevated corner position with steps to it and black iron rail around the blue brick paviours laid around the shop; and the windows were halted with advertisements. Is that the shop you are enquiring about?
 
petej said:
I remember betty very well my mom was mrs james. And she and betty were good friends. Mom had my sister living with her i was married and had moved away. My sister was pat and yes she did have a little girl..does any one remember the cobbler across the road and what his name was. My name is jill
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Hi, oh so glad someone remembered my mom! I remember Mrs James she often came to the shop for a natter and cuppa I remember the cobbler shop too but can’t remember what is was called,
There was an off licence & a grocery shop on the adjacent corners
Funnily enough just this morning, I was looking at some photos of my dad (Bill Hughes) sitting on a chair outside the shop & a photo of my sister & I outside the shop window!
I remember Pat & her little baby girl too, she often walked pass pushing the pram which was always immaculate, thank you for responding
 
J Hughes said:
Hi, oh so glad someone remembered my mom! I remember Mrs James she often came to the shop for a natter and cuppa I remember the cobbler shop too but can’t remember what is was called,
There was an off licence & a grocery shop on the adjacent corners
Funnily enough just this morning, I was looking at some photos of my dad (Bill Hughes) sitting on a chair outside the shop & a photo of my sister & I outside the shop window!
I remember Pat & her little baby girl too, she often walked pass pushing the pram which was always immaculate, thank you for responding
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Hi. I havent been on the forum for ages si lovely to see the memories. The cobbler was mr loach for many years then someone called stan bought it the other shops were an outdoor and a grocers. I worked there when i left school too long ago. I left brum when i married but i can remember all the other shops right down to haybarns.
 
Covroad said:
I remember that shop, it was on an elevated corner position with steps to it and black iron rail around the blue brick paviours laid around the shop; and the windows were halted with advertisements. Is that the shop you are enquiring about?
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Yes thats the one. Can you remember who had it after mr loach. Some time later an indian family bought it Nd sold material. Thank you for remembering it
 
petej said:
Yes thats the one. Can you remember who had it after mr loach. Some time later an indian family bought it Nd sold material. Thank you for remembering it
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What I have got somewhere is some black and white pictures of me and some mates sitting on the railings and steps of the shop. We use to play football in Digby Park at the back of the shop.
If , I can find them I will scan and upload.
 
Covroad said:
What I have got somewhere is some black and white pictures of me and some mates sitting on the railings and steps of the shop. We use to play football in Digby Park at the back of the shop.
If , I can find them I will scan and upload.
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thanks would love to see them.
 
we would love to see any photos which will add to this thread..many thanks folks

lyn
 
J Hughes said:
Betty Hughes on the corner of Somerville road/Mansell Road outside the secondhand shop she ran with my Dad Bill
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Hello Jackie! Great to see some responses to the family's attempts to trace our memories and history! Can you post the picture of Dad sitting on one of our bargain ''antique'' chairs on the shop frontage? (I haven't a clue how to!) It might trigger a few more replies and unlock a few more memories......hopefully!
 
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