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Looks like the 1970s to me judging by the car to the right. I think it's a Mini Moke to the right. These were made from 1964 onwards. Viv.
 
It's a 1964 number plate anyway Viv, so you are prerry much right. Just look at the shops - True-Form to the right, you can just about make the words out, and the building that has Barclays still in it was (the half nearest the town hall) was Jax lingerie. I remember that so well - beautiful colours and the window was dressed so well. All these shops that are no longer in existence - it's quite sad really. Shops where you obtained service, not like today, where you help yourself and just pay - I find that poor. Perhaps that is why I don't like shopping, and do most on the internet.
 
Its a "Beach Buggy" Viv, not a "mini moke", the beach buggy was on a VW beetle chassis, and a mini moke on an austin mini chassis. but shortie is right it is a 1964 Reg.
paul
 
I thought I was right Paul. Perhaps odd for a girl, but in about 1958 my father had an RAC year book with all the (then) registrations in. Whewever we went on a journey I used to see where the cars passing us had come from. 'O' in the middle for Birmingham, 'U' for Wolverhampton, but of course there was more to it. It's always remained with me, and it's still numberplates not cars that I notice when in a car, as either driver or passenger. It passed the time away going to Cornwall when the roads were still A or B roads.
 
I know what you mean shortie, when a young soldier I would hitch hike from Germany all over Europe and I became efficient in recognizing number plates from various towns, ie: BB for Berlin, HH for Hamberg, in France 75 for Paris, or 62 for Calais etc.
paul
 
Great photo Stitcher all those lovely shops.I used to spend all day trawling round them in the late 60's. I have a neighbour who has a beach buggy will have to check the number plate. I was constanty taught about number plates first my father now my son who always talks of the virtues of the German plates which also include road tax. You keep your number plate for that reason. It does save the police tracking down non payers. I used to feel quite important when the AA man saluted us when passing in Dad's car :0)
 
You have one on me there Paul, my knowledge is limited to England! Wendy's comment brought back memories of both the AA and RAC men saluting if you had a badge on the front of your car. I have a friend whose husband is close to 80 years old. He tells, with much pleasure, the story of when he and my friend were not married and went out in his car for a ride into the country. They were miles from anywhere one day when my friend wished to 'spend a penny'. She hopped out of the car and behind a tree. An AA man then rode by on his motorbike, saluted, caught my friend just re-arranging her clothes, and at the sight of her suspenders, took his eye of the road and rode into some bushes! Much hilarity when he recalls this, I have to say.
 
This is probably the first Lord Mayor's Procession in 1970. The Lord Mayor's Procession was organised every year from 1970 till 1997 by Birmingham Junior Chamber of Commerce now JCI Birmingham (part of Junior Chamber International).
 
Lovely old pic of the General Stitcher. Look at all that space around it, it didn't look like that in the early 60's. Bet they never had MRSA in there.
 
paul stacey said:
I know what you mean shortie, when a young soldier I would hitch hike from Germany all over Europe and I became efficient in recognizing number plates from various towns, ie: BB for Berlin, HH for Hamberg, in France 75 for Paris, or 62 for Calais etc.
paul
Click to expand...

In a similar vein Paul.

On long autobahn journeys we signallers used to keep awake by noting down nationality plates on passing cars.

A regiment on the move, doing 20 mph, was enough to bore anybody to death !
 
It is really good to see such interest in a picture and I thank you all for the comments. When I was working I used to save these because of my own interest in this city. I never realised that one day I would get the opportunity to show them to other people. Of course we can can all access the various sites where pictures aree stored but it does not seem the same somehow. I still have a number left plus a few which are obviously pages from books but of course I have no idea what the books were. I will carry on until my pics and scraps are all exhausted which of course must happen one day soon.
stitcher
 
Hello Maggs, I can't argue with that!! My own opinion is that many things in this life were better before the 'IMPROVEMENTS' were introduced.
 
Shortie said:
It's a 1964 number plate anyway Viv, so you are prerry much right. Just look at the shops - True-Form to the right, you can just about make the words out, and the building that has Barclays still in it was (the half nearest the town hall) was Jax lingerie. I remember that so well - beautiful colours and the window was dressed so well. All these shops that are no longer in existence - it's quite sad really. Shops where you obtained service, not like today, where you help yourself and just pay - I find that poor. Perhaps that is why I don't like shopping, and do most on the internet.
Click to expand...

Shortie I remember Jax it was one of the shops you could use with your Provident Cheque.
 
I never went in it Carolina, I used to get the bus in New Street, and just look at the displays. You would never see 30 bras in all different colours in a window today, would you? I wonder if Jax was a division of some other company or was it a stand-alone company?
 
Carolina, I remember the word Provident cheques, but cab't remember what they were. Perhaps you can educate me.
 
If it was't for provident cheques, non of us kids would ever have any "New" clothes or Christmas presses, it was a sort of "Friendly Society" where you paid back a small amount each week with small interest, till paid off then got another cheque, which was accepted by some shops sort of like "lunch vouchers" . Paul
 
My mom always used Provident Cheques to fit us three lads for school at the end of the summer holidays, then again for Xmas. Fosters Gents outfitters was one shop she used.
 
Thank you Paul for educating me. I now know what they were and how it all worked. It sounded a good idea, but if a lot of people used them, I bet the interest was worth having for the money lenders.
 
paul stacey said:
If it was't for provident cheques, non of us kids would ever have any "New" clothes or Christmas presses, it was a sort of "Friendly Society" where you paid back a small amount each week with small interest, till paid off then got another cheque, which was accepted by some shops sort of like "lunch vouchers" . Paul
Click to expand...

same here paul...mr lewis was our provvy man....

lyn
 
Hi maggs and Lyn, Yes the thing was Maggs that working class people of the 50's and 60s did't have bank accounts only post office, and the small amount of money they earned would have taken years to save up for clothes for say 4 kids , so this was really the "only" way you could get credit, and was cheaper than the catalogues if they existed. Paul
 
yes paul the provident helped many families out thats for sure...there were 6 kids for mom and dad to bring up..i also remember mom using another club called blundells mainly for christmas presents...she used the shop that was on the soho road...sorry im drifting back in time again..im always doing this lol..

lyn
 
when you think back just how poor people were in the so called "Good Old Days", and compare it with nowadays, well !we all moan but Macmillon was right, we have
never had it so good! I have never been so well off in my life. Bernard
 
maggs said:
Thank you Paul for educating me. I now know what they were and how it all worked. It sounded a good idea, but if a lot of people used them, I bet the interest was worth having for the money lenders.
Click to expand...
In the 1960s the time that The Provident Cheques were at there zenith the interest rate was very very reasonable, 1 shilling in the pound, IE a £20 cheque would have an interest of £1. Sorry for going off thread but i felt this question needed answering.
 
Big Fella said:
In the 1960s the time that The Provident Cheques were at there zenith the interest rate was very very reasonable, 1 shilling in the pound, IE a £20 cheque would have an interest of £1. Sorry for going off thread but i felt this question needed answering.
Click to expand...

My mom also had the co-op cheque which was useful for school uniforms.
Click to expand...

Apologies in advance of continuing this off topic bit, but the two posts above have possibly answered a burning question I have had for a while now.

How my poor mom used to balance the family budget, I'll never know, but she clearly did a few interesting things, borrow a few bob off her mom, a couple of foreign coins in the gas meter, a trip to the pawn shop now and then.

We also had the Provident man call one a week, guy call Bill, drove a three wheel Reliant car. Mom gave him money each week, she would mention waiting for her provident cheque.

There was also Les from the Co op, big friendly giant of a man, he called for years. I am sure he gave mom a book full of stamps, which she would spend in a department store on town, I assume it would be the Co op.

Thanks and I apologise again
 
oh morturn now you have started me off again lol..the mention of the foreign coins bought to mind when we had no money for the gas meter..dad would fold a piece of cardboard to the exact size needed...push it into the slot and pull the handle...wallahh we had gas....case of needs be when the devil drives...

lyn
 
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