Shops Muntz st/The Cov

[jan hedger]

Hi all,
Anyone with memories of shops late fifties to the early seventies, in Muntz St and The Cov - Small Heath?
Some names from me; Muntz St - Charlies(greengrocers/poultry) Birches(sweet shop) Wool shop(corner of wright St) Library (believe closed very early sixties) Can't remember names of others - butchers, small grocers, newsagents and another sweet shop.
The Cov - Rowbottoms, Laceys Photographers(my mom worked there for a while) Brierleys, McGauleys, Maturi's, The Dairy also Jones and Sturdeys - bingo hall!
Jan Hedger

 

[Dolphie]

I remember Tays the butchers (think they were on the Cov just by the traffic lights opposite Wordsworth Rd?) & was it Collins the grocers. I remember going into this shop with my Mom in the early 60's for her to get her shopping (they served you across the counter)......I tried to climb up some biscuit tins to see better, fell off & cut my thigh really badly....should've had it stitched really but all I got was a belting as I shouldnt have been climbing!.

I used to love Woolworths up the Cov, remember Hitchens too the top (going into town direction). Oh & there was a little shop up that end on the same side as the Post Office.....like a garden supplies shop that sold dried blook for your plants, sold in little wraps..........did wonders for your runner beans.


My Mom used to go into that wool shop Jan. There was also a fish & chip shop on Muntz Street wasn't there & a general shop that sold just about everything (coming down Muntz Street from the Cov, on the right hand side)....what was is called?

 

[Phil]

Hi Jan

A few pic's of shops on "The Cov" for you. I remember it as an excellent shopping centre. I have more if you want to see them.

Phil

 

[Dolphie]

Thanks for sharing Phil, they're fabulous pics. Great memories. That was the name I was trying to remember, Turners for the dried blood for the runner beans!
If you have any more it would be great to see them, cheers.

 

[maggs]

My brother and sister in law ran a Newsagent shop in Muntz St. I think it 1969 to 1973. Their name was Pat and Fred Lee. Perhaps someone remembers them.

Maggs.

 

[jan hedger]

Thanks all - this is so great! I have looked at a lot of the books of photo's they do nowadays and Small Heath never seems to feature much, or perhaps I have been unlucky!
The wool shop - my mom was always in there! A link to Tony Hancock somewhere along the line - she used to tell me? Or was it a yarn?
The pics are super, yes more please! My favourite has to be Jones and Sturdies - the bingo - my mom and aunt and me! Spent a lot of time in there.
Then it was the fish and chip shop you mentioned for scollops - or chips, never could afford fish, unless someone had a win!

I remember all the shops now I have seen the pics! The chemist - for three oils, for the chest - don't see that now!
Need to look at them again - will probably have more to say!
The newsagent - I vaguely remember the older couple retiring that must have been when your family took over. Our dog Timmy used to go in there (with us) for a penny arrow bar - he loved toffee!
Jan

 

[jan hedger]

I also remember Rowleys on the corner of the Cov and Muntz st. Think they were a little later.
Another supermarket that opened later was Griegs opp the new post office.
Another one to throw in the pot is the cardrome - got into trouble there once for pipping horns!
Jan

 

[sylviasayers]

I remember there was a Hawkins drapery shop on the Coventry Road, to the left of Muntz Street, I think Rowleys was on the corner, and in that block was a cooked meat shop, and a wool/baby shop. On the other side
of the road near Charles Road was Devoti's and a large grocery shop which bagged their own sugar, patted butter, etc.

 

[Phil]

As requested some more pictures of "The Cov" and one of Muntz St. They tend to get a little older after these.

Phil

 

[lencops]

The grocers on the corner by the Charles Rd traffic lights was Frazier Bros and they had large tubs of Danish butter which they formed into 2,4 & 8oz pats with hand held wooden paddles they also bagged up sugar in blue bags, in front of the there were large open tins of biscuits and me & my brother could have a bikkie each because my Mom had small shop and she could buy goods from them at wholesale prices, it was a large shop and i remember the aromas of the bacon, ham, ground coffee, cheese and all the other stock. Len.

 

[jan hedger]

Thanks so much for posting pictures - love the number 8! I like the later pictures, as they are more my time.
Yes, Sylvia you are spot on with the shops you talk of. The cooked meat shop was Rowbottoms. I remember the drapers, they had one of those brass tubes that the money was sent through! Fascinated me! I used to, when I was 4 /5 used to drag a long 'strip' of paper, i got from there and pretend I had a dog!:beam:
We had a littlewoods as well, towards Town!
I know the general everything shop, at the top of Muntz st, it was the shop you went too with your pocket money to buy birthday presents, etc. as they were so cheap. My aunt, who lived till she was 85 had two small china dogs from there, my friend and I bought one each for her birthday - we were only children, but I remember that!
Jan

 

[Stitcher]

When I was a school lad our moms baker asked if I wanted a part time job helping him mainly Saturdays.The bakery was in Muntz Street but I cant for the life of me remember the name, was it hardings? Along Muntz St. From the Cov and it was on the right as the road does a left hand bend.

 

[Lloyd]

A relative of mine worked at, and later bought, the butchers in Muntz St (where the school and baths is now). Something brothers - Mason Bros. perhaps?
When the area was cleared, the city compulsorily purchased all the houses and moved the folks out - and left the shops to founder without customers, saving them having to buy the businesses as well as the properties.
I remember that he used to open early, and housewives would call round in their nighties and housecoats for 'Two rashers of bacon, a sausage and an egg' - hubby's breakfast for the day, often 'on tick' until his payday! This was in the late 60s.

 

[jan hedger]

Thanks Lloyd you have got the name I think.
Sawdust on the floor and all that. Loved your anecdote!
We were moved on for the complulsory purchase - we went fairly early on 72? My aunt stayed on quite a bit longer and I lived with her for a while - saw it go down - with great sadness! Our house was where the goal is for the basketball court in Baker st.
Jan

 

[Janet s]

one of my earliest memories is being sent into Bastocks the undertakers on the covenrty road by my elder brothers to ask if they had any empty boxes, just prior to bonfire night

 

[lencops]

There was a white stone building occupied by Ciapham & Cleeve who sold sports goods Cricket Bats, Wicket sets, Tennis Rackets etc not cheap stuff and they sold autographed Cricket Bats by County cricket players used to love to look in window, it is now a car spares business. Len,

 

[barrie]

What was the sewing machine shop that was in Muntz St and later moved to Coventry Rd, I think the man whp ran it was Peter Flint. My wife worked in both shops at one time.

 

[lencops]

There was a double fronted shop opposite Small Heath (Victoria) Park which sold small & large challenge cups, medals, plates and plaques for winning games etc they were mostly made of silver, i can not remember the name, the shop had an ornate front and was painted green i don`t remember it in any other colour. Len.

 

[col h]

There was a double fronted shop opposite Small Heath (Victoria) Park which sold small & large challenge cups, medals, plates and plaques for winning games etc they were mostly made of silver, i can not remember the name, the shop had an ornate front and was painted green i don`t remember it in any other colour. Len.

Was it Maturi's ?

I read somewhere that they used to hir out ice skates when the park lakes were frozen over as well.

 

[Dolphie]

Oooh I remember Maturis, wasn't it further up the Cov (towards town end) on the same side as the Post Office? I dont remember it being near the park entrance.
I love all those photos, wonderful to see.

 

[lencops]

Was it Maturi's ?

I read somewhere that they used to hir out ice skates when the park lakes were frozen over as well.

Maturis was on the same side as the park almost opposite Grange Rd they did have a double fronted shop but not ornate, they sharpened Lawnmower blades, knives, shears if it had a cutting edge on it they could sharpen it, they did sharpen ice skates but i don`t know if the hired skates out, they had big vans fitted out with grinders and went to shops like butchers and sharpened the knives at their shops.

 

[Phil]

I remember Maturi's from Coventry Rd, I think they were also in Ladypool Rd, No that wrong I know they had a shop Ladypool Rd because thats where I used to take my Gran's scissors and carving knife to be sharpened.

Here are a few more pic's of Muntz St.

Phil

 

[jan hedger]

Maturi's survived for quite a while I believe, The type of shop you don't get now, wonderful! Remember Bastocks too, people n our street slways used the co'op.
Love the pictures, first I have seen of old Muntz st!
Spoke to my older sister, she remembers Cunzells and Home and Colonial on the Cov! Before my time! Great postings!
Jan

 

[jan hedger]

I know the sewing shop - on the bend towards Grange rd. Didn't use it much, but I remember it.
My Mom's first job after school was stringing tennis raquets! In Muntz st somewhere. Not there in my time though, could it be that one?
Jan

 

[sistersue61]

My dad remembers some of these from late 30s/early forties, his family lived in Victoria Street, which ran into Muntz Street.
I remember shopping on the Cov with mom n dad in the seventies - there was a sweet shop with the best cinder toffee around - it's just not the same now! -and the reason for us going was a model shop, past Muntz St going out of town was on the left as the road widened out a bit, can't remember its name but am sure dad will!

 

[Carolynn]

Can anyone remember The Nest in Muntz Street my ex used to play football for them in the 60s.

 

[maggs]

My brother and sister in law kept the newsagent in Muntz Street.

 

[Phil]

Carolyn

I remember the Nest formerly the New Inns on the corner of Swanage Rd. I only ever used it once I think before it changed its name when I was visiting a relative who lived in Charles Rd for a short time.

Phil

 

[Carolynn]

Thanks Phil, it looks as though they are anxious to sell it on the 2nd photo. One of the other players in the football team was Mickey Curley who worked in the fishmarket at Vickerstaffs.

 

[Seabird]

For years, my mum worked in SF Collins, the grocers shop on the Cov opposite Small Heath park. Our household was never short of broken biscuits!

Does anyone remember a horrible fire in the 60s at a fabric shop on the same side of the road as Hawkins? I think it was called Marcus's. It would've been about 1966 - all the evening traffic was diverted down Muntz St. It must have been just before Christmas because 3 people were killed - they'd gone back in to retrieve Christmas presents. So sad.