Stourbridge -the memories trail.

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Stourbridge -the memories trail.

Postby oldun » Tue Jul 29, 2014 10:48 pm

I worked in Stourbridge in 1960 and lived only a 'bus ride away. Lower High Street has changed drastically since then as has the whole of the area. The Water Board had their offices at the bottom end with a very fancy façade which still exists today although behind it are all new Flats. There was Saunders and Bowkley next. They were a hardware shop with wooden floors which echoed and the shop assistants wore brown coats like Ronnie Barker in Open All Hours. You could buy everything there for the home. Opposite was The Commercial Hotel incorporating a shop and Newton's café. Mr.Redvers Newton and Mrs. Elsie Newton ran it along with his brother Ernie and Frances was the shop assistant. Further up was Potter the coal merchant, where Bob Cursley worked and Hazel. Further on was Henry's the Wig Maker and Hairdresser, quite a prestigious shop in those days. Just before it was the fishing tackle shop. Opposite was a music shop with the bus stop outside and next to that was a swimwear shop where I bought a swimsuit with a zip up the back! Higher up was the Savoy picture house, did some snogging there, then Woodwards the toy shop where Albert and Hilda worked and there was Allens shop. But opposite was the Golden Galleon café which was an in place with teenagers and later became the Ravello. We drank coffee and soft drinks then. Around the corner in Coventry Street was Guggenheims another café. Plus Rowbottoms chip shop and further up another chip shop where you could eat a plate of the same with a cup of tea. My mother and myself went in once and it gave me a taste for eating out in the future which I have taken full advantage of. Dress Shops were May Hatton, in the middle of the town and Wards at the top of the town. Next to the Odeon in the centre of the town was a shop where a lady would sit in the window repairing ladders in sheer stockings. Then Greys in the Arcade. There was a sweet shop opposite the Odeon which was open on a Sunday for Cinema goers. Do you remember Timothy Whites and Taylors the Chemist? Or Stringers the lovely furniture shop which later was Owen and Owen which also incorporated the old Odeon as store rooms? Then there was the alley from the High Street through to New Street which is now the ring road, down which you could find that lovely Cinema The Kings Hall. Surely the best Cinema of all. There was a café called Dulsons in the High Street where the smell of cooked meats and rolls assailed the senses. Another café Taylors was in Worcester Street where lunch could be taken. There is a pizza restaurant in the High Street now which was Cranages where delicious cakes would beckon you in and behind it up a side alley was the Turf pub. If anymore comes to me as I walk the memories trail I'll add it on.
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Re: Stourbridge -the memories trail.

Postby Northern Lass » Wed Jul 30, 2014 5:32 am

Thank you oldun :wink:
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Re: Stourbridge -the memories trail.

Postby mallosa » Wed Jul 30, 2014 8:07 am

Really enjoyed reading, keep those memories coming oldun they are invaluable :wink:
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Re: Stourbridge -the memories trail.

Postby oldun » Sat Aug 09, 2014 9:11 am

The RAF camp at Bridgnorth was a boon to us girls. They were in uniform for a start which looked much better than the teddy boy outfits of our locals. The 190 bus from Bridgnorth to Stourbridge was eagerly awaited on a weekend when the boys had passes. New 'recruits' came from all over the country so it was an education to meet them. I kept in touch with a boy from Northern Ireland, Sammy and another from Glasgow, Ian. They were only there for 3 months before passing out to anywhere, even as far as Aden. Of course, this meant we had another new set of uniforms coming in. I tell you, I had the time of my life. It was the nearest I could have got to the yanks in wartime of the previous generation. It didn't last long because the camp eventually closed down, but it was the happiest time of my life. So whatever you think of that just read below...
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Re: Stourbridge -the memories trail.

Postby SRD » Sun Aug 10, 2014 7:27 am

oldun wrote:Finding this site difficult to reply to. Generally don't know where to go to answer questions. John Jeavons name was Joseph in answer to petard and John Barnbrook's father was James.

If you go to the post you want to answer then click on the button marked "QUOTE" you will get a draft entry up with the post already filled in at the top. You can then type your reply and post it by pressing "Submit".
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Re: Stourbridge -the memories trail.

Postby Rob » Sun Aug 10, 2014 11:05 am

I don't know Stourbridge at all. I always seem to drive around it but that was enjoyable reading oldun.Thanks. Robert Plant was on BBC 4 last night recalling his days in Stourbridge before he became mega famous.
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Re: Stourbridge -the memories trail.

Postby oldun » Mon Aug 11, 2014 9:24 am

SRD wrote:
oldun wrote:Finding this site difficult to reply to. Generally don't know where to go to answer questions. John Jeavons name was Joseph in answer to petard and John Barnbrook's father was James.

If you go to the post you want to answer then click on the button marked "QUOTE" you will get a draft entry up with the post already filled in at the top. You can then type your reply and post it by pressing "Submit".



Thank you. I've got a good memory but it doesn't last long.
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Re: Stourbridge -the memories trail.

Postby oldun » Mon Aug 11, 2014 9:27 am

Rob wrote:I don't know Stourbridge at all. I always seem to drive around it but that was enjoyable reading oldun.Thanks. Robert Plant was on BBC 4 last night recalling his days in Stourbridge before he became mega famous.


Never got to know many names, snogging sorta of got in the way. Who knows how many famous face I may have snogged? Snogging in the pictures was my favourite. I know the beginnings of all the old films. Happy days. I'd like to say it was all perfectly innocent but I'd be lying.
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Re: Stourbridge -the memories trail.

Postby Northern Lass » Mon Aug 11, 2014 3:38 pm

oldun wrote:
Rob wrote:I don't know Stourbridge at all. I always seem to drive around it but that was enjoyable reading oldun.Thanks. Robert Plant was on BBC 4 last night recalling his days in Stourbridge before he became mega famous.


Never got to know many names, snogging sorta of got in the way. Who knows how many famous face I may have snogged? Snogging in the pictures was my favourite. I know the beginnings of all the old films. Happy days. I'd like to say it was all perfectly innocent but I'd be lying.


:shock: :o :o
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Re: Stourbridge -the memories trail.

Postby Rob » Tue Aug 12, 2014 10:42 am

:lol: :thumbup: Snoggin' now that's word i used to like though unlike you OldUn i never seemed to have that much luck. :(
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