Shops of yore

Too true, Tricia. My mum was very friendly with Phyllis Butler. My wife's wedding dress & the bridesmaids dresses came from her. My mum's shop was 'Marcia Gowns' in White St., after she was blitzed during the war.

I do remember those gorgeous toffee apples Tricia, so shiny and scrumptious, I liked to nibble on the lip that formed arond the top where they had been standing on the tray . . yummy. And Philip, I also got my wedding dress from Phyllis Butlers, I got it in the sale and I think I paid about £25 for it.

On the subject of fruit & veg, does anyone remember Mr. King (I think it was King) delivering veg, originally with horse & cart, but then a green lorry?

That name (and lorry colour) certainly rings a bell - where was his round? The one I recall also covered Canley - he had a large green lorry - which had a "side access" door, where he would place a small wooden set of steps so that customers could step inside to buy their veg. He had a full counter inside, with wooden produce boxes stacked to one side. He also weighed anything you bought on an old set of balance scales.

He covered large areas of the city. His lorries were green and he had more than one. Another member of his family helped out sometimes. They were out every weekday. Friday was his Wyken area day. "GREENGROCER" was his cry that could be heard in Derbyshire, I am sure.

I meant to ask.... What sort of time period are we talking of Philip? My guess is it must be one-of-the-same

He had a horse & cart before the lorry, but I am sure he was still shouting "GreenGrocer", in the early sixties, Tony.

Barnbys was a fantastic place to me as a kid. It just seemed huge. They seemed to have endless glass cases with row upon row of all the Corgi/Dinky cars I wanted. Late 70's was my era. The original Woolies was a good shop too with all those different departments (when you entered where Boots is now). I also recall many times going into Town on a Saturday to meet my Grandparents for a tea upstairs in BHS. Seem to recall they had this fantastic conveyor system I was fascinated with to move your trays around.

As a child in the 60s, I used to love accompanying my mum to the fish market. Going down the ramp from the regular market, the bustle (we always went on Fridays), the stallholders in white, the enormous variety of fish,the white tiled slabs, and best of all, the brightly painted figures at the top of the pillars - mermaids, I think Neptune, and assorted seadogs.

If it's the same Mr King - he lived on Middlemarch Rd in Radford. His shout was KINGO. I used to earn two bob a week off my dad for collecting a bucket full of horse manure, it sure made the veggies grow.

Well just had a thought when you were all chatting about shops, do you all remember the old Exchange and Mart in New Buildings r/o the Silver Sword, I bought plenty of things in there, my first geometry set, an Ingersoll watch and lots more things over the years, you could buy anything from them, a great shop, a deposit secures was the message.

I have been interested in the discussions regarding the shops and locations in the Coventry of a few years ago. I would like to submit two photographs of mine from 1971 and see how many others find them as nostalgic as I do. Post copied from topic Photos from 1971 on 3rd Dec 2020 7:41 pm

Where was the photograph taken?

The photograph was taken at the top of Hertford street

Did not Holbrooks have a store in Warwick Lane just before the junction with Greyfriars Lane in the fifties? Regards.