3Spires
SW Leicestershire
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226 of 255
Sat 9th Nov 2019 1:43pm
On 10th Aug 2019 2:47pm, Old Lincolnian said:
I received this recently in a newsletter. Wasn't too sure where to put it as it about the Three Spires in Cheylesmore and the origins of Robinsons Crisps.
Fish & Chip Shop Memories
In last week's update we stated that The Spires Fish & Chip shop had closed. A resident contacted us with this:
Yes the Fish Bar opened in 1961 with the current owners in control. However the Wood Family operated between 1939 and 1961.
I was privileged as a 9 year old to be one of the first through the doors and purchased a "penny worth of scratching" and have continued my custom with the shop until they closed last Friday. Pleasingly they then cooked me a bag of scratching but this time did not charge me.
The Three Spires Fish Shop opened early 1939 under the ownership of Mr Woods and his son Gerry. The family lived in Franciscan Road. Operating until 1961. What became the Fish Restaurant began life as a Shoe and Shoe Repair shop owned by Mr Dean and his wife. They lived in Daventry Road towards The Mount.
Mr Dean kindly displayed in 1948 the Sir John Cup proudly won by the Cheylesmore Youth Centre Football Team. The flat above the Fish Shop was used as a Sunday School venue which was run by a Salvation Army husband and wife who lived in Baronsfield Road.
When Gerry Wood took over from his father in the 1940s he joined up with Mr Robinson to produce Robinsons Crisps with the Three Spires as the logo on the packet. The cooking was done using lard in those days and was carried out after the Fish Shop closed in the evening. The crisps were then sorted and packed in the front room of the Robinsons' family home in Woodstock Road. With the success of Robinsons Crisps the family moved to Daventry Road by the Open Arms. However before they could sell the house in Woodstock Road the front room had to have a new wooden floor due to the existing one being saturated in lard. The daughter Carole has recently become the first Lady Master of the Coventry Freemans' Guild.
I remember a Gerry Wood who worked at W. E. Jones (Tools) Ltd (East Street) and it was always said that he had been a crisp maker. Could this be the Gerry in the above post or a descendant?
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Memories and Nostalgia -
Fish and Chip shops
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Prof
Gloucester
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227 of 255
Sat 30th Nov 2019 11:04pm
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Memories and Nostalgia -
Fish and Chip shops
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Dreamtime
Perth Western Australia
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228 of 255
Sun 1st Dec 2019 4:17am
Yum yum, Prof. Must have been giving them away free that day. |
Memories and Nostalgia -
Fish and Chip shops
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JohnnieWalker
Sanctuary Point, Australia
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229 of 255
Sun 1st Dec 2019 6:13am
I rarely disagree with you, Dreamtime, but I must point out that Fishy Moores never needed to give anything away! Their "fish'n'six-pennorth" was worth queuing up - and paying for!
True Blue Coventry Kid
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Memories and Nostalgia -
Fish and Chip shops
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Kaga simpson
Peacehaven, East Sussex
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230 of 255
Sun 1st Dec 2019 9:44am
They liked the word 'new'. In Well Street the buildings were New Rents, 1830/40s. |
Memories and Nostalgia -
Fish and Chip shops
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MisterD-Di
Sutton Coldfield
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231 of 255
Mon 2nd Dec 2019 3:01am
I used to love being taken to Fishy Moores when I was a lad. Their fish and chips were wonderful, and it was there where I got a lifetime taste for proper mushy peas. It was always the restaurant rather than the takeaway too. That is what people were queueing for in the photo, as queues were often like that at busy times. It appears to have been a more temporary building, I recall that there was an overspill area of tables at the back which was opened when it was busy.
They had very pleasant uniformed waitresses who would deliver your food to the table very quickly. They always seemed busy and turnover was quite quick. One memory I do have is the constant scraping of the wooden chairs on the tiled floor as people came and went. When I was at KHVIII it was possible to get there and back in the lunch break and I was allowed to go once a week with my school pal. Certainly better than school dinners! |
Memories and Nostalgia -
Fish and Chip shops
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Prof
Gloucester
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232 of 255
Mon 2nd Dec 2019 8:57am
Yes D-Di. I was at Tech, later Woodlands, and used to cycle to Pattisons cafe in Hertford St in the lunch break. |
Memories and Nostalgia -
Fish and Chip shops
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Dr Phil 1949 to 1956
Ware Herts & Puerto Mogan Gran Canaria
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233 of 255
Mon 2nd Dec 2019 10:39am
Fishy Moores - was that in Spon End near the Plaza cinema? I remember one there in a very old timber framed building but I don't think it was there.
When at Leeds U we all patronised Harry Ramsdens in Guisley when we really needed a blow out (also Bryants close to Alan Bennett's father's butchers shop, and Sweaty Betties close to the University). I did enjoy my fish and chips in those days!
Cheers
Dr Phil
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Memories and Nostalgia -
Fish and Chip shops
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bohica
coventry
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234 of 255
Mon 2nd Dec 2019 11:27am
When I attended Cov Tech we used a place in Spon End called (IIRC) Goofy's. Faggot and pea batches with a generous portion of chips. Then we'd retire to a hostelry (usually The Shakespeare) to wash it down. |
Memories and Nostalgia -
Fish and Chip shops
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Wearethemods
Aberdeenshire
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235 of 255
Mon 2nd Dec 2019 2:20pm
Hi Dr. Phil, you said "Fishy Moores - was that in Spon End near the Plaza cinema? I remember one there in a very old timber framed building but I don't think it was there."
I know the one you refer to, but forget the name. 'Fishy Moore's' was never in Spon End, always, (as I remember), in the vicinity of Fairfax Street, the old Shop and new. |
Memories and Nostalgia -
Fish and Chip shops
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MisterD-Di
Sutton Coldfield
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236 of 255
Mon 2nd Dec 2019 3:59pm
No, Fishy Moores was in New Buildings, which was behind where Sainsbury's is now. That's where the photo was taken. It was close to the Alhambra pub.
Once the New Buildings premises was demolished the business moved to Fairfax Street, but somehow it was never quite the same.
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Memories and Nostalgia -
Fish and Chip shops
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Rob Orland
Historic Coventry
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237 of 255
Mon 2nd Dec 2019 6:02pm
I only remember Fishy Moores from Fairfax Street, near to Payne's music shop, and not in New Buildings. |
Memories and Nostalgia -
Fish and Chip shops
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MisterD-Di
Sutton Coldfield
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238 of 255
Mon 2nd Dec 2019 6:45pm
I suspect most of us remember its original location, along with those legendary queues outside. I did make the point that moving to Fairfax Street was the start of its decline. It was controversial at the time as the New Buildings restaurant was a much-loved location, its replacement was certainly not. I believe the Moore family sold up eventually.
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Memories and Nostalgia -
Fish and Chip shops
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Kaga simpson
Peacehaven, East Sussex
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239 of 255
Mon 2nd Dec 2019 7:30pm
About 1850ish, the Moores, father and two sons, sold fish. The sons were known as 'Jammie Moore' and 'Dancing Tommy'. It is said the father always called 'stinking fish' when on his rounds, and could not be persuaded to alter his cry. Fish selling in those days included pickled salmon. |
Memories and Nostalgia -
Fish and Chip shops
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Midland Red
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240 of 255
Tue 3rd Dec 2019 8:18am
There is a thread relating to the Moore family on the forum here |
Memories and Nostalgia -
Fish and Chip shops
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