Ball Hill

Hi Chris, I lived in St Michael's Rd for the first 16 yrs of my life (1949-1965), my first shopping trips were to the Co-op. It was a very old fashioned place, all the food was in boxes or barrels, and was weighed as needed, butter was taken from a big block and patted into shape, sugar was put into blue paper bags, and we could buy broken biscuits for a few pence, I even remember our dividend number 48489, not bad after 60 years, there was a long counter which split in the middle, and the stock room was behind the shop, there was living accommodation above I believe, but I have no idea who lived there. Hope this is of some use.

Hi Covgirl, yes everything came in little blue bags. My mum had to debone the sides of bacon and slice ready for sale in her spare time, and all the dried fruit came in sacks and had to be weighed 1lb or half. Cheese was cut to order on the wire slicer and her till was just a little wooden pullout drawer with divisions. It was nothing like the Co., just a little corner shop, one of many which seemed to spring up all over after the war years. As for the ciggies, and tins of coffee, also tins of fruit, they were kept under the counter. I am sure it has been mentioned before but Savage's bread came unwrapped fresh every morning and saved for those who had a permanent order. We lived above the shop and the extra bedroom was the storeroom along with the biscuit tins all the way up the side of the stairs. Sachets of shampoo (Dream). I could go on but won't as I am sure there was a little corner shop in your areas too.

Greg Rogan also owned the Top Spot steakhouse in town, he was quite the entrepreneur in those days.

Ball Hill

Junction of Clay Lane, Walsgrave Rd and Bray's Lane.