Barnby's toyshop

So just had a good think! When I worked at Alexon I went to get some card from Barnbys in the early 1990s and it was still open around that time. By 1991 the staff had been taken on my WH Smith.

Hi, if you commented before, it would have to be under a different email. I checked and there was no duplicate login. Thanks for your recollections.

I loved Barnby's toy shop and always pestered my mum to go each time we went into Coventry city. To me the shop was huge and an Aladdin's cave. Every toy imaginable seemed to be stocked!

Does anyone know what date Barnbys closed?

I just found a Coventry Evening Telegraph article of 15th September 1989, talking with sadness of "losing a friend" with the demise of Barnby's. It had recently been taken over by W H Smiths, so might have continued a while with them.

Thanks Rob!

Oh, that's sad news. My grown up family grew up with Barnby's toyshop and as now my daughter still has the Pirate puppet after 50 years. Rather over loved but still a favorite of hers. Thanks for the memories.

Here's the best image I've seen yet of the original Barnby's store in Corporation Street -

That's a brilliant photo Neil. I had never known that Barnbys was in Corporation Street though looking back, it seems they moved in to the Smithford Way store before 1962. Only ever going in to the Smithford Way store, so I'm very curious on the date, or as close as possible.

1954 I'm sure.

Many thanks Phil. That year would tie in with the redevelopment of the City Centre.

Hello Mike59. The reason that I'm sure of that year, is when I was seven, for birthday, I was being treated to a new Hornby Dublo, outer radius curved track, that had just been introduced. I wanted a new siding. That's where we bought it from. I've enjoyed my "Marmalade" this morning. I haven't choked on it. Using our name with numbers, Mike59, in my Eagle comic, we had PC49. Ok ok, I'm going. Friday was Eagle comic day.

Barnby's are still listed as being in Corporation St in the 1960 directory but that's the last one I have.

An advert in the CET 19th May 1960 says "New store opening tomorrow" In Smithford Way.

I think there's a good chance that photo was taken much earlier than 1954. The first appearance of Barnby's in Coventry was in the 1940 Kelly's Directory of Warwickshire. I'm sure that is one of the new blocks built on that side of Corporation Street just before the war but after the building of the Rex Cinema in 1937. As we all know, that was flattened by bombs but all the others survived including the one that Charles Ager moved into after their Smithford Street shop was destroyed and John Hawkins/Schofields etc. at the corner of Fleet Street. Incidentally does anyone know if Barnby's was a Coventry firm or a branch of a shop from elsewhere. I have a hunch there was a Barnby's in Birmingham city centre but I'll do some digging.