Shops of yore

It was definitely Electronic Services for many years, at the Queen Victoria Road end opposite a pub called the Thistle. Or certainly, whilst I was at KHVIII and for at least several years after that. I was a regular customer for many years, and knew the brothers and the son, who was a few years older than I. They also had a second shop in Sheffield. But I haven't been near the place since the 1980s, so things may have changed during that time.

It was definitely Electronic Services which moved to the arcade in 1967. I had lived next door to them in Gosford Street the previous seven years. We were both evicted in order that the Gosford Street flyover could be built. I only ever visited them very occasionally after that.

Are you sure it was '67? I worked in the City Arcade in 1965 and could have swore that I'd shopped there then.

I can't say for certain when they opened in the City Arcade but I can say for certain when they closed in Gosford Street and that was 1967.

The missing years! So far in the telephone directories, I have found... Electronic Services, Radio, 110 Gosford Street, 1963 Electronic Services, Radio, 33 City Arcade, 1968

Just to bring you up to date - here is the latest Max Buch outlet, further up Far Gosford Street close to the site of La Scala Cinema, hence the name of the building - "Scala"

Oddly enough there was a row of cottages in that exact same position before the picture house was ever built!

Has anyone got, or can anyone point me in the direction where I can find, a picture of George Stoke's cycle shop (86 Much Park Street) and Billy Green's sports shops (86 King William Street, 43 St. Paul's Road, and 4 Stoney Stanton Road). Also any of Davies' shops, please. I want these for part of a display for the Heritage Weekend in September.

I remember being taken by Dad in the 1960's to an electronics shop in the bank of shops next to the Elastic Inn in Ford Street - he called it Barton Brothers (or it may indeed have been one of the brothers or is my memory playing tricks too?) - I paid no attention, it was like Aladdins cave to an 8 year old. I remember being taken in later years to their shop in Paynes Lane in the bank of shops next to what became Unit Sales - often trips to this shop began or ended with a visit over the road to Riddy's! I get the feeling Dad knew the Barton Brothers as apprentices (he is/was an apprenticed TV/Radio Engineer before the war) and we followed them to the High Street and from there to the end of City Arcade - always they seemed to be in their cow gowns! It's possible the brothers bought the name and stock of Electronic Services if it wasnt them - I know I certainly remember them being Electronic Services in City Arcade. Dad worked at RES after the war - I believe when it was in Primrose Hill Street in the shops that got demolished to build Sydney Stringer (dad was working at Hawker Siddely in Whitley by then) - the folks have a photo of their wedding day (at St Peters - mum was a Hillfields girl) with an arch of TV aerials outside the church door held by the folks they worked with. It's possible RES then moved to City Arcade... I'll pick Dad's brains when I next see him - he won't look here - this computer lark doesn't interest him (he says it's too much knowing how the insides work :P)

Hi all Last week I met some friends at the Devon pub. Getting off the 360 bus at the old No7 terminus, opposite the Devon, I walked into the dentists where I asked if my tyre puncture had been repaired. I explained that their dental clinic used to be a cycle shop, fifty years ago. Smiles all around, once they realised that they were not going to have to put up with me as their patient.

Hi Philip, You obviously entered the former lair of the infamous Mr Norton! Thankfully you made good your escape!

Shhhhh! Don't tell everyone that I used to get thrown out of the Devon at age ten. It wasn't for boozing. I was forever wandering into the gardens (now a car park) at the back. Shhhhh now.

Could have been 'Midland Educational'; I bought an atlas there when I was at school...still have it, and apart from a few name changes to countries and counties it is still pretty useful!

I remember 'Midland Educational' being just inside Trinity Street. Did it move there from Warwick Row?

I can recall Midland Educational being by the birdcage next to the Climax pub. It was quite a big place on 2 floors. I'm not sure if it had a previous location. There was a stationers at the bottom of Trinity Street, next to the gap that led to Palmer Lane. Was it called something like Mills & Mills?