Shopping with Mother 1940's in Bulwell

[BulwellBrian 107]

I lived on Henrietta Street off Highbury Road and remember the shopping. No supermarkets just different shops for things, and rationing. We would leave home and go through Nansen Street to Broomhill Road then down to Highbury Road turn left and the first call was the post office for a postal order for Fathers football coupon, then across the road to the co-op, butter, bacon, sugar (in a blue bag), flour, tea (loose not tea bags), washing powder (Oxydol, and Persil), soap (Lifebouy), and other things I cannot remember. payment by cash (check number 56612 for the divi) went to the office by one of those overhead spring loaded things and the change came back the same way.

On we went no meat or greengrocery at the co-op they were not in favour for that. Back across Highbury Road and along to the chemist, then May Clark's sweet shop (Goody shop May to a small child) St Bruno tobacco for Father a small Dairy Box for mother and som Quality Street., Across the bottom of Henrietta Street to (I forget the name) greengrocers (Mum said the quality was better) then sometimes Mr & Mrs Limb's shop for things like buttons, Naylors newsagents at the bottom of Henrietta Street to pay for the papers that had been delivered (Daily Herald on week days, News of the World & The People on Sundays, Evening Post and Dandy & Beano & Radio Times). Then back up the hill home.

Meat came from Habgood's on the corner of Ockerby Street and other things from Ernie & Mabel Radford on the opposite corner.

Other trips were to walk down to Bulwell Market to shop on the market and up Main Street to Steggles pork butchers for a pork pie (the best in Bulwell).

All carried by hand no cars in those days, life was different.

[Cliff Ton 10,004]

I'm not sure how much of the area you describe still remains, but here's a map of it in the 1950s (maybe your times), and you can probably pick out some of the specific buildings you are referring to.

[BulwellBrian 107]

Just the area I grew up in. I went to Highbury School as an infant & Junior, the to High Pavement, I went to the Highbury Cinema and to the Sunday School at the Methodist Church on Broomhill Road.

[Enigma. 1,533]

re-greengrocer bottom of henrietta street and highbury road - might it have been frank ellis at the time? who later sold the shop to eric and denise corner

[Commo 1,291]

My shopping expeditions in the very late 40's and early 50's were all around the Alfred street, Union Road and Commercial Square area. For the weekly staples such as bread, margarine, soap, washing powder starch etc, these all came from the corner shop at the corner of Comyn St and Great Freeman st.

For high days and holidays, cooked meats, pork pies and cream cakes were bought from Carnells on St Anns Well Rd, Sandersons on Alfred St Central and Pork Farms in Commercial Square. The Highest Day at Chrissy required a bottle each of Teachers, Damson cream, Egg Flip and QC sherry from Adams on Alfred St South.

Weekday and weekend meat was mainly from Mr Eborall on Union Road, though occasionally the butchers on the corner of Alyson Rise, name of which escapes me.

Medecines and "toiletries" came from Dakeynes chemist on Alfred Street, and also on Alfred St, all fruit and veg from Mr Gell.

Newspapers and comics came from Danby's shop on Union Rd, with the occasional extra comic from Mr Diddle on the corner of Union Road and Curzon St, usually when visiting Gran who lived on Curzon St.

Sweets and "goodies" from the corner shop, Watmoughs on the corner of Wellington Street and Alfred Street.

Fish and Chips from Mrs Wade's on Alfred Street.

The Post Office was on the corner of Northumberland St and Union Rd, postmistress Miss Palmer who also had a dance class up above the shop. Just across on Northumberland St was the General shop owned by Mrs Davies, always a bit on the scruffy side with a fly encrusted flypaper forever hanging from the central light bulb!

Amazing how you can remember this stuff from over 60 years ago, yet can forget what the hell I went into the cupboard for a couple of minutes ago.

[BulwellBrian 107]

re-greengrocer bottom of henrietta street and highbury road - might it have been frank ellis at the time? who later sold the shop to eric and denise corner

Of course it was Frank Ellis. A senior moment must have got to me. I didn't know the later owners.

[catfan 14,782]

Happy memories Commo. I spent my youth living on Union road. Lots of those names & places I remember well.

Thanks for the memories !

[snapey 0]

BBC 2 Robert Peston on Shopping was all about grocery shopping in the 1950's and I was contacted to feature in the programme talking about the opening of GEM in westbridgford .The programme has been repeated at least 3 times in the last 6 months. The producer knew so little he had never heard about Ration Books.

[snapey 0]

bulwell Brian - my mum worked in Frank Ellis shop. Although mums maiden name was Ellis she was not related to frank-as far as I knew

[DAVIDW 1,624]

Snapey , one of the producers also contacted this site about that Peston goes Shopping prog . What was your connection ?

The thread is here and also has links to other threads about the store :

http://nottstalgia.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=10485&hl=%2Bgem+%2Basda

[DaveJ 3]

BulwellBrians original posting reminded me that further along Highbury Vale from Henrietta St opposite a pub/Chatham St was a bike shop owned by Clarkes, the parents of Kenneth Clarke currently minister without portfolio in our glorious coalition government (in 2014) and MP for Rushcliffe and educated at Nottingham Boys High School. This information came to me from a school friend, John Parr who lived on Chatham St.

And so it goes on.....

Dave J

Kraków. Pl