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The upmarket furniture store on Huntingdon Street I mean.

Can anyone remember who occupied the building before them, say in the 1970's?

There used to be a strange sort of tower on the corner, quite a slender affair, I don't think it served any purpose. it appeared to be just a feature but was certainly highly visible.

Was the previous building torn down or was Hopewells an adaptation of it?

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I thought the "old" part of the Hopwell's building has been their warehouse for a long time. I would guess it is an old lace factory. They moved their shop from Milton Street, to the modern extension at the front, in the early 70s.

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It wasn't part of sytners ?

Sytners were next door Chrissie.

There used to be a strange sort of tower on the corner, quite a slender affair, I don't think it served any purpose. it appeared to be just a feature but was certainly highly visible.

Technically not a great photo. but this seems to show it, although I don't actually remember it. An over-designed lift shaft?

hope2.jpg

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In 1968, behind where the hordings are were old single story school buildings.

This was part of Peoples College, and I studied electrical installation 1st year there.

Where the sytners arrow points I remember there being a Car showroom full of New Jaguars?

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In the '60's, just to the left of the Jaguar showroom there was a BMC car dealership. Atkeys may have owned it. They called it the "Mini Clinic", specialising in Mini's, which were becoming very popular by then, and had the workshops on the 2nd floor. Cars were driven up a concrete ramp within the building, taking two sharp turns before arriving in the workshop area.

I think it may have been demolished to allow the Jaguar dealers to extend, its hard to tell from the pic.

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Back in the 30s seems the rear part was a lace factory, with houses where the "shop front" now is.

Two things I've learned about that area; there was a St Mark's church where Sytners/Rolls place would be; and behind that a "Ropewalk Disused".

hopes.jpg

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Truman's was a Rolls Royce, Jaguar, Rover dealer that merged with F Mitchell at Triumph Corner and became Truman-Mitchell around 1977-ish.

The Rolls workshop was at the top of the ramp between to the right of the building now occupied by Hopewells..

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My dad (1915-2004) got his first job with Hopewells when he left school in 1930.

If I remember correctly he worked at their premises on David Lane Basford which I believe made wooden coffins. I don't know if they went into furniture later or the coffin manufacturing bit was another branch of the main

business.

I can't find much when I've searched on t'internet. Anybody out there know any more about the David Lane set up.

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If you go into the Hopewells store and go upstairs to the cafe there are big photos of their stores, past and present, with dates I seem to remember. Adam Hopewell is the present Managing Director and is usually to be found in the store. He seems to be very approachable and I'm sure would answer any questions because I think he would be pleased that someone has shown an interest. You probably won't end up buying anything though, it's not exactly IKEA!

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It was CH Truman before they became Truman-Mitchell and moved to Trumph Corner. My 1961 Rover 100 was supplied new by them but when they were in there earlier still place on Mansfield Road. They were agents for predominantly Rover but also other exotica Rolls Royce, Bentley, Alvis, Aston Martin, Lagonda etc

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A couple of adverts for Hopewells . The first from 1902 and the second from 1936 advertising premises on St Ann Well Rd and later 386 Radford Rd .

10410727413_5981701cbd_z.jpg

10410727503_3d33c6cb73_z.jpg

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Just before Hopewells moved to the premises, my dad worked there as a bricklayer doing the conversions, and I remember him saying something about working on the lift shaft as well as other alterations.

I remember as he used to come home frozen and said he had been in the lift shaft with a gale blowing up it.

Thomas Long was the main contractor who my dad worked for.

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I have a clock that was a wedding present to my parents. I believe it may have come from Hopewells!

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Hopewell's Furniture, Buxtons the Butcher and Eric of Eric's shoes (corner of Alfreton Rd and Hartley Rd.) were all related. I used to know Eric's widow before she died.

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This advert reminded me of one Hopewell who produced wonderful music at St.Ann`s church across the road from the shop on St. Ann`s Well Rd. ...and which thug knocked over that lovely building?...probably the same crowd that destroyed the one in Trinity Square,and the wonderful Mundella School.!

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In 1968 we had a teak dining suite from Hopewells as a Wedding present from Mrs C's parents. Teak furniture was very fashionable then, and we had this until the early 80's when it was old fashioned and round tables with sideboards were out of favour, but surprise surprise, it's back in fashion again and we are thinking of buying a new sideboard! Sold it for coppers but will have to pay a bit more than that now. Makes ya spit !!

Regarding St Marks church, it was a brown stone Victorian neo-gothic building, and also had it's own school within the grounds which I attended for Sunday school between 1950 - 1953, but can't recall whether it was then still in use as a school Monday - Friday.

St Marks was a daughter church to Holy Trinity, and although mum and Dad lived locally to St Marks, their wedding was at Holy Trinity in September 1939.

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