Billy's Cafe, Willsons Printers, Mount Street, Singers etc.

[Rhymester 25]

This is an extract from my dad's speech back in 2001 at his and my mum's Golden Wedding. I'm interested in any of the people, places and companies mentioned.

 

Speech by Derek Chawner:

 

After fifty wonderful years' of marriage we've reached our Golden Wedding although I've known Sylvia for fifty seven years.

 

I first saw Sylvia in a small cafe called Billy's in Mount Street, Nottingham near to my place of work: Willsons the Printers. 

 

I was an indentured apprentice earning the princely sum of 18s 1p a week which was, at the time, 20% of a journeyman printer's wage.

 

One lunch hour I came across some of my fellow apprentices in Billy's Cafe chatting up a very pleasant girl who was obviously enjoying being the centre of attention.

 

I listened to the conversation from a distance and gathered that she worked at the Singer Sewing Machine Company on Long Row.

 

The other lads went back to work and I took my chance to talk to her, telling her that my friends, Herbert Wing and Dennis Greg also worked at Singers. 

 

I then told her that we all wanted to learn to dance but I didn't have anyone to learn with. I left the cafe with a dance partner!

 

We took lessons at Hanford & Richards on Trinity Walk before using our new found skills at the New Victoria Ballroom, The Astoria, The Palais de Dance and the Bairnswear Canteen but mainly at our local hop at a church hall in Sandon Street and the Bulwell Town Hall.

 

We got engaged in 1947 before I went into the RAF to do my National Service.

 

Two years later I was demobbed and went back to my apprenticeship earning £10 a week.

 

We married in July 1951 which was also Festival of Britain Year.

 

--

Andy Chawner

 

[Jill Sparrow 10,304]

On the same occasion of the Golden Wedding Anniversary, I think my father said something along the lines of, "I'd have done considerably less time for murder!"

 

My parents, both keen dancers, met at The Victoria Ballroom in 1947 and held their wedding reception at The Palais in 1949. Perhaps both sets of parents were on those dance floors at the same time!

[Rhymester 25]

5 minutes ago, Jill Sparrow said:

 Perhaps both sets of parents were on those dance floors at the same time!

More than likely!

[Cliff Ton 10,457]

For the Singer Sewing Machine place, look at this old thread and scroll down a bit.

 

https://nottstalgia.com/forums/topic/14984-alley-off-long-row/?tab=comments#comment-441218

 

 

And for what possibly might be Billy's Cafe, scroll down a bit here.

 

https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/history/see-fascinating-photos-how-one-2004592

 

The cafe in the second photo down (with the Capstan sign) is named Churchill's, but I wonder if it may have had an alternative name...or a later version.

 

[MargieH 7,599]

 @Rhymester  you mentioned Billy’s cafe on Mount Street ….

around the mid to late fifties, my friend’s mother Mrs Hughes used to run a cafe there.  Don’t know if it was the same one.  I only went there once with her daughter Hilary, who also used to work there sometimes.  All I can can remember are yellow patterned curtains at the window.  Hilary Hughes used to go to Church Drive School in Arnold and was born around 1945.  I last saw her around 1979 after she’d moved to live in Skegness.  
sorry I’m rambling now ….

[Rhymester 25]

16 minutes ago, Cliff Ton said:

 

https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/history/see-fascinating-photos-how-one-2004592

 

In the picture captioned: Mount Street pictured in 1956 looking down to Chapel Bar.

There's a sideways on word that could be Willson but that might be wishful thinking.

[Brew 5,408]

I've been in that café many times but could not for the life of me say what it was called. I went to the one at Broad Marsh every morning for the worst tea in the seven counties, but again, no idea what it was called.

[Cliff Ton 10,457]

3 minutes ago, Rhymester said:

 

In the picture captioned: Mount Street pictured in 1956 looking down to Chapel Bar.

There's a sideways on word that could be Willson but that might be wishful thinking.

 

That is indeed Willson - with 2 x LLs - the printers. In old Directories it's listed as being just up from the original Hearty Goodfellow, which is the building further down.

[Rhymester 25]

2 minutes ago, Cliff Ton said:

 

That is indeed Willson - with 2 x LLs - the printers. In old Directories it's listed as being just up from the original Hearty Goodfellow, which is the building further down.

and still going strong apparently in the form of the Willson Group. They've put some history online:

 

Willsons has shown vision and drive since its very earliest beginnings way back in the 1860's.
It began as a furniture maker, but soon developed a new niche for its skills - making wooden blocks to print elaborate posters for music hall and cinema.

This side of the business developed rapidly and Willsons became the premier poster printer in pre-war England, as well as running a successful billboard posting business.

Changes in the law in the 1950's saw many billboards outlawed and cinema started to decline with the advent of television. It was time for Willsons to restructure and move on.

In the early 1960s, the business was split into Willsons Printers Leicester (which stayed with poster printing) and Willsons Printers Nottingham, which moved into the commercial market. The Nottingham business expanded, acquiring several other print firms and creating two new locations: Willsons Printers (Newark) and Willsons Printers (Grimsby). In the early 1980's production at Nottingham was consolidated into Newark.

Willsons is still a family business today, and we like to think this shows in the success of our friendly, down to earth approach and the longevity of our relationships with our customers.

 

[Brew 5,408]

I normally look at the old pictures posted and ignore the write-up. I may have missed a trick there, the story of George Vason was interesting, as was the rest of it

[Rhymester 25]

Wow some of Willson Printers' work even made it into the Victoria and Albert Museum

 

https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1166910/nottingham-hippodrome-poster-poster-willsons-printers/

[Rhymester 25]

My mum and dad strutting their stuff in 1947!