Greengrocer? with Brown Bowler Hat?


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I have vague recollections that, years ago, there was a shop somewhere in the vicinity of the junction of Alfreton Road and Radford/Gregory Boulevards, (possibly a greengrocers - I have recollections of boxes of potatoes, cabbages, etc. outside), and where the proprietor always seemed to wear a brown bowler hat.

I am sure I didn't imagine it, but the few people I have mentioned it to have looked at me as if I am mad.

Does this ring a bell with anyone?

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After all the talk of Grimston Road, here's a  couple of not-exactly-brilliant  photos showing the back yard areas on that road.   On the left is my uncle, with next door's back windows over

We had adjoining rooms in Majorca and in the morning before breakfast I would find her on her balcony looking peacefully out to sea. To me it seemed as if she was thinking about her life. What had hap

Thanks to a link on another thread, we finally have a photo of the man in question.      https://nottstalgia.com/forums/topic/17659-old-photos-of-alfreton-road/  

Was it a corner shop? The one I remember (late 50's early 60's ) was at the bttom of Radford Boulevard, opposite the Le Grand? It had greengrocery, in boxes, on display outside................ :unsure::unsure::unsure:

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I am wondering if it was the guy at Bits And Bobs, second hand shop?

Gregory Blvd nr Radford Rd?

Was that called the 'Bits and Bobs Emporium' ?? with furniture piled up outside across the frontage, I recall it was set back from the road so had lots of space.............. !cheers!

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  • 4 weeks later...

There was a green grocers at the junction of Grimston Road/Radford Boulevard where it met Alfreton Road/Gregory Boulevard. It was Wealthall's and Mr Harrold Wealthall wore a bowler. I used to go there for me mam before school. Nice little family business. They lived on Woodstock Avenue in Radford. I used to see him in the Pheasant on Prospect Street. I am sure this will be the shop you mean. Its now second hand washers I think.

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  • 6 years later...

Digging around at random and I found this thread after 6 years.

My grandparents lived on Grimston Road and I've been in Wealthall's greengrocers many times in the early 1960s, although I don't remember anyone wearing a bowler hat. What I do remember though, was the fantastic greengrocery smell from the place; you don't get that in supermarkets now.

And my grandad was a regular in the Pheasant on Prospect Street.

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  • 8 months later...

I am new to the site, but, I have chosen the name Brown Bowler because I am in possession of both of  Harold Wealthall's bowlers. Harold passed away in 1993, his wife in 2002, his daughter, Diane in January this year. They are survived by son Andrew who lives in Barnsley and myself as son-in-law.

what has been missed are the two dogs who sat outside the shop, an Old English sheepdog called Blue and a cross, Ozzie.

Before Harold Victor, the shop was owned by his father Harold senior.

The shop on the corner of the street higher up Radford Boulevard was a launderette in the 60's.

I will look to post pictures on the site in due corse. Any further questions please ask away and I will do my best to answer.

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Welcome Brown Bowler! The minute I saw the name and before I even read the post, I thought this will be something to do with Harold Wealthall!

 

I remember him well and his wife. My mother, who grew up in Bobbers Mill, knew his father!

 

Bought a lot of veggies and Colwick cream cheese from their shop. Wonderful memories.

 

Keep posting!   ;)

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My first visit to the site was yesterday and I noticed How Jill Sparrow took a keen interest and I was very pleased to see her response about Harold Wealthall Jnr and his father. I first met his daughter, Diane, at St Margaret's Church, Aspley, youth club when 13. We finally got together at 19 and married in 1969 at 24. I too was involved in the biz on high days and holidays and knew many of the customers from the area and far. Andrew, Harold's son, also worked in the shop full time before having his own shop on Broxtowe Lane. Pre marriage I lived for a short time with Harold snr and his wife Norah on Grimston. Some times you look at a biz but do not know what is behind the family. As a lover of poetry Jill you would be interested to know that Diane started poetry at the early age of six at the insistence of her mother Joan. Joan's mother was a "Barker" from Lincolshire and her nephew was George Granville Barker the English poet. All this came out when Diane was doing her Family Tree, previously her mother had just said her cousin lived in London and wrote poetry. In the last three years of her life she made a pilgrimage to George Barker's grave in Norfolk and met with his wife. I was merely her driver. Diane belonged to a poetry group in Southwell and it was only after her death that I found poems she penned. I was only aware of a poetry competition she won in the 70'80's previously. Diane's favourite was T.S.Eliot and her ashes are spread fittingly in "Little Gidding", Cambridgshire a poem from The Four Quartets. Joan Wealthal's and George Barker's grandmother is buried in Wilford Hill cemetery, Nottingham. As I have said I will post pictures of Harold with the Brown Bowler shortly. By the way, my cousin is a Sparrow, Chris Sparrow.

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Lovely post, Brown Bowler! Very interesting background. You will find that a fair number of our members knew Harold Wealthall and his wife. The business was part of the local community in that area. Everything was fresh, good quality and not wrapped in plastic like it is today!

 

There will be a lot of members who would love to see your photos, including myself.

 

Yes, I've loved poetry from a very early age. Must have been a nice surprise to discover a well known poet in the family.

 

Chris Sparrow is not related to me but it's not an uncommon name.

 

Looking forward to your future posts.

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Mr Bowler, I’ve posted a couple of times on this subject because I remember the shop on Grimston Road very well; my grandparents lived on Grimston and we often visited them.

 

Can you confirm (or otherwise) this memory of the place; if a customer was standing in the shop area, would they have been able to see through a door into a living room where the shop occupants lived ?  My sister thinks she can remember that being the case. It would have been almost like having a shop within someone's house.

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I can't remember being able to see into the living quarters. As you walked into the shop, the counter faced you, there were various vegetable compartments to your right, hanging scales etc and a door in the far corner which, presumably, led into living quarters although I don't think the Wealthalls lived there in my time.

 

My father also frequented The Pheasant and for some years ran a car body repair business on Prospect Street. I believe he repaired Harold's car on a couple of occasions. He certainly knew him quite well.

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Here goes, The Wealthall family biz is not just limited to Harold and his direct family. His second cousins are Kenny and Chris Wealthall, market traders, purveyors of fish and associated items. I am not sure where they stand as I haven't seen them for years, I only remember Kenny from standing at Ilkeston and visits to Harold's shop. I spoke to their sister recently and their biz is now in the 100th year. Harold played football for Nottingham Boys in the late 20's/30's.He was a tricky winger, reported in the Evening Post. He played the required six games for a Cap as representing the City but never received it. Much later in his life, when we raised this with the Schools FA he was finally awarded a special certificate. Harold was a life long Notts County fan and I used to drag him away from the biz on a Saturday afternoon to see them whenever it was possible, Sadly his son was a Forest supporter. However, his grandson played for City Boys and was a junior with Notts County up to the age of 15yrs along with Darren Huckerby. At the age of 41yrs he still plays for a veterans team. I have a team picture of Harold also in a vets team for, I think, either the Pheasant or Le Grand, "Glue Pot", football team. Harold's great grandsons, although of a young age, also play football.
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Jill Sparrow is quite right in her description of the shop. To the right of the counter was a doorway, on passing through the doorway immediately to the right were the cellar steps, going on you came to the stock room, passing through this you came to the living quarters, a small room which was the lounge, dining room, office etc all comdined. The kitchen was through the lounge. I say kitchen but that is overstating it. How Joan managed to cook the fantastic meals she did I will never know. Not only did she do the family cooking there she also prepared the cooked beetroot there which the shop was noted for. The cooking of the beetroot was done outside in the yard in an old hot water boiler. The shed outside contained the sacks of potatoes. In the stock room was a very large picture of the "Relief of Maffeking", I always wonderd why. In Harold Senior's days the stockroom was the front room with a piano. At Christmas time there would be family parties there around the piano, both the Wealthall and Lennon families would be present. Harold snr.'s wife Norah was a Lennon and her sisters lived on Churchfield lane. Norah was born in India, her father being a military man. I have a picture of a Christmas party taken, I believe,in the early 30's. I say this because Norah's mother Louisa Lennon is there and she died in 1937. Indcidently, Joan, Harold Jnr's wife was born in Malta, her father was in The Gordon Highlanders. Joan and Harold jnr moved to Woodstock Avenue, Churchfield Lane just before they sold the shop. I will post indie pics shortly.
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#19

 

You're not wrong about the cooked beetroot! It was my mother's favourite and she must have eaten tons of it from Wealthalls. As a toddler, I recall standing by that counter as the scale pan full of potatoes was tipped into a shopping basket mum kept specifically for that purpose, still with the earth on them.

 

Carrots with the tops on and, in summer, cucumber and cream cheese. Ah, it's bringing back lots of memories. 

 

;)

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A little humour. I can't remember the exact date, possibly in the late 70's. Harold was friendly with Deaton brothers. Both newsagents, one had a shop a the bottom of Broxtowe lane next to the chip shop the other, Alan had a shop on Aspley lane near the junction of Melbourne road. He is famous for deterring thieves from robbing cigarettes from his cigarette machine at the front of the shop by a fence. He heard the would be robbers, took to his shotgun and blasted them from the bedroom above, he had to go to court but was let off. Anyway, Harold and Joan were invited to go with them to Cyprus. Harold was dreading it, he didn't want to fly and didn't want to go. But, Joan was keen  and he went along with it got the passports, air tickets and paid for the holiday. Leading up to the day when he would have to climb aboard the plane he was tense and very afraid, he made his feelings well known. But, lady luck was on his side, shortly before they were due to leave Turkey invaded Cyprus and all holidays were cancelled. What a relief!

After his death Diane and I asked Joan to take a break and go to Majorca with us. Her passport had expired so she applied for a new one. I have mentioned that she was born in Malta as her father was stationed there with the family. She was born in 1922 and came to the UK in that decade. The timing of the holiday in Majorca was in the mid 1990's, so she had lived, worked and paid taxes here for over 60 yrs. her request for a passport was denied at this time despite having had a passport for the trip to Cyprus. She called the passport service to ask why her passport was denied. Their answer was that she was classed as an illegal alien as they found no record of her entering UK in the 20's. This was because she travelled to UK with a Regiment and with her parents and sibling's  who, due to their age had the necessary documentation. She sneaked in! The fact that she received a passport previously was said to be an error. The passport authority listened to her argument and finally agreed to give her a six month passport. However, I never let her forget that she had been classed as an Illegal Alien especially when she raised political issues.

A little fun on this cold night. 

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We had adjoining rooms in Majorca and in the morning before breakfast I would find her on her balcony looking peacefully out to sea. To me it seemed as if she was thinking about her life. What had happened and what could have happened. She thoroughly enjoyed her break. We also took her on a short break to Paris which she thoroughly enjoyed. Joan unfortunately was diagnosed with the Big C and went into Haywood House at the City. She didn't want to spend the end of her life there and against doctors advice demanded to go home. They said that it was likely that the short ambulance journey would take her, but, she was determined to spend her last days at home. She was a strong woman, but, as you have said Jill a kind and caring person, full of laughter. I did the night shift taking care of her in the last two weeks, Diane the day shift. We used to talk about her life, laugh and joke all the time. She was a truly wonderful woman and I couldn't have wished for a better Mother-in-Law. I say this because you seem to know as much as I do about Harold and Joan even down to the Beetroot, and I have enjoyed your thoughts of the past. Joan most definitely would have enjoyed our thre, soon to be four, grandchildren. So, as you came from Bobbies Mill I ask you a question, can you remember a house on Alfreton Road, at the bus stop opposite the Capital Picture house, inbound into the City. It had a small sign adjacent to the door "Joe Brown Tailor". I ask you this as I am thinking of starting a sequel to the man in the "Brown Bowler". The new one would be "The Man in the Trilby", my grandfather Horace Brown who live in Rowland Terrace, Heskey Street, Nottingham for most of his life which incidently his early life was on Noel Street, Hyson Green and he finally passed in a flat on Wigston Walk, in the Hyson Green flats. His working life was spent with Nottingham City Council, Eastcroft where he was based. He wore a Trilby every day of his life, never went anywhere without it. Always in the green council van touring the City's sewaragw works and having control of the works staff to undertake sewerage related work. One project he did direct was the erection of the famed Robin Hood statue at the Castle. I remember as I was there. Joe Brown the tailor was his brother.

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#23

 

Super post, Brown Bowler!

 

It's nice to know that Joan had caring family members around her in her latter years. I was speaking to my sister who is almost 8 years older than I am and she also has vivid memories of nipping down to Wealthall's for mum, often for peas (in pods) and she reminded me that our father would bring seasonal treats from there such as pomegranates and chestnuts to roast on the fire! Very happy memories.

 

As to Joe Brown, yes, I certainly remember the name and heard my mum speak of him. She also spoke of a Mrs Brown who, I think, lived on Bobbers Mill Road who could have been a relation. I think she was a tailoress, although it was a Mrs Ainley who made mum's wedding dress in 1949. I have to rely on my memory for what mum told me as she toddled off to a better place in 2010 but she'd have loved this site! Her memory for the area was phenomenal right up to her passing.

 

Near to the house you describe lived the Amos family, Sidney Amos ran a coal merchant and haulage business. There were also the Greenwoods. Mr Greenwood had been in the Nottingham Police Force.

 

Were you born in the area yourself?

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I don&'t think there was a Brown family member on Bobbies Mill road. However, the family tree is large and I would not rule it out. My grandfather's sister, Thurza Brown lived on Gauntly Street off Wilkinson Street, possibly in their former family home. His Brother, Harold was a florist and lived in a Shipstone house on Radford Road opposite the top of Wilkinson Street. The land opposite the brewery where the tram sheds now are, was owned by my Great Grandfather, so I was told. His other sister lived on Weston Blvd. I guess you went to Berridge Road school Jill, then Forest Fields or Peveril. This is a statement not necessarily a question. I remember Amos the coal merchant but not the Greenwoods. I didn't come from the area, I was upstream in Aspley. It seemed a long way away at that time. Then moved to Cotgrave, lived on Grimston for 6 mths before marriage, Then Rise Park and now Southwell. I worked in Derbyshire my company re-located there after they moved from Gregory Blvd. From there extensive tours of China (26yrs), Mexico and almost everywhere in between for the company. The Wealthall's other relations lived on Darley Avenue, the O'Dowd's. A test, can you remember a house on Churchfield Lane that had a Monkey tree in the front garden?

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