Toby's store & Friar Lane


Recommended Posts

  • Replies 91
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Posts

I am 73 yrs old and I started work at Toby's age 15 on may 9th 1957 I knew Joan Peck very well although she started a lot later than me .I worked there till June 1965 when I left to have my first b

Gee Hi Limey, I found a romantic little history of Tobys in a Civic Soc. book, a plumber bloke called Hartley had a bathware shop top of Friar lane, married a girl called Florence who'd been a manager

John Jeffcoate Ross Sergeant was a partner in my accountancy firm of Hubbart Durose and Pain and I always understood that he was related to the pharmacist. We occupied premises to the rear of the Coun

Posted Images

I was always afraid of knocking something over in the glassware area.

My old man once did, he cursed and swore so vehemently, blaming the staff for putting it in the way that by the time they got over their astonishment we'd carried out a tactical withdrawal. We never went back again.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I heard somewhere that if you do break something accidentally in a shop then they can't force you to pay for it.

Similarly I think those little signs you often see in antique shops that say if you break something you have to pay for it are not enforcible.

The shop and/or stall holder are supposed to insure themselves against such mishaps I believe.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I used to love going to Toby's...a proper shop. But one thing used to drive me crackers was they expected all browsers to be potential shoplifters. The assistants, on the ground floor at least, were positioned inside a rectangular counter/display. Whilst you browsed, they moved to stand in front of you. As you moved, they moved. It became ridiculous at times, the temptation was always there to deliberately shuffle to and fro around the counter to see how they kept up!

  • Upvote 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

I used to walk past Toby's every day on the way to work from 1960 to 1961. I was an apprentice electrician on the City House building on the corner of Friar Lane and Maid Marion Way. I think City House is now a hotel.

I was in Nottingham last September. Sad to see how many places have disappeared. I tried to find the old Imperial Hotel but couldn't. Has that also gone?

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 7 months later...

I am 73 yrs old and I started work at Toby's age 15 on may 9th 1957 I knew Joan Peck very well although she started a lot later than me .I worked there till June 1965 when I left to have my first baby Toby's then was owned by Mrs Blythen and her Nephew Mr H R Hartley was the managing Director and a miss Juet was the Manageress I Started in the Basement selling soap powders etc for me they were great years and I can still name a lot of the staff from those days . Anyway I left in 65 had 2 boys then went back in 72 when boys were both at school I went back in the office and I was there till the original Toby's closed in 1980 .and I was kept on with the new owners till I left to become a warden of Sheltered. Housing in 1984 . I loved my time at Toby's and have a lot of stories of my years there in fact I'm still in contact with a friend I worked with there she started there in 1959 .and we meet up for lunch every Thursday we have been friends for about 55 yrs .

  • Like 1
  • Upvote 10
Link to post
Share on other sites

The only thing I remember about Toby's was that my Mum bought me a tiny teddy bear there when we were in town one day. I was about 7 I think. I've still got it although he looks a bit scruffy now. He's about 3" high with moveable arms and legs

  • Like 1
  • Upvote 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Toby's was a Department store very well known for its Cut glass and china although it sold just about everything . Even when I started in 1957 about a month befor Nov 5th it sold fireworks A week before I had to fetch a explosives certificate can't remember where from .then every evening about half hour befor if closed I had to put all the fire works in a big metal dustbin ant take it to the top of the building and lock it in a room there was nothing else in the room . Then fetch them down every morning it was a chore but it had to be done . .

  • Upvote 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

My dads older brother, my uncle, was a graphic artist at Toby's for most of his working life, he had a major stroke in his early 60's then passed a little later.

He was responsible for all the display artwork and signage around the store.

I knew your uncle very well . Eric Harrison he was a really nice chap his office was in what we called Rogers offices it was where all the buyers etc had there offices . Eric was a really hard worker and he was always very pleasant and had time for everyone although I was only 15 when I started and quite shy . Eric always had time to talk to me .they were very good years at Toby's .

  • Upvote 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

My grandma, Joan Peck, Used to work at Toby's department store right up until its closure. She worked in the china department and then for Royal Dalton department when she was head hunted. Does anybody have any photo's of it or want to share your memories.

I remember Joan Peck very well .she was a very nice lady always got a smile on her face and ready for a good laugh .by the time Joan started I had moved off the counters and worked in the office so if the staff needed bags of change for there tills they had to come to my office which was called the Cash desk , another part of my job was answering the switch board , and all the staff had to hand their hand bags into me at the office they weren't allowed to take them on to their counters this was of course before Toby's supplied them with lockers .

  • Upvote 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

I knew your uncle very well . Eric Harrison he was a really nice chap his office was in what we called Rogers offices it was where all the buyers etc had there offices . Eric was a really hard worker and he was always very pleasant and had time for everyone although I was only 15 when I started and quite shy . Eric always had time to talk to me .they were very good years at Toby's .

Welcome Doreen, and thanks for that memory, I only knew uncle Eric as a child but yes he was a nice man, I lost touch with his wife and family after he died, often wonder how they went on and where his daughter is now.

Shame how we lose contact with families as we become older.

Sorry to go OT.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I used to love going to Toby's...a proper shop. But one thing used to drive me crackers was they expected all browsers to be potential shoplifters. The assistants, on the ground floor at least, were positioned inside a rectangular counter/display. Whilst you browsed, they moved to stand in front of you. As you moved, they moved. It became ridiculous at times, the temptation was always there to deliberately shuffle to and fro around the counter to see how they kept up!

Hi,

I loved going in Toby's and as a teenager I thought the make up counter was the most interesting. The only item I ever bought was a bottle of Revlon pink pearl nail varnish. I also liked the coloured glassware but when I wanted such an item I bought it at the Co-op at a much more reasonable price! At that time I was not pestered by staff as you describe. From 1969 to 1972 I worked in the Farmer's store in Exchange Walk. This was a student holiday job. The management told us very firmly that we must never ever approach a shoplifter and we should just tell our department manager if we saw someone trying to steal. Also we were told not to approach customers and say "can I help you". If anyone broke the store rules they got the sack. It was quite strict but a great place to work.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Toby's Pearson's Griffins, Burton's and many more. All Gone is it the sign of the times? Do we have any decent department stores left in Nottingham? apart from John Lewis.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Debenhams is in the old Griffin and Spalding building on the corner of Market Street and House of Fraser is upstairs in Victoria Centre...or that's where they were last time I was in Nottingham (which is probably over a year ago now!!!!)

Link to post
Share on other sites

I used to love Tobys. My first dinner set (wedding present) came from there.

John used to work there on Saturdays, as a yoof, and remembers the china rattling as he walked through to his department!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Debenhams and H of S are still here, along with John Lewis's. Three of the best shops in town. Oh, Zara too, nearly forgot that.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Started working in 1963 in Vernon House next door to Tobys and regularly used to pop in to buy a Terrys Waifa to have with my morning coffee.

An Aunt bought a cut glass fruit set from there for a wedding present and we have just the large bowl left 47 years later.

Welcome to the Forum Doreen.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...