Author Topic: Midland Educational  (Read 6826 times)

Coastal

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Midland Educational
« on: November 04, 2015, 12:47:55 AM »
I worked at The Midland Educational Company (MECO) from 1970 to 73, It was the school contracts department based in Malcolm House on the Moseley Road opposite the bus garage, It was half of the building over three floors, on the ground floor was the Midland Ed, also there was Broadway Warehouse and Barnaby's Toys on the other two, they all belonged to the same group, On one side of us there were offices (same building) with a strip club on the top floor. On the other side was Robinsons Removals. Basically it was offices and a warehouse, we would receive written orders from schools,  then collect the ordered items in a push around truck (like a heavy duty Tea Chest on wheels) we then wrote out the delivery address labels and sent it over to the packers, the packages then went to the loading bay to await delivery in our own vans, we stocked all the items found in the shops, including Card, Paper, Pens, Pencils, Exercise Books, Plasticine, Pencil Sharpeners, Staplers and even Washed Sand for infant school sand pits. if schools used it we stocked it. we supplied Birmingham and the Black Country schools,
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RoyMcC

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Re: Midland Educational
« Reply #1 on: November 04, 2015, 06:15:12 PM »
Yup, at St Philip's GS we used your exercise books, a different colour for each subject  :)  I assume Midland Ed is gone long ago?

planetmalc

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Re: Midland Educational
« Reply #2 on: November 05, 2015, 03:32:52 PM »
Yup, at St Philip's GS we used your exercise books, a different colour for each subject  :)  I assume Midland Ed is gone long ago?
 
Yep, the Midland Ed is long gone. :'(
 
The Malcolm House building has lost its prominent 'M A L C O L M    H O U S E' signage.    The frontage was repainted blue not long ago, so maybe the letters were removed for this and not replaced.     You may have to petition for their re-instatement, Coastal! 
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Joewoen

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Re: Midland Educational
« Reply #3 on: November 06, 2015, 03:19:28 PM »
 
Yep, the Midland Ed is long gone. :'(
 
The Malcolm House building has lost its prominent 'M A L C O L M    H O U S E' signage.    The frontage was repainted blue not long ago, so maybe the letters were removed for this and not replaced.     You may have to petition for their re-instatement, Coastal!

Or, maybe the letters are going into the new Birmingham Museum of signage. Someone  (?) has realised too many of the old factory and general building signage is being lost as buildings are destroyed. They do have a point, but I can't help thinking it's a bit late now. It's a crying shame the 1960's  Bull Ring bull symbol was totally destryed.

As for Midland Ed' how strange it had a strip club on the top floor  ;D

gary_m_walton

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Re: Midland Educational
« Reply #4 on: November 13, 2015, 06:26:07 PM »
I didn't work at your section but I did work in the City Centre store, Corporation Street. I worked downstairs in the toy department. It would have been around the same time as you so around '70 to '73. I think the manager was Mr Gough????? I later bumped into him again when I worked at Fine Fare (?) over the top of New Street Station in the corner - down from a model shop, I think? He was probably a manager there, also. I used to love going to work at Midland Ed. as there was a Bang & Olufsen shop right next door. I used to drool over the gorgeous Hi-Fi there. In fact, The TV Drama 'The Brothers (1972) featured one of their linear tracker turnables and that started in '72 so that would fit your time frame.  I must have been around 14 ish. So, yes, I have fond memories of the Midland Educational. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. P.S. I used to love Birmingham then - unlike now. Happy days.
Now, where did I put my time machine ....

planetmalc

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Re: Midland Educational
« Reply #5 on: November 14, 2015, 03:50:43 PM »
I worked at The Midland Educational Company (MECO) from 1970 to 73, It was the school contracts department based in Malcolm House on the Moseley Road opposite the bus garage, It was half of the building over three floors, on the ground floor was the Midland Ed, also there was Broadway Warehouse and Barnaby's Toys on the other two, they all belonged to the same group,
 
'Birmingham Optical' are currently in residence in part of the ground floor (left hand end).
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Phil

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Re: Midland Educational
« Reply #6 on: November 14, 2015, 06:56:45 PM »
I remember the site in the late 50's and early 60' when it was a bomb site that we played on as kids, it was later used as parking for the bus garage over the road and then later in the early 60's I think Robinsons had the new part built as offices and they rented the rest out, I might not be right about the Robinson connection but that's what I've always believed.
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

Coastal

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Re: Midland Educational
« Reply #7 on: November 14, 2015, 07:42:45 PM »
Thanks for the input, I notice the sign says Remington Rand, You can just see the top edge of the next building that was Robinson's, The MECo took up about half of Malcolm House, Left hand side as you look at it.
Do unto others before they do unto you.

J McCarthy

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Re: Midland Educational
« Reply #8 on: February 28, 2018, 11:29:53 AM »
Malcolm House was named after Malcolm Locker. He was the son of Sam Locker who owned a number of property companies in and around the Midlands. His son Malcolm was killed quite young I believe and Sam had hopes he would take over. He named the Block in his memory. He had his offices there after he moved from Corporation St. in the late 60's. It contained a variety of companies renting offices and also had a "Gentleman's" Club on the top floor which had a bar and lounge and had striptease during the lunch hour and day. Very risque in those days. I worked for a firm of accountants and did the audit of the property companies. One day our partner went in to the Bar to buy some cigarettes and there were a few people in there having a drink, as well as a young lady wearing a Bow Tie, a Top Hat and a G String. A hasty exit followed.
Is it still occupied?

robx52

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Re: Midland Educational
« Reply #9 on: February 28, 2018, 02:46:18 PM »
I seem to remember a shoe repairers there at one time.     I think

Spud

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Re: Midland Educational
« Reply #10 on: February 28, 2018, 02:56:25 PM »
Looking back at the old threads and in particular Phil's I am sure he is correct about Robinsons Removals and Malcolm House we had a friend who was a manager for Robinsons.
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