Phil
Regarding the shop corner of George Arthur Road/Alum Rock Road,
The time frame of 1957 is definatly right, I got married at St Saviours Church, in 1957, and I was a new housewife doing my weekly shop, when I walked into that shop, and as I said before, it was only the strong smell of spices, that led me to believe it was owned by Asians, but you are right in saying that there were not many Asian shops at that time, I knew of none, perhaps that was the first, I wish that I had paid more attention.
The Rock was a great shopping area in those days, whatever you needed, you could get up the Rock,
I would not go down there now, even if I was paid to go.