Author Topic: Shops in Birmingham City Centre  (Read 54303 times)

oldgoose

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Shops in Birmingham City Centre
« on: October 15, 2008, 03:17:15 PM »
Does anyone remember 'The Beehive'? My Mum used to talk about it, but was it a shop?
I vividly remember 'Henrys', 'Greys' and of course, 'Chelsea Girl' .
There used to be many rumours about Chelsea Girl being so dark because the clothes were full of fleas and if it was dark then the shoppers wouldnt seem them !

Phil

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Re: Shops in Birmingham City Centre
« Reply #1 on: October 16, 2008, 10:51:59 PM »
The Beehive was in Albert St off High St and Dale End. The Beehive was a department store , not the type you have mentioned like Henry's and Greys. It was of a different age. When the different departments were each their own little kingdom that had their own manager, staff and tills.

The customer was treated along the line of "The customer is always right". If you can remember the old TV comedy "Are You Being Served" it was like that without the comedy.

Boy am I glad it all changed. I like to walk in, grab a shirt pay and get out.

Phil
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

mickie

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Re: Shops in Birmingham City Centre
« Reply #2 on: October 17, 2008, 01:57:03 AM »
I grew up in Birmingham during the forties and fifties, on Saturdays we would take a bus into town to shop at the Beehive, Marks and Spencers, and Lewis department stores, and have tea at a tea shop before taking the bus back to Hall Green. I have lived in California for nearly fifty years and believe me I would love some old fashioned courtsy, here everyone calls you by your first name wether you want them to or not.

Phil

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Re: Shops in Birmingham City Centre
« Reply #3 on: October 17, 2008, 09:45:03 AM »
Hi mickie

Its been a long time since you last posted to the forum so I'll say welcome back. I have just been reading up on you old posts. I know Leominster Rd well. I used to go out with a girl from Leominster Rd when I was 14  that would be 60-61 she lived at the Foremans Rd end of the road. Shamefully I haven't a clue what her name was.

I think you will find the forum has changed a little from the last time you posted, it seems that we more mature members are now in the majority as opposed to minority, and like yourself a large part of the membership is made up of ex pats.

Phil
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

mickie

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Re: Shops in Birmingham City Centre
« Reply #4 on: October 19, 2008, 05:23:44 AM »
thank you for the welcome back. as I get older, much older. I find myself remembering more and more about the past and how different things were. I doubt they were better or worse. I watched a show on tv the other night, a remake of an English show called Life on Mars, where the hero finds himself in the distant past  1973  seems like yesterday to me....

tramp

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Re: Shops in Birmingham City Centre
« Reply #5 on: October 19, 2008, 05:51:22 AM »
Hello Mickie,

I've a reasonable idea of what you feel as I've just passed 65. I haven't properly lived in brum since '56 and walked out for the last time in '59, and as you say 73 is like yesterday.  It was a good year, at the start of it my daughter was one year old, and work was growing like a beanstalk.  I was based in Nigeria and had a second, 3 week round the world buying trip to the Far East, over to our US agents in San F'co, then NY, and Pan Am to Monrovia. and on to Lagos.  We have this luxury of a treasure chest of vibrant memories, even the sadder ones retain an immediacy I find.  With age I/m also aware of a consciousness of breadth of difference that has evolved across the years - and as for me, I could never have followed it, as I've lived in several countries.   Your English style has become very US influenced during these 50 years!!   Surprise, surprise

jasper14

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Re: Shops in Birmingham City Centre
« Reply #6 on: October 20, 2008, 08:45:04 AM »
Hi there, does anyone remember the Copper Kettle I think it was in
Union Passage, lovelyplace upstairs...and I have asked before what about
the Restaurant upstairs of the New St Odeon, is that is being used.
Talking about the bBeehive, how about Hawkins donwn the bottom of
?? Steelhouse Lane, next to the scout shop...It seems funny remembering
these places cos they could have gone to dust now, however one can but ask.

Phil

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Re: Shops in Birmingham City Centre
« Reply #7 on: October 20, 2008, 05:30:00 PM »
Jasper

I haven't been in the Odeon since the mid 70's. I seem to think that the restaurant is now a bar. To be honest I don't remember there being a restaurant.

When I was a youngster and had a new girlfriend on a first date I would take them to the Odeon. After that the local fleapit was good enough, but we would come out of there and make our way up to Lyons's self service at the top of New St. It was no expense spared with me.

Phil
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

jasper14

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Re: Shops in Birmingham City Centre
« Reply #8 on: October 20, 2008, 09:44:53 PM »
Phi, the restaurant part I,m thinkingof was,  go up the centre staircase,
turn left, up two (3) steps and bobs your uncle ,a lovely white tableclothed &
thick carpet under foot seperate part from the actual cinema...............
BTW  the last film I saw there was called    Spitfires,cant even thinkof the date.

mickie

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Re: Shops in Birmingham City Centre
« Reply #9 on: October 20, 2008, 10:27:31 PM »
funny you should mention my writing style becoming american. At home when I call someone they always say I knew it was you by your english accent, and when I am in the uk I get oh I knew it was you by your american accent, I must be midatlantic.

tramp

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Re: Shops in Birmingham City Centre
« Reply #10 on: October 21, 2008, 12:14:36 AM »
mickie,

The obvious give away is your frequent use of ''we/I would'' not in the conditional sense, but instead of ''used to'', no brummie speaker would do so.  I've lived in over a dozen countries and do not usually speak to a native English speaker - haven't this year so far, so my accent is an amalgam those places mediated by the need to speak clearly as I teach English


 

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