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General Vintage Technology Discussions For general discussions about vintage radio and other vintage electronics etc. |
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17th Apr 2018, 8:22 pm | #1 |
Heptode
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Nottingham, UK.
Posts: 648
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Anyone remember Alex Owen Television?
Alex Owen was a TV retailer who expanded rapidly on the 50's and 60's they were based in Nottingham and had branches in the East Midlands area. The link below is to an article that's been very well put together, and shows pictures of the shops in their heyday. Click on the pictures and you're taken to some very nice shots of the service dept with a fleet of 30 Morris 1000 vans. A friend of mine served his apprenticeship with them and he commented on what a well run company it was. Such a pity to see it all gone, compare this to service that's offered today...
http://www.beeston-notts.co.uk/alex_owen.shtml SJM. |
17th Apr 2018, 11:20 pm | #2 |
Heptode
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Derby DE1, Derbyshire, UK.
Posts: 626
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Re: Anyone remember Alex Owen Television?
Thats great, a good bit of information there and an interesting read. Yes it's a shame that it's all gone now
Paul. |
23rd Apr 2018, 9:47 am | #3 |
Pentode
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Leicestershire, UK.
Posts: 218
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Re: Anyone remember Alex Owen Television?
When I was a rep in the 1980's I worked around the Beeston area and most of the smaller TV companies were started by ex Alex Owen Employees.
It seemed a great company to work for and obviously employed a lot of engineers. |
23rd Apr 2018, 11:14 am | #4 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Cottingham, East Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 5,761
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Re: Anyone remember Alex Owen Television?
Thanks for posting that - what a splendid write up, and what an inglorious end to such a great company.
I was born in Nottingham and left there in 1969. Alex Owen shops (and their service vans) were everywhere in the 1960s and as a company, they were held in high regard. I well remember their Beeston shop for all the wrong reasons! Beeston was where the Nottingham Driving Test Centre was situated. On my first driving test, it fell to my lot to be allocated an examiner who was noted as being very disagreeable. As we walked to my car, as an 'ice-breaker' I commented on what a nice day it was. His response was "We're not here to talk about the weather - lead the way to your vehicle". It was all downhill from there! As we returned to Beeston, there was a crossroad that was slightly offset, with an Alex Owen showroom opposite. He gave no directions so I said "Is it "Straight on here?" His response was "Don't be so stupid - if you go straight on, you'll go through Alex Owen's window". Charming - I buttoned my lips, but felt like saying 'for the avoidance of doubt, I didn't mean should I mount the pavement and crash through a shop window, but should I follow the road ahead'? I took it that I did need to go straight on - the Test Centre was further down the road. Needless to say, to no great surprise, I failed the test. (I passed at the third attempt - maybe I got marks for good attendance?). Ho hum
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David. BVWS Member. G-QRP Club member 1339. |
23rd Apr 2018, 7:15 pm | #5 |
Octode
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Ilkeston, Derbyshire, UK.
Posts: 1,397
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Re: Anyone remember Alex Owen Television?
I love the photos of the state-of-the-art showroom in Beeston, which can be seen in the linked article. I've passed that building many times and wondered what it used to be.
It doesn't look half as interesting today: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.92...7i13312!8i6656 Steve |
28th Apr 2018, 6:46 pm | #6 |
Heptode
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Nottingham, UK.
Posts: 648
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Re: Anyone remember Alex Owen Television?
Thanks for all the comments. Nice story from David and the driving test examiner! SJM
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