25th Nov 2015, 2:37 pm | #361 |
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Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire, UK.
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Re: Bygone radio traders
I remember in the early 80s (maybe even late 70s) going to a very old fashioned Radio and TV shop in the Stoke district (Fenton?) that I think was called Chadwicks. It was like something from the pre-war years. The (very) old bloke - Mr Chadwick I believe - was sitting in front of a roaring open fire and he peered over the counter at me as I enquired if he had any old sets. It was an amazing place and I think it carried on for a few years more at least. Is there anyone from the Stoke area who can confirm the name or add to what I have said?
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25th Nov 2015, 4:31 pm | #362 |
Octode
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Re: Bygone radio traders
Happy days indeed, among others in dudley we had wise radio who's logo was an owl with positive and negative eyes, parkes radio, sherratts and jones brothers, another contributer here mentions fenwicks in wolverhampton I remember them well, and stantons in lower dudley where records could be purchased.
As a young and eager teenager I used most of them for the purchase of components and spares. |
25th Nov 2015, 4:59 pm | #363 | |
Octode
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Re: Bygone radio traders
Quote:
Stoke-on-Trent had plenty of secondhand/junk shops back then. I remember driving past one in Hanley and spotting an HRO in the window. Getting back from my errand as quickly as I could I was just in time to see someone loading it into the back of a car. There seemed to be plenty of coil packs to go with the set. |
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15th Dec 2015, 9:57 pm | #364 |
Diode
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Llanbrynmair, Powys, Wales, UK.
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Re: Bygone radio traders
Hi all, as an ex Brummie now living in Wales, I can remember a fair few shops. Radio Centre & Norman H Field in Hurst Street, Amateur Radio in Corporation Street, Amateur Electronics on Alum Rock Road. There WAS a Lasky's, which may have been on Suffolk Street, Feltons at Bearwood, Tom Parton G2AGK where I worked all my school holidays. Another " ham " was Charles Robinson G3UHQ. The main TV engineer, a third shop in Hurst Street just escapes me. Anyway that's enough for now it's scotch & soda time.
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16th Dec 2015, 9:09 pm | #365 |
Octode
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: West Midlands, UK.
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Re: Bygone radio traders
Welcome!
There was a lengthy discussion on the Birmingham area shops if you wade back through the thread. Feltons was still there a couple of years ago. Can't remember the name of the other shop in Hurst Street, either. Going out of the city there were a few little shops on the Alum Rock Road before you got to G3FIK Amateur Electronics. |
16th Dec 2015, 9:19 pm | #366 |
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Re: Bygone radio traders
Does anyone else remember Miss Taylor in King Street, Huddersfield, and before that with her father in Macaulay Street?
Taylors (available) Ltd I've always wondered about that (available) bit. David
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16th Dec 2015, 9:55 pm | #367 |
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Re: Bygone radio traders
Was that the shop with the Baird Televisor in the window?
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17th Dec 2015, 12:58 am | #368 |
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Re: Bygone radio traders
She had it on top of a tall (wardrobe size) glass display case inside the shop. The window was full of Eagle components, connectors doodads and a load of thin Babani publications. The bacon-slicer couldn't be seen from outside.
The place was robbed and the sole interest seemed to have been in the televisor. I wonder where it is now? It must have been passed on and in the hands of someone who probably doesn't know its history. David
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17th Dec 2015, 1:58 am | #369 |
Heptode
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Re: Bygone radio traders
Hi
Just out of interest, George Felton's In Bearwood is still going. I've never been there personally, but a friend visits fairly regularly. Kind regards Dave |
17th Dec 2015, 2:49 am | #370 |
Heptode
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Re: Bygone radio traders
I was a customer of the somewhat elderly, yet still very elegant, helpful and knowledgeable Miss Taylor around 1981-4 and certainly remember the Televisor.
She supplied a 15-W Antex element, apologising for the price, which was actually quite reasonable, and a fair few odd components over the 3 years I was a student in Huddersfield. According to a local radio amateur (Bernard, G3JWY, I think), she was a model when young. |
17th Dec 2015, 9:40 am | #371 |
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Re: Bygone radio traders
When I used to go in, she'd saved-up technical questions from other customers for me so that she could give them answers when they next came in. Yes, she had been a model before the war and told me a bit about it. It was a very respectable occupation back then.
Later on, her eyesight made small print difficult and she used to get customers to read prices ot of the RS catalogue, add her profit and then VAT for her! Most people were quite happy with the arrangement, knowing that other places often had higher markups, if less visible A good friend for many years. David
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Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done |
17th Dec 2015, 11:35 am | #372 |
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Re: Bygone radio traders
I wasn't aware that being a model is not a respectable occupation now?
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17th Dec 2015, 1:26 pm | #373 |
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Location: Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, UK.
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Re: Bygone radio traders
Memories! It was a long time ago, but I do remember seeing it. It'll be in someone's collection now to be seen by just them.
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17th Jan 2016, 10:14 pm | #374 |
Triode
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: East Sussex, UK.
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Home Radio
I am intrigued by this photo that is currently up on eBay.
Do you think it could be "Home Radio" of Mitcham? |
17th Jan 2016, 11:13 pm | #375 |
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Re: Home Radio
It could be. It was very much a shop like that in the 40's/50's. They later expanded, modernised the shop and moved all the components and mail-order stock to a bigger building across the road. The shop then became just the retail outlet for TV, Radio and appliances.
I only knew the shop in the 60/70's after the expansion.
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6th Feb 2016, 9:25 pm | #376 |
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Re: Bygone radio traders
I recall buying by mail from J R Hartley of Bridgnorth in the late 60's & early 70's.
He produced a "catalogue" typed on yellow paper. Wish I had kept a copy! There was a fairly recent Yellow Pages advert featuring a "J R Hartley", but for me, J R Hartley Electronic Supplies of Bridgnorth was the original "Yellow Pages" |
7th Feb 2016, 3:33 pm | #377 |
Octode
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Re: Bygone radio traders
I remember going up the steep and narrow stairs to John Hartley's emporium in the early 1970s. I bought from him regularly until my interest faded in the early 1980s.
The catalogues were produced on a Gestetner machine and often had yellow covers and white pages inside which was the most cost-effective way of producing a catalogue for a small business or a newsletter for a small club or church. It's amazing to think that in forty years technology has gone from that to colour laser printers that sit on the table top. You will find reference to JR Hartley earlier in this thread. Oh, and welcome to the forum! |
8th Feb 2016, 8:55 am | #378 |
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Re: Bygone radio traders
I knew J Arthur Parkes as G2DVI towards the end of his life when he joined our local amateur radio club. He was a modest chap who spoke little about his exploits in working life, which included demonstrating a working TV receiver in an airborne aircraft. I still have a valve tester and numerous valves which originally belonged to him.
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8th Feb 2016, 1:55 pm | #379 |
Heptode
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Re: Bygone radio traders
Re Taylors of Hudds. Back in the 60's she was in Macauley street. Near the Plumbers Arms pub. All long gone although I think the pub still exists. A very nice old dear, I used to do the odd repair for her. She lived at Greenhead Park and yes, she had a baird televisor. And a ****** annoying little dog. She used to price everything up and added purchase tax. How long ago did that go out?
She took the business from her father, another celeb. Remember her well. And Jim Fish, (G4MH) had a place on Viaduct Street, he ran it with the (then) gorgeous Wendy, memories. |
29th Dec 2016, 2:45 pm | #380 |
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VES - Valve Exchange Service
From 1951 to 1959, our Wholesaler was VES (Valve Exchange Service) in Gunnersbury Lane, Acton, London. I wonder if any other Member will have heard/dealt with them. Every month they sent a (duplicated) catalogue with "This Month's Snip" for special offers on the front cover. I remember I bought a complete portable record player amplifier (ECL80) for 37s 6p. They seemed to have access to all sorts of fully built Radio Chassis and Radio/Radiogram cabinets. I'll never know how they sourced these!
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