Cockaynes department store, Angel St

[jacquigalah]

Hi ginger, my mum worked in Cockaynes in the 1950's in the lingerie department. When were you there?

jacqui

[gingernut]

Hi ginger, my mum worked in Cockaynes in the 1950's in the lingerie department. When were you there?

jacqui

 

Hi I was there 1966 - I was on Lingerie but the department also covered 'corsetry'. I know that some of the staff had been there for years and I am trying to remember some of the names - with old age and poverty creeping on I am struggling - I recall Janice and Mrs Gilliver? on corsets and with me ... I can see their faces..... but the names are not coming.. I will think a bit more

 

We used to use the 'tube' system for payments - very old fashioned the money and bills were dispatched down the vacuum tubes and the girls in the tube room would send change and receipts back.

 

I also remember we had 'floor managers' (Captain Peacocks) ours was Mr Proctor who if I recall had some connection with the furniture shop on Fargate. He walked around the place very quietly and was always very smart.

 

Ginger

[jacquigalah]

Hi, thanks Ginger. I'll try and get mum to remember some names, she would have been in her late 20s, early 30s when she worked there. She loved it. Her name is Joy Eyre, so if you think of anyone I'd be grateful for any information. She was the last salesgirl, I remembered her telling me when I read your stuff about that. She said she hardly ever got any customers. It seems a weird way now for retail staff to work. We left Sheffield in 1959 and came to live in Australia, but the roots go way back.

Cheers

Jacqui

[e912]

my mum used to work there up to about 1970

[jacquigalah]

Hi thanks for your message. My mum left there in 1959, was your mum there then?

Jacqui

[IRONMONGER]

I remember Cockayne's being relocated to Glossop Road, Broomhill in the early 50's after being blitzed out of the city centre. They had a row of about 6 shops between Peel Street and the Mount.

Incidentally the Mount , a huge building, was occupied by the department store John Walsh at that time.

[hazel]

I thought that the Walsh's family lived at The Mount it being their family home. didn't know the shop was there too.

I used to pass it going to school on the no 60 bus I remember a small lake/pond in front of it and thinking how rich you would have to be to live there.

 

hazel

[crookesey]

I remember Cockayne's being relocated to Glossop Road, Broomhill in the early 50's after being blitzed out of the city centre. They had a row of about 6 shops between Peel Street and the Mount.

Incidentally the Mount , a huge building, was occupied by the department store John Walsh at that time.

 

I met a very posh old guy many years ago whos family home used to be The Mount, I believe that they were wine importers.

[poppins]

One thing I liked about Cockaynes also is that the staff didn't look down on you like the Walshes staff did, the staff at Walshes thought who they were,

 

If you came in from the rain and went upstairs to use Walshes lavs on the top floor, the women would give you terrible looks because they knew you weren't there to buy, just to use their precious lavs

 

Oh! What bargins I still have from Cockaynes

[anniegray53]

i worked in the Tube room at cockaynes in 1956 you had to work in the tube room before you got a position on the Shop floor or in the offices I work in the offices with Miss Berry and Leila I was the Junior shorthand Typist the M.D. was Mr Parkes and the manager was Mr Brooksbank everything was so proper and everyone knew thier place but a lovely place to work happy days

anniegray53