Hillsborough Shops Of The Past

[carosio]

That was Mrs Styran - see post #112 on Page 6.

 

 

 

Mrs Styran made her sarsparilla drinks from cordial, but Jack Lee actually brewed it using his own recipe. His herbalist/drink shop was at 356 Langsett Road and survived until the late 1970s. As you went in the door there was a narrow part of the shop with a counter where you could buy the usual herbal items (and - shhhh... - condoms) but most of the shop area was the "bar" which had beer-engines dispensing sarsparilla, tables and chairs, a pin table etc. Us 12 year-olds used to prop up the bar with a pint of sarsparilla. Memories...

In the 50s my friends and I used to go in there and order a pint pot of sarsparilla (imagining it was a pint of beer) and chew on liquorice roots sticks.

[Dogsbody]

You don't happen to have any pictures of "The Old Manor House" at the bottom of Laird Rd just prior to it's demolition in 1958 do you Hillsbro ??

[hillsbro]

No, I'm afraid not. I have a number of photos of old Wadsley but none showing the manor house. Conrad Kaye might have done a watercolour of it - I'll check when I am home next week.

[poppins]

Just thought I'd bring this back up in case Hillsbro found any more old photos to share with us.

[nosy nellie]

If I remember right we used to drink what they called a special in Jacks it was sasparella and Blood tonic anyone remember?

[hillsbro]

If I remember right we used to drink what they called a special in Jacks it was sasparella and Blood tonic anyone remember?

Yes that's right; the "blood tonic" (which Jack told me contained iron) gave the drink a slightly more bitter flavour and was delicious..

Just thought I'd bring this back up in case Hillsbro found any more old photos to share with us.

Sorry, I don't have any more that are not copyrighted - at least I don't think so but I'll have a rummage...

[cjpw]

I've just been reading through this and it has brought back loads of memories from my childhood. One shop I remember from the late sixties was a run down looking newsagent just before Barclay's bank. I used to go in and buy up copies of old comics, I can't remember its name but just remember the 'fusty' smell it there. I also remember having my first school bag bought for me from a shop opposite the old swimming baths, even now 45 years later the smell of new leather reminds me of that bag.

[jeffk]

the open top morris used to be owned by tommy wards in the fifties

[hillsbro]

... One shop I remember from the late sixties was a run down looking newsagent just before Barclay's bank...

That would be Kay's at 26 Middlewood Road, run by the rather eccentric Marion and Clarice Kay. They inherited the business from their father Joseph Hedley Kay and neither of them ever married. They actually had degrees from Edinburgh University, but were content to continue the family business. Marion (the little one) was 9 years older than Clarice, but Clarice was definitely the boss. The huge counter was covered with newspapers and magazines, and they always knew exactly where to find the one you wanted. They also sold a few toys, as well as bundles of firewood and other sundries, and of course fireworks in October/November. If they were closed they would serve you at the back door - I remember buying a jigsaw puzzle this way during a wet weekend. They sold the business in the late 1970s - the shop stood where the entrance to the Arcade is now. The sisters moved to a semi on Stanwood Crescent and died within a few months of each other in 1982 - Marion was 81 and Clarice was 72.

I also remember having my first school bag bought for me from a shop opposite the old swimming baths, even now 45 years later the smell of new leather reminds me of that bag.

That was Burgins – I got my first schoolbag there as well. The shop can be seen in the background of this picture of a No 31 bus turning into Forbes Road. Edited April 21, 2010 by hillsbro
Correction

[cjpw]

Burgins - that was the place, thanks Hillsbro. I also bought a football rattle from there, a huge thing that was too big for me to use. I took it to the first match I went to, a night match in 1967 against Chelsea, 1-1 as I recall. The feeling of walking up the steps and into the stand took my breath away - akin to jumping into a bath of very cold water. Happy days.